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: $2,906 in Vancouver versus $1,899 in Fredericton.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,209 in Vancouver versus $2,913 in Fredericton.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,513 in Vancouver versus $3,926 in Fredericton.

Living in Vancouver is roughly 53% more expensive than in Fredericton, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Vancouver 118% above, Fredericton 42% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.62 CA$26.10

$14.98 CA$21.00

24.30%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$77.9 CA$109

$54.3 CA$76.2

43.34%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.84 CA$15.20

$11.16 CA$15.65

-2.87%

Cappuccino

$3.93 CA$5.51

$4.03 CA$5.65

-2.48%

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

$2.24 CA$3.15

$2.59 CA$3.63

-13.51%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.75 CA$2.45

$2.12 CA$2.97

-17.45%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.05 CA$8.48

$5.13 CA$7.19

17.93%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.30 CA$10.23

$5.42 CA$7.60

34.69%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.30 CA$3.23

$1.96 CA$2.75

17.35%

White Bread (500g)

$3.07 CA$4.31

$2.88 CA$4.03

6.60%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.77 CA$5.28

$2.98 CA$4.18

26.51%

Eggs

$4.32 CA$6.06

$3.62 CA$5.08

19.34%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.57 CA$17.63

$11.54 CA$16.18

8.93%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.74 CA$19.27

$9.63 CA$13.51

42.68%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.99 CA$22.41

$8.64 CA$12.12

85.07%

Apples (1kg)

$4.26 CA$5.98

$4.92 CA$6.89

-13.41%

Banana (1kg)

$1.52 CA$2.13

$1.59 CA$2.23

-4.40%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.92 CA$5.50

$3.95 CA$5.54

-0.76%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.08 CA$7.13

$5.64 CA$7.91

-9.93%

Potato (1kg)

$3.20 CA$4.48

$1.85 CA$2.59

72.97%

Onion (1kg)

$3.09 CA$4.33

$1.56 CA$2.19

98.08%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.60 CA$3.64

$2.53 CA$3.55

2.77%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.88 CA$2.64

$1.57 CA$2.21

19.75%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$15.45 CA$21.66

$11.87 CA$16.64

30.16%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.89 CA$20.88

$11.98 CA$16.79

24.29%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.12 CA$4.37

$3.25 CA$4.56

-4.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.80 CA$5.33

$4.68 CA$6.56

-18.80%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.42 CA$3.39

$2.15 CA$3.01

12.56%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$83.0 CA$116

$58.2 CA$81.5

42.66%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.76 CA$5.27

$5.76 CA$8.07

-34.72%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.48 CA$2.08

$1.77 CA$2.49

-16.38%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$26.97 CA$37.81

$44.76 CA$62.8

-39.75%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.30 CA$1.82

$1.27 CA$1.78

2.36%

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

$25.2K CA$35.3K

$24.9K CA$34.9K

1.25%

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

$20.6K CA$28.8K

$20.1K CA$28.1K

2.51%

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

$91.8 CA$129

$136 CA$190

-32.28%

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

$39.34 CA$55.2

$56.5 CA$79.2

-30.38%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$60.6 CA$85.0

$77.6 CA$109

-21.88%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.58 CA$62.5

$41.11 CA$57.6

8.44%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$15.88 CA$22.27

$26.18 CA$36.70

-39.34%

Cinema Ticket

$12.18 CA$17.07

$11.06 CA$15.51

10.13%

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

$1,185 CA$1,661

$596 CA$836

98.82%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$18.5K CA$26.0K

$1,758 CA$2,465

954.02%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$62.5 CA$87.6

$52.7 CA$73.8

18.67%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.38 CA$59.4

$41.44 CA$58.1

2.27%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$95.0 CA$133

$81.3 CA$114

16.94%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$115 CA$161

$85.7 CA$120

34.10%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,979 CA$2,775

$1,110 CA$1,556

78.30%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,644 CA$2,304

$797 CA$1,117

106.24%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,577 CA$5,015

$1,799 CA$2,522

98.81%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,782 CA$3,901

$1,520 CA$2,131

83.07%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$8,754 CA$12.3K

$1,885 CA$2,642

364.48%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$7,087 CA$9,936

$1,887 CA$2,646

275.57%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,380 CA$4,739

$2,383 CA$3,341

41.83%

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: July 14, 2026

Last update for Fredericton: July 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,979 in Vancouver and $1,110 in Fredericton. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Vancouver pays 42% 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 $54.0 in Fredericton for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $414 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 53% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 42% higher in Vancouver, 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: $1,979 in Vancouver versus $1,110 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 43% less than in Vancouver. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $1,185 in Vancouver versus $596 in Fredericton. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,899 in Fredericton versus $2,906 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 53% less than in Vancouver. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.