Cost of Living Comparison Between Vancouver and Edmonton Cost of Living Comparison Between Vancouver and Edmonton

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,906 per month in Vancouver vs $2,186 in Edmonton, rent included.

A couple spends around $4,209 per month in Vancouver vs $3,285 in Edmonton, rent included.

A family of three spends $5,513 per month in Vancouver vs $4,385 in Edmonton, rent included.

Vancouver costs about 33% more than Edmonton, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Vancouver and Edmonton sit above the global median – Vancouver by 118%, Edmonton by 64%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.62 CA$26.10

$18.61 CA$26.09

0.05%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$77.9 CA$109

$65.9 CA$92.3

18.25%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.84 CA$15.20

$11.58 CA$16.23

-6.39%

Cappuccino

$3.93 CA$5.51

$3.69 CA$5.17

6.50%

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

$2.24 CA$3.15

$2.18 CA$3.06

2.75%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.75 CA$2.45

$1.78 CA$2.49

-1.69%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.05 CA$8.48

$5.76 CA$8.07

5.03%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.30 CA$10.23

$5.83 CA$8.17

25.21%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.30 CA$3.23

$2.03 CA$2.85

13.30%

White Bread (500g)

$3.07 CA$4.31

$2.90 CA$4.07

5.86%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.77 CA$5.28

$3.10 CA$4.35

21.61%

Eggs

$4.32 CA$6.06

$3.72 CA$5.21

16.13%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.57 CA$17.63

$12.23 CA$17.14

2.78%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.74 CA$19.27

$12.63 CA$17.71

8.79%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.99 CA$22.41

$16.01 CA$22.44

-0.12%

Apples (1kg)

$4.26 CA$5.98

$4.65 CA$6.52

-8.39%

Banana (1kg)

$1.52 CA$2.13

$1.33 CA$1.87

14.29%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.92 CA$5.50

$3.94 CA$5.53

-0.51%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.08 CA$7.13

$3.62 CA$5.08

40.33%

Potato (1kg)

$3.20 CA$4.48

$2.46 CA$3.44

30.08%

Onion (1kg)

$3.09 CA$4.33

$2.21 CA$3.10

39.82%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.60 CA$3.64

$2.72 CA$3.81

-4.41%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.88 CA$2.64

$1.95 CA$2.73

-3.59%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$15.45 CA$21.66

$14.97 CA$20.98

3.21%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.89 CA$20.88

$12.15 CA$17.03

22.55%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.12 CA$4.37

$2.94 CA$4.12

6.12%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.80 CA$5.33

$3.29 CA$4.62

15.50%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.42 CA$3.39

$2.51 CA$3.52

-3.59%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$83.0 CA$116

$74.5 CA$104

11.43%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.76 CA$5.27

$3.26 CA$4.57

15.34%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.48 CA$2.08

$1.65 CA$2.31

-10.30%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$26.97 CA$37.81

$23.15 CA$32.46

16.50%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.30 CA$1.82

$1.06 CA$1.48

22.64%

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

$25.2K CA$35.3K

$25.9K CA$36.3K

-2.73%

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

$20.6K CA$28.8K

$21.9K CA$30.8K

-6.28%

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

$91.8 CA$129

$199 CA$278

-53.75%

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

$39.34 CA$55.2

$44.38 CA$62.2

-11.36%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$60.6 CA$85.0

$66.2 CA$92.8

-8.40%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.58 CA$62.5

$48.71 CA$68.3

-8.48%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$15.88 CA$22.27

$21.30 CA$29.86

-25.45%

Cinema Ticket

$12.18 CA$17.07

$13.02 CA$18.26

-6.45%

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

$1,185 CA$1,661

$701 CA$982

69.09%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$18.5K CA$26.0K

$11.8K CA$16.5K

57.05%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$62.5 CA$87.6

$50.3 CA$70.6

24.14%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.38 CA$59.4

$41.94 CA$58.8

1.05%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$95.0 CA$133

$83.5 CA$117

13.85%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$115 CA$161

$104 CA$146

10.64%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,979 CA$2,775

$1,251 CA$1,754

58.15%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,644 CA$2,304

$931 CA$1,305

76.51%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,577 CA$5,015

$1,933 CA$2,711

85.00%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,782 CA$3,901

$1,587 CA$2,225

75.30%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$8,754 CA$12.3K

$2,303 CA$3,229

280.11%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$7,087 CA$9,936

$2,110 CA$2,958

235.90%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,380 CA$4,739

$3,313 CA$4,644

2.04%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.61

6.08

-7.73%

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

Last update for Vancouver: July 14, 2026

Last update for Edmonton: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,979 in Vancouver versus $1,251 in Edmonton. 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 2% 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 $66.0 in Edmonton. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $414 vs $381 – making Edmonton 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 Edmonton: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $2,906 in Vancouver, $2,186 in Edmonton – roughly 33% apart. Vancouver costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,359 per month in Vancouver and $3,278 in Edmonton. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Edmonton, 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 $2,906 in Vancouver and $2,186 in Edmonton. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 11% less in Edmonton. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $3,000 monthly budget goes further in Edmonton, where all-in costs run around $2,186, than in Vancouver at $2,906. In Edmonton it covers expenses comfortably, while in Vancouver it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Edmonton – 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 Edmonton. 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.