Cost of Living Comparison Between Vancouver and Fredericton Cost of Living Comparison Between Vancouver and Fredericton

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,831 in Vancouver versus $1,957 in Fredericton.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,231 in Vancouver versus $2,944 in Fredericton.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,630 in Vancouver versus $3,931 in Fredericton.

Living in Vancouver is roughly 45% more expensive than Fredericton, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Vancouver 111% above, Fredericton 46% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.26 CA$25.28

$14.75 CA$20.43

23.80%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$77.8 CA$108

$55.4 CA$76.7

40.40%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.85 CA$15.02

$10.83 CA$14.99

0.18%

Cappuccino

$3.98 CA$5.51

$3.93 CA$5.44

1.27%

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

$2.12 CA$2.93

$2.59 CA$3.59

-18.15%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.78 CA$2.46

$2.05 CA$2.84

-13.17%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.77 CA$7.99

$5.02 CA$6.94

14.94%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.56 CA$10.46

$5.43 CA$7.51

39.23%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.32 CA$3.21

$1.89 CA$2.61

22.75%

White Bread (500g)

$3.10 CA$4.29

$2.94 CA$4.07

5.44%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.89 CA$5.38

$2.97 CA$4.11

30.98%

Eggs

$4.53 CA$6.27

$3.65 CA$5.06

24.11%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.92 CA$17.88

$11.68 CA$16.17

10.62%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.14 CA$19.58

$9.45 CA$13.08

49.63%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.74 CA$21.80

$8.77 CA$12.14

79.48%

Apples (1kg)

$4.26 CA$5.89

$4.90 CA$6.79

-13.06%

Banana (1kg)

$1.47 CA$2.03

$1.61 CA$2.22

-8.70%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.02 CA$5.57

$3.97 CA$5.50

1.26%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.06 CA$7.01

$5.39 CA$7.47

-6.12%

Potato (1kg)

$3.02 CA$4.18

$1.87 CA$2.59

61.50%

Onion (1kg)

$2.95 CA$4.09

$1.62 CA$2.25

82.10%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.60 CA$3.60

$2.52 CA$3.49

3.17%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.88 CA$2.60

$1.58 CA$2.19

18.99%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$15.20 CA$21.04

$11.96 CA$16.56

27.09%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.30 CA$19.80

$12.46 CA$17.25

14.77%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.07 CA$4.26

$3.28 CA$4.55

-6.40%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.74 CA$5.18

$4.83 CA$6.69

-22.57%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.44 CA$3.37

$2.26 CA$3.13

7.96%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$84.9 CA$118

$59.9 CA$83.0

41.66%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.74 CA$5.18

$6.04 CA$8.36

-38.08%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.50 CA$2.08

$1.70 CA$2.35

-11.76%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$27.43 CA$37.98

$43.45 CA$60.2

-36.87%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.34 CA$1.86

$1.25 CA$1.74

7.20%

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

$25.1K CA$34.8K

$24.6K CA$34.1K

2.00%

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

$20.7K CA$28.7K

$20.2K CA$28.0K

2.44%

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

$91.8 CA$127

$133 CA$183

-30.74%

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

$39.42 CA$54.6

$56.4 CA$78.1

-30.11%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$61.1 CA$84.6

$78.6 CA$109

-22.31%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.89 CA$62.2

$41.17 CA$57.0

9.04%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$15.68 CA$21.71

$26.90 CA$37.25

-41.71%

Cinema Ticket

$12.37 CA$17.12

$11.09 CA$15.35

11.54%

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

$1,180 CA$1,634

$611 CA$846

93.05%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$18.8K CA$26.0K

$1,786 CA$2,473

950.50%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$62.7 CA$86.8

$51.8 CA$71.7

21.03%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.13 CA$59.7

$40.90 CA$56.6

5.45%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.7 CA$131

$82.8 CA$115

14.35%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$118 CA$164

$86.0 CA$119

37.68%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,995 CA$2,762

$1,086 CA$1,503

83.76%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,629 CA$2,256

$809 CA$1,120

101.34%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,589 CA$4,969

$1,783 CA$2,469

101.23%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,769 CA$3,834

$1,508 CA$2,088

83.65%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$9,246 CA$12.8K

$1,945 CA$2,693

375.34%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$7,086 CA$9,811

$1,950 CA$2,701

263.29%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,474 CA$4,810

$2,426 CA$3,359

43.22%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.61

6.44

-12.89%

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

Last update for Vancouver: June 2, 2026

Last update for Fredericton: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,995 in Vancouver and $1,086 in Fredericton. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Vancouver pays 43% 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 $55.0 in Fredericton for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $415 vs $349 per month, with Fredericton 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 Fredericton: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Fredericton is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Getting Around, Sport & Entertainment. The 45% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Vancouver pays 43% 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 $1,086 in Fredericton. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Fredericton runs roughly 42% 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 $611 in Fredericton. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,957 in Fredericton versus $2,831 in Vancouver, a $2,500 budget is realistic in Fredericton but tight or insufficient in Vancouver. The gap between the two cities makes Fredericton the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

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 Fredericton gentler on the wallet – expenses run 45% less than in Vancouver. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.