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: $2,735 in Vancouver versus $2,420 in Campbell River.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,984 in Vancouver versus $3,529 in Campbell River.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,234 in Vancouver versus $4,637 in Campbell River.

Living in Vancouver is roughly 13% more expensive than in Campbell River, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Vancouver 100% above, Campbell River 77% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.82 CA$24.78

$18.04 CA$25.07

-1.22%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$72.4 CA$101

$71.7 CA$99.6

1.07%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.93 CA$15.20

$10.97 CA$15.25

-0.36%

Cappuccino

$4.19 CA$5.82

$4.25 CA$5.91

-1.41%

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

$2.22 CA$3.09

$2.41 CA$3.35

-7.88%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.64 CA$2.28

$0.99 CA$1.38

65.66%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.89 CA$8.18

$5.87 CA$8.17

0.34%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.51 CA$9.05

$6.46 CA$8.98

0.77%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.12 CA$2.94

$3.04 CA$4.22

-30.26%

White Bread (500g)

$2.64 CA$3.67

$3.11 CA$4.33

-15.11%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.44 CA$6.17

$4.04 CA$5.62

9.90%

Eggs

$4.21 CA$5.86

$4.34 CA$6.03

-3.00%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.04 CA$16.74

$8.50 CA$11.82

41.65%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.91 CA$19.33

$9.68 CA$13.45

43.70%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$20.62 CA$28.66

$14.98 CA$20.83

37.65%

Apples (1kg)

$4.29 CA$5.97

$3.27 CA$4.55

31.19%

Banana (1kg)

$1.34 CA$1.87

$1.41 CA$1.96

-4.96%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.88 CA$5.40

$3.65 CA$5.08

6.30%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.08 CA$5.67

$3.66 CA$5.09

11.48%

Potato (1kg)

$2.88 CA$4.00

$3.48 CA$4.83

-17.24%

Onion (1kg)

$2.93 CA$4.07

$2.87 CA$3.98

2.09%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.63 CA$3.66

$3.30 CA$4.58

-20.30%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.70 CA$2.36

$2.50 CA$3.47

-32.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$15.66 CA$21.77

$15.33 CA$21.30

2.15%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.23 CA$19.78

$18.34 CA$25.49

-22.41%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.78 CA$3.86

$3.96 CA$5.50

-29.80%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.05 CA$4.24

$3.56 CA$4.94

-14.33%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.53 CA$3.52

$1.48 CA$2.05

70.95%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$85.5 CA$119

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.67 CA$3.71

$2.83 CA$3.93

-5.65%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.61 CA$2.24

$1.57 CA$2.18

2.55%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$32.34 CA$44.96

$34.18 CA$47.51

-5.38%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.40 CA$1.94

$1.26 CA$1.76

11.11%

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

$28.6K CA$39.7K

$28.9K CA$40.2K

-1.25%

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

$19.8K CA$27.6K

$18.4K CA$25.6K

7.56%

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

$78.8 CA$110

$54.6 CA$75.9

44.47%

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

$35.70 CA$49.63

$45.22 CA$62.9

-21.05%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$51.1 CA$71.0

$63.6 CA$88.4

-19.64%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.37 CA$58.9

$46.06 CA$64.0

-8.01%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$13.04 CA$18.13

Cinema Ticket

$11.68 CA$16.24

$10.89 CA$15.14

7.25%

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

$1,108 CA$1,540

$917 CA$1,275

20.74%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$19.9K CA$27.6K

$23.0K CA$32.0K

-13.62%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.0 CA$79.2

$43.89 CA$61.0

29.78%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.01 CA$48.67

$45.17 CA$62.8

-22.49%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$88.0 CA$122

$73.5 CA$102

19.69%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$91.2 CA$127

$90.6 CA$126

0.71%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,843 CA$2,562

$1,482 CA$2,060

24.40%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,530 CA$2,127

$1,394 CA$1,938

9.76%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,156 CA$4,387

$2,190 CA$3,045

44.07%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,476 CA$3,442

$2,199 CA$3,057

12.60%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$8,675 CA$12.1K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,528 CA$9,075

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,726 CA$5,180

$2,299 CA$3,196

62.05%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.21

4.32

-2.55%

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

Last update for Vancouver: September 13, 2026

Last update for Campbell River: September 15, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,843 in Vancouver and $1,482 in Campbell River. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Vancouver pays 62% 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: $72.0 in Vancouver vs $72.0 in Campbell River. Groceries flip the comparison at $409 vs $395, with Campbell River cheaper for home cooking.

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 13% 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 62% 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: $1,843 in Vancouver versus $1,482 in Campbell River. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 4% higher in Vancouver. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $2,735 per month in Vancouver versus $2,420 in Campbell River – a 13% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $2,420 in Campbell River versus $2,735 in Vancouver, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Campbell River but tight or insufficient in Vancouver. The gap between the two cities makes Campbell River 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 Campbell River gentler on the wallet – expenses run 13% less than in Vancouver. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.