Cost of Living Comparison Between Vancouver and Charlottetown Cost of Living Comparison Between Vancouver and Charlottetown

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,818 per month in Vancouver vs $2,024 in Charlottetown, rent included.

A couple spends around $4,226 per month in Vancouver vs $3,001 in Charlottetown, rent included.

A family of three spends $5,634 per month in Vancouver vs $3,978 in Charlottetown, rent included.

Vancouver costs about 39% more than Charlottetown, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Vancouver and Charlottetown sit above the global median – Vancouver by 112%, Charlottetown by 52%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.73 CA$26.28

$14.69 CA$20.63

27.50%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$78.5 CA$110

$60.7 CA$85.1

29.37%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.85 CA$15.23

$8.91 CA$12.51

21.77%

Cappuccino

$4.10 CA$5.76

$3.77 CA$5.29

8.75%

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

$2.13 CA$2.99

$1.74 CA$2.44

22.41%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.76 CA$2.48

$1.33 CA$1.87

32.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.76 CA$8.09

$5.76 CA$8.08

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.23 CA$10.14

$5.87 CA$8.24

23.17%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.29 CA$3.21

$2.03 CA$2.85

12.81%

White Bread (500g)

$3.22 CA$4.51

$2.89 CA$4.05

11.42%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.70 CA$5.19

$4.24 CA$5.95

-12.74%

Eggs

$4.36 CA$6.11

$4.01 CA$5.63

8.73%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.86 CA$18.05

$12.38 CA$17.38

3.88%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.24 CA$19.99

$14.32 CA$20.10

-0.56%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.74 CA$22.09

$16.25 CA$22.81

-3.14%

Apples (1kg)

$4.30 CA$6.04

$3.90 CA$5.47

10.26%

Banana (1kg)

$1.52 CA$2.13

$1.63 CA$2.29

-6.75%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.99 CA$5.60

$3.87 CA$5.43

3.10%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.13 CA$7.20

$5.40 CA$7.58

-5.00%

Potato (1kg)

$3.06 CA$4.29

$2.08 CA$2.92

47.12%

Onion (1kg)

$3.05 CA$4.28

$2.21 CA$3.11

38.01%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.63 CA$3.68

$2.79 CA$3.92

-5.73%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.87 CA$2.62

$1.88 CA$2.64

-0.53%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$15.70 CA$22.03

$18.17 CA$25.51

-13.59%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.59 CA$20.47

$13.73 CA$19.28

6.26%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.21 CA$4.51

$3.35 CA$4.71

-4.18%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.59 CA$5.04

$3.22 CA$4.53

11.49%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.44 CA$3.43

$1.48 CA$2.08

64.86%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$83.2 CA$117

$14.69 CA$20.61

466.51%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.70 CA$5.19

$7.75 CA$10.88

-52.26%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.49 CA$2.09

$2.05 CA$2.87

-27.32%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$27.37 CA$38.42

$29.15 CA$40.91

-6.11%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.33 CA$1.87

$1.19 CA$1.67

11.76%

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

$25.1K CA$35.3K

$24.9K CA$34.9K

1.04%

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

$20.7K CA$29.1K

$21.1K CA$29.6K

-1.80%

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

$90.0 CA$126

$134 CA$188

-32.61%

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

$40.83 CA$57.3

$38.13 CA$53.5

7.08%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$61.1 CA$85.8

$83.2 CA$117

-26.54%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$45.73 CA$64.2

$56.7 CA$79.6

-19.35%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$15.45 CA$21.68

$14.61 CA$20.51

5.75%

Cinema Ticket

$12.01 CA$16.86

$10.82 CA$15.19

11.00%

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

$1,162 CA$1,630

$167 CA$235

593.53%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$18.1K CA$25.3K

$11.9K CA$16.7K

51.52%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$63.6 CA$89.3

$41.41 CA$58.1

53.56%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.32 CA$59.4

$35.12 CA$49.30

20.50%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$96.8 CA$136

$86.2 CA$121

12.41%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$116 CA$162

$136 CA$191

-14.99%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,024 CA$2,841

$1,117 CA$1,568

81.18%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,614 CA$2,265

$877 CA$1,231

83.97%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,464 CA$4,862

$1,728 CA$2,425

100.53%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,743 CA$3,850

$1,407 CA$1,975

94.96%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$8,872 CA$12.5K

$3,232 CA$4,537

174.47%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$7,046 CA$9,890

$1,940 CA$2,723

263.24%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,312 CA$4,649

$2,460 CA$3,453

34.62%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.61

6.46

-13.16%

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

Last update for Vancouver: July 25, 2026

Last update for Charlottetown: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,024 in Vancouver versus $1,117 in Charlottetown. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 35% higher in Vancouver, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $78.0 in Vancouver versus $61.0 in Charlottetown. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $417 vs $407 – making Charlottetown the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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 Charlottetown: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Vancouver costs about 39% more than Charlottetown, with the gap driven mainly by Getting Around. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,226 per month in Vancouver and $3,036 in Charlottetown. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Charlottetown, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $2,818 in Vancouver and $2,024 in Charlottetown. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 467% less in Charlottetown. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Charlottetown, where all-in costs run around $2,024, than in Vancouver at $2,818. In Charlottetown it covers expenses comfortably, while in Vancouver it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Charlottetown – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

If budget matters most, go with Charlottetown. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Vancouver makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.