Cost of Living Comparison Between Vancouver and Gatineau Cost of Living Comparison Between Vancouver and Gatineau

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,831 per month in Vancouver vs $2,127 in Gatineau, rent included.

A couple spends around $4,231 per month in Vancouver vs $3,222 in Gatineau, rent included.

A family of three spends $5,630 per month in Vancouver vs $4,316 in Gatineau, rent included.

Vancouver costs about 33% more than Gatineau, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Vancouver and Gatineau sit above the global median – Vancouver by 111%, Gatineau by 59%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.26 CA$25.37

$13.10 CA$18.21

39.39%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$77.8 CA$108

$86.9 CA$121

-10.42%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.85 CA$15.08

$10.95 CA$15.21

-0.91%

Cappuccino

$3.98 CA$5.53

$3.40 CA$4.73

17.06%

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

$2.12 CA$2.94

$1.49 CA$2.07

42.28%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.78 CA$2.47

$1.40 CA$1.94

27.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.77 CA$8.02

$4.30 CA$5.97

34.19%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.56 CA$10.50

$6.19 CA$8.60

22.13%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.32 CA$3.23

$2.06 CA$2.87

12.62%

White Bread (500g)

$3.10 CA$4.30

$2.96 CA$4.11

4.73%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.89 CA$5.40

$4.86 CA$6.75

-19.96%

Eggs

$4.53 CA$6.29

$3.57 CA$4.97

26.89%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.92 CA$17.95

$12.03 CA$16.72

7.40%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.14 CA$19.65

$10.44 CA$14.50

35.44%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.74 CA$21.87

$11.10 CA$15.42

41.80%

Apples (1kg)

$4.26 CA$5.91

$4.61 CA$6.40

-7.59%

Banana (1kg)

$1.47 CA$2.04

$1.37 CA$1.90

7.30%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.02 CA$5.59

$4.84 CA$6.72

-16.94%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.06 CA$7.03

$3.63 CA$5.04

39.39%

Potato (1kg)

$3.02 CA$4.20

$2.04 CA$2.84

48.04%

Onion (1kg)

$2.95 CA$4.10

$2.23 CA$3.09

32.29%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.60 CA$3.61

$2.09 CA$2.91

24.40%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.88 CA$2.61

$2.77 CA$3.84

-32.13%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$15.20 CA$21.12

$11.99 CA$16.66

26.77%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.30 CA$19.86

$12.43 CA$17.27

15.04%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.07 CA$4.27

$2.47 CA$3.43

24.29%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.74 CA$5.20

$2.91 CA$4.04

28.52%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.44 CA$3.39

$3.23 CA$4.49

-24.46%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$84.9 CA$118

$82.1 CA$114

3.41%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.74 CA$5.19

$3.86 CA$5.36

-3.11%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.50 CA$2.09

$1.47 CA$2.05

2.04%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$27.43 CA$38.11

$33.65 CA$46.76

-18.48%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.34 CA$1.86

$1.16 CA$1.61

15.52%

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

$25.1K CA$34.9K

$24.8K CA$34.4K

1.39%

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

$20.7K CA$28.8K

$20.5K CA$28.5K

1.00%

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

$91.8 CA$128

$111 CA$154

-17.11%

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

$39.42 CA$54.8

$39.98 CA$55.6

-1.40%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$61.1 CA$84.9

$49.08 CA$68.2

24.43%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.89 CA$62.4

$42.54 CA$59.1

5.52%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$15.68 CA$21.79

$30.89 CA$42.91

-49.24%

Cinema Ticket

$12.37 CA$17.18

$11.18 CA$15.54

10.64%

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

$1,180 CA$1,640

$575 CA$799

105.30%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$18.8K CA$26.1K

$11.9K CA$16.6K

57.14%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$62.7 CA$87.1

$64.7 CA$89.9

-3.11%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.13 CA$59.9

$44.48 CA$61.8

-3.04%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.7 CA$132

$78.3 CA$109

20.92%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$118 CA$164

$121 CA$169

-2.54%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,995 CA$2,771

$1,119 CA$1,554

78.33%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,629 CA$2,264

$975 CA$1,355

67.09%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,589 CA$4,986

$1,626 CA$2,259

120.75%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,769 CA$3,848

$1,607 CA$2,232

72.35%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$9,246 CA$12.8K

$5,304 CA$7,370

74.31%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$7,086 CA$9,845

$6,116 CA$8,498

15.85%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,474 CA$4,827

$2,631 CA$3,656

32.01%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.61

6.5

-13.69%

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

Last update for Vancouver: June 2, 2026

Last update for Gatineau: May 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,995 in Vancouver versus $1,119 in Gatineau. 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 32% 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 $87.0 in Gatineau. Groceries tell a different story – $415 in Vancouver vs $369 in Gatineau – so Gatineau wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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 Gatineau: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Vancouver costs about 33% more than Gatineau, with the gap driven mainly by Eating Out. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,247 per month in Vancouver and $3,190 in Gatineau. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Gatineau, 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 $2,831 in Vancouver and $2,127 in Gatineau. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 3% less in Gatineau. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Gatineau, where all-in costs run around $2,127, than in Vancouver at $2,831. In Gatineau it covers expenses comfortably, while in Vancouver it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Gatineau – 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 Gatineau. 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.