Cost of Living Comparison Between Vancouver and Estevan Cost of Living Comparison Between Vancouver and Estevan

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,845 per month in Vancouver vs $2,250 in Estevan, rent included.

A couple spends around $4,183 per month in Vancouver vs $3,286 in Estevan, rent included.

A family of three spends $5,520 per month in Vancouver vs $4,323 in Estevan, rent included.

Vancouver costs about 26% more than Estevan, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Vancouver and Estevan sit above the global median – Vancouver by 111%, Estevan by 67%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.26 CA$25.01

$22.47 CA$30.79

-18.74%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$78.8 CA$108

$74.8 CA$103

5.36%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.17 CA$15.30

$5.92 CA$8.11

88.68%

Cappuccino

$3.92 CA$5.37

$2.20 CA$3.01

78.18%

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

$2.23 CA$3.05

$2.31 CA$3.17

-3.46%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.83 CA$2.51

$1.89 CA$2.59

-3.17%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.85 CA$8.02

$5.94 CA$8.14

-1.52%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.17 CA$9.82

$5.93 CA$8.12

20.91%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.20 CA$3.02

$0.96 CA$1.32

129.17%

White Bread (500g)

$3.22 CA$4.41

$1.21 CA$1.66

166.12%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.75 CA$5.13

$3.16 CA$4.33

18.67%

Eggs

$4.36 CA$5.98

$1.96 CA$2.68

122.45%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.71 CA$17.41

$11.60 CA$15.89

9.57%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.90 CA$19.04

$6.32 CA$8.66

119.94%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.66 CA$21.45

$17.98 CA$24.64

-12.90%

Apples (1kg)

$4.24 CA$5.81

$3.62 CA$4.96

17.13%

Banana (1kg)

$1.54 CA$2.11

$1.27 CA$1.74

21.26%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.87 CA$5.30

$4.27 CA$5.85

-9.37%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.08 CA$6.96

$3.52 CA$4.82

44.32%

Potato (1kg)

$3.20 CA$4.38

$3.31 CA$4.54

-3.32%

Onion (1kg)

$2.93 CA$4.02

$2.82 CA$3.87

3.90%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.63 CA$3.60

$1.51 CA$2.07

74.17%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.86 CA$2.55

$0.41 CA$0.56

353.66%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$15.36 CA$21.04

$14.91 CA$20.43

3.02%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.48 CA$21.20

$13.35 CA$18.29

15.96%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.10 CA$4.25

$3.68 CA$5.04

-15.76%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.74 CA$5.12

$2.94 CA$4.03

27.21%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.38 CA$3.27

$2.39 CA$3.27

-0.42%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$84.0 CA$115

$63.4 CA$86.8

32.64%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.66 CA$5.01

$3.23 CA$4.43

13.31%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.48 CA$2.03

$0.67 CA$0.92

120.90%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$26.98 CA$36.96

$29.53 CA$40.45

-8.64%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.28 CA$1.76

$1.11 CA$1.51

15.32%

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

$25.6K CA$35.0K

$25.4K CA$34.8K

0.53%

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

$20.8K CA$28.6K

$20.0K CA$27.4K

4.23%

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

$91.0 CA$125

$136 CA$186

-33.15%

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

$40.15 CA$55.0

$51.1 CA$70.0

-21.38%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$60.8 CA$83.3

$50.4 CA$69.0

20.60%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$46.05 CA$63.1

$41.65 CA$57.1

10.56%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$15.77 CA$21.61

Cinema Ticket

$12.25 CA$16.79

$9.27 CA$12.69

32.15%

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

$1,165 CA$1,596

$490 CA$672

137.60%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$18.4K CA$25.2K

$11.1K CA$15.2K

65.85%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$62.6 CA$85.7

$62.7 CA$86.0

-0.29%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.30 CA$58.0

$32.61 CA$44.67

29.71%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$98.1 CA$134

$85.1 CA$117

15.34%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$114 CA$156

$108 CA$148

5.42%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,988 CA$2,724

$1,307 CA$1,791

52.06%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,669 CA$2,287

$1,172 CA$1,606

42.39%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,580 CA$4,904

$1,998 CA$2,737

79.17%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,728 CA$3,738

$1,810 CA$2,479

50.76%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$9,014 CA$12.3K

$3,835 CA$5,254

135.06%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$7,085 CA$9,707

$3,112 CA$4,264

127.66%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,588 CA$4,916

$4,353 CA$5,964

-17.57%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.61

6.47

-13.29%

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

Last update for Vancouver: April 12, 2026

Last update for Estevan: April 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,988 in Vancouver versus $1,307 in Estevan. 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 21% higher in Estevan, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $79 in Vancouver versus $75 in Estevan. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $415 vs $300 – making Estevan 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 Estevan: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $2,845 in Vancouver, $2,250 in Estevan – roughly 26% apart. Vancouver costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,268 per month in Vancouver and $3,375 in Estevan. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Kindergarten costs $1,165 per month in Vancouver and $490 in Estevan. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 38% more in Vancouver, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $3,000 monthly budget goes further in Estevan, where all-in costs run around $2,250, than in Vancouver at $2,845. In Estevan it covers expenses comfortably, while in Vancouver it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Estevan – 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 Estevan. 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.