Cost of Living Comparison Between Vancouver and Campbell River Cost of Living Comparison Between Vancouver and Campbell River

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,906 in Vancouver versus $2,652 in Campbell River.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,209 in Vancouver versus $3,823 in Campbell River.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,513 in Vancouver versus $4,993 in Campbell River.

Living in Vancouver is roughly 10% more expensive than in Campbell River, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Vancouver 118% above, Campbell River 99% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.62 CA$26.20

$18.12 CA$25.50

2.76%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$77.9 CA$110

$73.5 CA$103

5.94%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.84 CA$15.26

$11.12 CA$15.65

-2.52%

Cappuccino

$3.93 CA$5.53

$4.03 CA$5.68

-2.48%

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

$2.24 CA$3.16

$2.38 CA$3.36

-5.88%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.75 CA$2.46

$1.11 CA$1.57

57.66%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.05 CA$8.51

$5.02 CA$7.06

20.52%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.30 CA$10.27

$6.09 CA$8.57

19.87%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.30 CA$3.24

$3.10 CA$4.37

-25.81%

White Bread (500g)

$3.07 CA$4.32

$3.18 CA$4.47

-3.46%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.77 CA$5.30

$5.09 CA$7.16

-25.93%

Eggs

$4.32 CA$6.08

$4.50 CA$6.33

-4.00%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.57 CA$17.69

$8.35 CA$11.75

50.54%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.74 CA$19.34

$10.14 CA$14.27

35.50%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.99 CA$22.49

$15.30 CA$21.53

4.51%

Apples (1kg)

$4.26 CA$6.00

$3.23 CA$4.55

31.89%

Banana (1kg)

$1.52 CA$2.14

$1.60 CA$2.24

-5.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.92 CA$5.52

$3.72 CA$5.23

5.38%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.08 CA$7.15

$3.61 CA$5.09

40.72%

Potato (1kg)

$3.20 CA$4.50

$3.90 CA$5.49

-17.95%

Onion (1kg)

$3.09 CA$4.34

$3.00 CA$4.22

3.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.60 CA$3.65

$2.78 CA$3.91

-6.47%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.88 CA$2.65

$2.63 CA$3.71

-28.52%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$15.45 CA$21.74

Wine (Bottle)

$14.89 CA$20.95

$17.54 CA$24.67

-15.11%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.12 CA$4.39

$3.81 CA$5.36

-18.11%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.80 CA$5.35

$4.48 CA$6.31

-15.18%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.42 CA$3.40

$1.44 CA$2.02

68.06%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$83.0 CA$117

$63.0 CA$88.6

31.72%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.76 CA$5.28

$2.80 CA$3.94

34.29%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.48 CA$2.09

$1.38 CA$1.94

7.25%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$26.97 CA$37.95

$32.90 CA$46.30

-18.02%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.30 CA$1.82

$1.34 CA$1.88

-2.99%

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

$25.2K CA$35.4K

$25.1K CA$35.4K

0.21%

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

$20.6K CA$28.9K

$21.2K CA$29.9K

-3.11%

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

$91.8 CA$129

$55.7 CA$78.3

65.00%

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

$39.34 CA$55.4

$53.2 CA$74.8

-26.00%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$60.6 CA$85.3

$71.9 CA$101

-15.68%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.58 CA$62.7

$48.74 CA$68.6

-8.54%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$15.88 CA$22.35

Cinema Ticket

$12.18 CA$17.13

$11.11 CA$15.63

9.63%

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

$1,185 CA$1,667

$646 CA$909

83.49%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$18.5K CA$26.1K

$14.3K CA$20.1K

29.79%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$62.5 CA$87.9

$45.01 CA$63.3

38.84%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.38 CA$59.6

$44.24 CA$62.3

-4.20%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$95.0 CA$134

$75.2 CA$106

26.43%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$115 CA$162

$94.1 CA$132

22.11%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,979 CA$2,785

$1,602 CA$2,254

23.57%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,644 CA$2,313

$1,498 CA$2,108

9.69%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,577 CA$5,033

$2,521 CA$3,547

41.88%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,782 CA$3,915

$2,297 CA$3,232

21.14%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$8,754 CA$12.3K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$7,087 CA$9,972

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,380 CA$4,756

$2,277 CA$3,204

48.46%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.61

6.38

-12.07%

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

Last update for Vancouver: July 14, 2026

Last update for Campbell River: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,979 in Vancouver and $1,602 in Campbell River. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Vancouver pays 48% 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 $74.0 in Campbell River for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $414 vs $405 per month, with Campbell River 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 Campbell River: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Campbell River wins on cost – living expenses run 10% lower than in Vancouver. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Campbell River the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Average pay runs 48% 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 $1,602 in Campbell River. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Campbell River runs roughly 32% less than in Vancouver. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $1,185 in Vancouver versus $646 in Campbell River. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Both cities are expensive relative to $2,000. Campbell River is the more realistic option, but even there you'll need to be disciplined with housing, food, and fun money.

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 Campbell River gentler on the wallet – expenses run 10% less than in Vancouver. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.