Cost of Living Comparison Between Vancouver and Cambridge Cost of Living Comparison Between Vancouver and Cambridge

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,906 in Vancouver versus $2,462 in Cambridge.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,209 in Vancouver versus $3,522 in Cambridge.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,513 in Vancouver versus $4,582 in Cambridge.

Living in Vancouver is roughly 18% more expensive than in Cambridge, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Vancouver 118% above, Cambridge 84% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.62 CA$26.20

$14.82 CA$20.85

25.64%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$77.9 CA$110

$65.2 CA$91.7

19.46%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.84 CA$15.26

$10.00 CA$14.07

8.40%

Cappuccino

$3.93 CA$5.53

$3.68 CA$5.18

6.79%

Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.24 CA$3.16

$2.21 CA$3.11

1.36%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.75 CA$2.46

$1.61 CA$2.27

8.70%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.05 CA$8.51

$5.84 CA$8.21

3.60%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.30 CA$10.27

$6.56 CA$9.22

11.28%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.30 CA$3.24

$2.23 CA$3.13

3.14%

White Bread (500g)

$3.07 CA$4.32

$2.25 CA$3.16

36.44%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.77 CA$5.30

$2.99 CA$4.21

26.09%

Eggs

$4.32 CA$6.08

$3.20 CA$4.50

35.00%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.57 CA$17.69

$8.67 CA$12.20

44.98%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.74 CA$19.34

$11.95 CA$16.81

14.98%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.99 CA$22.49

$13.75 CA$19.35

16.29%

Apples (1kg)

$4.26 CA$6.00

$3.99 CA$5.61

6.77%

Banana (1kg)

$1.52 CA$2.14

$1.22 CA$1.72

24.59%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.92 CA$5.52

$3.68 CA$5.18

6.52%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.08 CA$7.15

$3.91 CA$5.51

29.92%

Potato (1kg)

$3.20 CA$4.50

$2.73 CA$3.84

17.22%

Onion (1kg)

$3.09 CA$4.34

$2.46 CA$3.45

25.61%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.60 CA$3.65

$2.24 CA$3.16

16.07%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.88 CA$2.65

$1.57 CA$2.21

19.75%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$15.45 CA$21.74

$13.40 CA$18.85

15.30%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.89 CA$20.95

$12.25 CA$17.24

21.55%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.12 CA$4.39

$2.45 CA$3.44

27.35%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.80 CA$5.35

$3.16 CA$4.45

20.25%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.42 CA$3.40

$2.56 CA$3.60

-5.47%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$83.0 CA$117

$66.6 CA$93.7

24.60%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.76 CA$5.28

$2.61 CA$3.67

44.06%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.48 CA$2.09

$1.71 CA$2.40

-13.45%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$26.97 CA$37.95

$23.84 CA$33.54

13.13%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.30 CA$1.82

$1.11 CA$1.56

17.12%

Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)

$25.2K CA$35.4K

$25.4K CA$35.7K

-0.82%

Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)

$20.6K CA$28.9K

$20.3K CA$28.5K

1.36%

Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)

$91.8 CA$129

$151 CA$212

-39.14%

SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)

$39.34 CA$55.4

$39.94 CA$56.2

-1.50%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$60.6 CA$85.3

$54.1 CA$76.1

12.03%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.58 CA$62.7

$29.81 CA$41.94

49.55%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$15.88 CA$22.35

Cinema Ticket

$12.18 CA$17.13

$11.55 CA$16.26

5.45%

Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)

$1,185 CA$1,667

$556 CA$782

113.23%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$18.5K CA$26.1K

$10.4K CA$14.7K

77.76%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$62.5 CA$87.9

$55.4 CA$78.0

12.78%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.38 CA$59.6

$34.68 CA$48.80

22.20%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$95.0 CA$134

$70.6 CA$99.4

34.52%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$115 CA$162

$110 CA$155

4.34%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,979 CA$2,785

$1,410 CA$1,984

40.34%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,644 CA$2,313

$1,377 CA$1,938

19.34%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,577 CA$5,033

$2,684 CA$3,776

33.28%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,782 CA$3,915

$2,127 CA$2,993

30.80%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$8,754 CA$12.3K

$4,165 CA$5,861

110.16%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$7,087 CA$9,972

$3,848 CA$5,414

84.18%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,380 CA$4,756

$3,007 CA$4,231

12.42%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.61

6.64

-15.51%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Vancouver: July 14, 2026

Last update for Cambridge: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,979 in Vancouver and $1,410 in Cambridge. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Vancouver pays 12% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $78.0 in Vancouver vs $65.0 in Cambridge for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $414 vs $342 per month, with Cambridge cheaper across the board.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.

Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

Vancouver vs Cambridge: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Cambridge is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Getting Around, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 18% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 12% higher in Vancouver, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,979 in Vancouver versus $1,410 in Cambridge. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 21% higher in Vancouver. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Dining out is cheaper in Cambridge – a meal for two runs $65.0 versus $78.0 in Vancouver. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $2,462 in Cambridge versus $2,906 in Vancouver, a $2,500 budget is realistic in Cambridge but tight or insufficient in Vancouver. The gap between the two cities makes Cambridge the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Expats usually find Cambridge gentler on the wallet – expenses run 18% less than in Vancouver. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.