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: $2,831 in Vancouver versus $2,616 in Campbell River.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,231 in Vancouver versus $3,770 in Campbell River.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,630 in Vancouver versus $4,924 in Campbell River.

Living in Vancouver is roughly 8% more expensive than Campbell River, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Vancouver 111% above, Campbell River 95% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.26 CA$25.37

$18.75 CA$26.05

-2.61%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$77.8 CA$108

$73.9 CA$103

5.28%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.85 CA$15.08

$11.05 CA$15.36

-1.81%

Cappuccino

$3.98 CA$5.53

$3.97 CA$5.52

0.25%

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

$2.12 CA$2.94

$2.38 CA$3.31

-10.92%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.78 CA$2.47

$1.09 CA$1.51

63.30%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.77 CA$8.02

$5.09 CA$7.07

13.36%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.56 CA$10.50

$6.43 CA$8.94

17.57%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.32 CA$3.23

$3.02 CA$4.19

-23.18%

White Bread (500g)

$3.10 CA$4.30

$3.23 CA$4.48

-4.02%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.89 CA$5.40

$5.18 CA$7.20

-24.90%

Eggs

$4.53 CA$6.29

$4.32 CA$6.01

4.86%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.92 CA$17.95

$8.46 CA$11.76

52.72%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.14 CA$19.65

$9.77 CA$13.57

44.73%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.74 CA$21.87

$15.63 CA$21.71

0.70%

Apples (1kg)

$4.26 CA$5.91

$3.30 CA$4.58

29.09%

Banana (1kg)

$1.47 CA$2.04

$1.59 CA$2.21

-7.55%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.02 CA$5.59

$3.59 CA$4.98

11.98%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.06 CA$7.03

$3.74 CA$5.20

35.29%

Potato (1kg)

$3.02 CA$4.20

$3.84 CA$5.34

-21.35%

Onion (1kg)

$2.95 CA$4.10

$3.01 CA$4.19

-1.99%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.60 CA$3.61

$2.78 CA$3.86

-6.47%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.88 CA$2.61

$2.74 CA$3.81

-31.39%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$15.20 CA$21.12

$15.40 CA$21.40

-1.30%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.30 CA$19.86

$17.85 CA$24.80

-19.89%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.07 CA$4.27

$3.94 CA$5.47

-22.08%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.74 CA$5.20

$4.45 CA$6.18

-15.96%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.44 CA$3.39

$1.45 CA$2.02

68.28%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$84.9 CA$118

$61.9 CA$86.0

37.17%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.74 CA$5.19

$2.83 CA$3.93

32.16%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.50 CA$2.09

$1.39 CA$1.93

7.91%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$27.43 CA$38.11

$33.26 CA$46.21

-17.53%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.34 CA$1.86

$1.35 CA$1.88

-0.74%

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

$25.1K CA$34.9K

$25.4K CA$35.3K

-1.11%

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

$20.7K CA$28.8K

$21.3K CA$29.6K

-2.60%

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

$91.8 CA$128

$54.4 CA$75.6

68.60%

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

$39.42 CA$54.8

$53.5 CA$74.3

-26.28%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$61.1 CA$84.9

$73.7 CA$102

-17.09%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.89 CA$62.4

$48.56 CA$67.5

-7.56%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$15.68 CA$21.79

Cinema Ticket

$12.37 CA$17.18

$10.91 CA$15.16

13.38%

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

$1,180 CA$1,640

$634 CA$881

86.10%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$18.8K CA$26.1K

$14.0K CA$19.5K

33.86%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$62.7 CA$87.1

$45.58 CA$63.3

37.49%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.13 CA$59.9

$44.85 CA$62.3

-3.84%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.7 CA$132

$75.3 CA$105

25.85%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$118 CA$164

$94.2 CA$131

25.75%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,995 CA$2,771

$1,552 CA$2,157

28.51%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,629 CA$2,264

$1,507 CA$2,094

8.12%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,589 CA$4,986

$2,511 CA$3,489

42.92%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,769 CA$3,848

$2,289 CA$3,181

20.96%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$9,246 CA$12.8K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$7,086 CA$9,845

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,474 CA$4,827

$2,365 CA$3,286

46.89%

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: June 2, 2026

Last update for Campbell River: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,995 in Vancouver and $1,552 in Campbell River. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Vancouver pays 47% 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 $415 vs $406 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 8% 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.

Vancouver pays 47% more on average, 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: $1,995 in Vancouver versus $1,552 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 37% less than in Vancouver. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $1,180 in Vancouver versus $634 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 8% less than in Vancouver. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.