Cost of Living Comparison Between Vancouver and Coquitlam Cost of Living Comparison Between Vancouver and Coquitlam

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,845 in Vancouver versus $2,989 in Coquitlam.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,183 in Vancouver versus $4,072 in Coquitlam.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,520 in Vancouver versus $5,155 in Coquitlam.

Living in Vancouver costs roughly 5% less than in Coquitlam, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Vancouver 111% above, Coquitlam 122% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.26 CA$25.01

$14.90 CA$20.42

22.55%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$78.8 CA$108

$52.5 CA$71.9

50.15%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.17 CA$15.30

$10.11 CA$13.85

10.48%

Cappuccino

$3.92 CA$5.37

$3.85 CA$5.27

1.82%

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

$2.23 CA$3.05

$1.93 CA$2.64

15.54%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.83 CA$2.51

$2.08 CA$2.85

-12.02%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.85 CA$8.02

$5.05 CA$6.92

15.84%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.17 CA$9.82

$5.80 CA$7.95

23.62%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.20 CA$3.02

$1.50 CA$2.06

46.67%

White Bread (500g)

$3.22 CA$4.41

$3.13 CA$4.29

2.88%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.75 CA$5.13

$2.27 CA$3.10

65.20%

Eggs

$4.36 CA$5.98

$4.09 CA$5.60

6.60%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.71 CA$17.41

$10.22 CA$14.00

24.36%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.90 CA$19.04

$16.21 CA$22.20

-14.25%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.66 CA$21.45

$14.82 CA$20.31

5.67%

Apples (1kg)

$4.24 CA$5.81

$4.37 CA$5.99

-2.97%

Banana (1kg)

$1.54 CA$2.11

$1.38 CA$1.90

11.59%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.87 CA$5.30

$5.02 CA$6.88

-22.91%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.08 CA$6.96

$4.38 CA$6.01

15.98%

Potato (1kg)

$3.20 CA$4.38

$1.60 CA$2.20

100.00%

Onion (1kg)

$2.93 CA$4.02

$1.67 CA$2.29

75.45%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.63 CA$3.60

$3.14 CA$4.30

-16.24%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.86 CA$2.55

$1.09 CA$1.49

70.64%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$15.36 CA$21.04

$14.19 CA$19.44

8.25%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.48 CA$21.20

$13.66 CA$18.71

13.32%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.10 CA$4.25

$3.85 CA$5.27

-19.48%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.74 CA$5.12

$2.33 CA$3.19

60.52%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.38 CA$3.27

$2.28 CA$3.12

4.39%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$84.0 CA$115

$75.8 CA$104

10.87%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.66 CA$5.01

$2.64 CA$3.62

38.64%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.48 CA$2.03

$1.51 CA$2.07

-1.99%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$26.98 CA$36.96

$25.11 CA$34.40

7.45%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.28 CA$1.76

$1.30 CA$1.78

-1.54%

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

$25.6K CA$35.0K

$25.0K CA$34.3K

2.09%

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

$20.8K CA$28.6K

$19.9K CA$27.3K

4.66%

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

$91.0 CA$125

$134 CA$183

-31.99%

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

$40.15 CA$55.0

$37.41 CA$51.3

7.32%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$60.8 CA$83.3

$59.5 CA$81.5

2.17%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$46.05 CA$63.1

$27.83 CA$38.12

65.47%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$15.77 CA$21.61

$10.88 CA$14.90

44.94%

Cinema Ticket

$12.25 CA$16.79

$10.90 CA$14.94

12.39%

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

$1,165 CA$1,596

$1,245 CA$1,706

-6.45%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$18.4K CA$25.2K

$12.3K CA$16.8K

49.66%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$62.6 CA$85.7

$70.6 CA$96.7

-11.41%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.30 CA$58.0

$45.41 CA$62.2

-6.85%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$98.1 CA$134

$97.1 CA$133

1.09%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$114 CA$156

$117 CA$160

-2.17%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,988 CA$2,724

$2,017 CA$2,763

-1.44%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,669 CA$2,287

$1,799 CA$2,465

-7.24%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,580 CA$4,904

$3,729 CA$5,109

-4.01%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,728 CA$3,738

$2,697 CA$3,695

1.16%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$9,014 CA$12.3K

$6,134 CA$8,404

46.94%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$7,085 CA$9,707

$5,149 CA$7,054

37.60%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,588 CA$4,916

$3,177 CA$4,352

12.96%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.61

6.61

-15.13%

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

Last update for Vancouver: April 12, 2026

Last update for Coquitlam: April 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,988 in Vancouver and $2,017 in Coquitlam. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Vancouver pays 13% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $79 in Vancouver vs $52 in Coquitlam for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $415 vs $385 per month, with Coquitlam 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 Coquitlam: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Vancouver is cheaper overall, especially in Clothing & Footwear. The 5% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Vancouver pays 13% 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: $1,988 in Vancouver versus $2,017 in Coquitlam. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $2,845 per month in Vancouver versus $2,989 in Coquitlam – a 5% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Vancouver runs roughly 11% less than in Coquitlam. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Both cities are expensive relative to $3,000. Vancouver 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 Vancouver gentler on the wallet – expenses run 5% less than in Coquitlam. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.