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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,735 per month in Vancouver vs $2,118 in Gatineau, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,984 per month in Vancouver vs $3,127 in Gatineau, rent included.

A family of three spends $5,234 per month in Vancouver vs $4,136 in Gatineau, rent included.

Vancouver costs about 29% more than Gatineau, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Vancouver and Gatineau sit above the global median – Vancouver by 100%, Gatineau by 55%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.82 CA$24.93

$12.85 CA$17.97

38.68%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$72.4 CA$101

$86.8 CA$121

-16.56%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.93 CA$15.30

$10.88 CA$15.22

0.46%

Cappuccino

$4.19 CA$5.86

$3.23 CA$4.52

29.72%

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

$2.22 CA$3.11

$1.45 CA$2.03

53.10%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.64 CA$2.29

$1.34 CA$1.87

22.39%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.89 CA$8.23

$4.30 CA$6.01

36.98%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.51 CA$9.11

$6.33 CA$8.85

2.84%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.12 CA$2.96

$2.00 CA$2.79

6.00%

White Bread (500g)

$2.64 CA$3.69

$3.02 CA$4.22

-12.58%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.44 CA$6.21

$5.21 CA$7.28

-14.78%

Eggs

$4.21 CA$5.89

$3.19 CA$4.47

31.97%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.04 CA$16.85

$12.05 CA$16.85

-0.08%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.91 CA$19.46

$10.21 CA$14.29

36.24%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$20.62 CA$28.85

$11.15 CA$15.59

84.93%

Apples (1kg)

$4.29 CA$6.00

$4.00 CA$5.60

7.25%

Banana (1kg)

$1.34 CA$1.88

$1.93 CA$2.71

-30.57%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.88 CA$5.43

$4.91 CA$6.87

-20.98%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.08 CA$5.70

$4.72 CA$6.60

-13.56%

Potato (1kg)

$2.88 CA$4.03

$2.18 CA$3.05

32.11%

Onion (1kg)

$2.93 CA$4.09

$2.59 CA$3.62

13.13%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.63 CA$3.68

$2.20 CA$3.08

19.55%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.70 CA$2.38

$2.67 CA$3.74

-36.33%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$15.66 CA$21.91

$12.21 CA$17.09

28.26%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.23 CA$19.91

$12.64 CA$17.68

12.58%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.78 CA$3.89

$2.80 CA$3.91

-0.71%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.05 CA$4.27

$3.32 CA$4.64

-8.13%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.53 CA$3.54

$3.27 CA$4.58

-22.63%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$85.5 CA$120

$81.3 CA$114

5.19%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.67 CA$3.73

$4.94 CA$6.91

-45.95%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.61 CA$2.25

$2.27 CA$3.18

-29.07%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$32.34 CA$45.24

$33.64 CA$47.06

-3.86%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.40 CA$1.96

$1.23 CA$1.72

13.82%

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

$28.6K CA$40.0K

$28.5K CA$39.9K

0.12%

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

$19.8K CA$27.7K

$19.2K CA$26.9K

3.19%

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

$78.8 CA$110

$115 CA$161

-31.62%

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

$35.70 CA$49.94

$36.15 CA$50.6

-1.24%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$51.1 CA$71.5

$49.21 CA$68.8

3.84%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.37 CA$59.3

$48.47 CA$67.8

-12.59%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$13.04 CA$18.24

$29.39 CA$41.11

-55.63%

Cinema Ticket

$11.68 CA$16.34

$11.00 CA$15.38

6.18%

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

$1,108 CA$1,549

$566 CA$792

95.69%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$19.9K CA$27.8K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.0 CA$79.7

$72.1 CA$101

-20.95%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.01 CA$48.98

$43.40 CA$60.7

-19.33%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$88.0 CA$123

$86.9 CA$122

1.20%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$91.2 CA$128

$122 CA$170

-25.14%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,843 CA$2,579

$1,120 CA$1,567

64.52%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,530 CA$2,140

$976 CA$1,365

56.78%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,156 CA$4,415

$1,826 CA$2,555

72.79%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,476 CA$3,464

$1,522 CA$2,129

62.70%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$8,675 CA$12.1K

$5,300 CA$7,413

63.70%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,528 CA$9,132

$6,120 CA$8,561

6.68%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,726 CA$5,213

$2,676 CA$3,744

39.23%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.21

4.64

-9.27%

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

Last update for Vancouver: September 13, 2026

Last update for Gatineau: September 15, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,843 in Vancouver versus $1,120 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 39% 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 $72.0 in Vancouver versus $87.0 in Gatineau. Groceries tell a different story – $409 in Vancouver vs $378 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 29% 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 $4,103 per month in Vancouver and $3,177 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 $2,735 in Vancouver and $2,118 in Gatineau. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 5% 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 $2,118, than in Vancouver at $2,735. 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.