Cost of Living Comparison Between Vancouver and Guelph Cost of Living Comparison Between Vancouver and Guelph

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,845 in Vancouver versus $2,651 in Guelph.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,183 in Vancouver versus $3,658 in Guelph.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,520 in Vancouver versus $4,666 in Guelph.

Living in Vancouver is roughly 7% more expensive than Guelph, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Vancouver 111% above, Guelph 97% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.26 CA$25.01

$20.52 CA$28.11

-11.01%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$78.8 CA$108

$72.9 CA$99.9

8.10%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.17 CA$15.30

$11.81 CA$16.17

-5.42%

Cappuccino

$3.92 CA$5.37

$3.65 CA$5.00

7.40%

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

$2.23 CA$3.05

$1.86 CA$2.55

19.89%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.83 CA$2.51

$1.79 CA$2.46

2.23%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.85 CA$8.02

$5.09 CA$6.97

14.93%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.17 CA$9.82

$5.73 CA$7.85

25.13%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.20 CA$3.02

$2.08 CA$2.85

5.77%

White Bread (500g)

$3.22 CA$4.41

$2.59 CA$3.54

24.32%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.75 CA$5.13

$3.25 CA$4.46

15.38%

Eggs

$4.36 CA$5.98

$3.17 CA$4.34

37.54%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.71 CA$17.41

$8.73 CA$11.95

45.59%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.90 CA$19.04

$8.60 CA$11.79

61.63%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.66 CA$21.45

$25.69 CA$35.20

-39.04%

Apples (1kg)

$4.24 CA$5.81

$4.13 CA$5.66

2.66%

Banana (1kg)

$1.54 CA$2.11

$0.92 CA$1.25

67.39%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.87 CA$5.30

$3.28 CA$4.50

17.99%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.08 CA$6.96

$2.19 CA$3.00

131.96%

Potato (1kg)

$3.20 CA$4.38

$2.97 CA$4.06

7.74%

Onion (1kg)

$2.93 CA$4.02

$2.63 CA$3.60

11.41%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.63 CA$3.60

$2.43 CA$3.33

8.23%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.86 CA$2.55

$1.44 CA$1.98

29.17%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$15.36 CA$21.04

$11.19 CA$15.33

37.27%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.48 CA$21.20

$11.19 CA$15.32

38.34%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.10 CA$4.25

$2.66 CA$3.64

16.54%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.74 CA$5.12

$2.77 CA$3.80

35.02%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.38 CA$3.27

$2.36 CA$3.24

0.85%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$84.0 CA$115

$61.9 CA$84.8

35.81%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.66 CA$5.01

$2.35 CA$3.22

55.74%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.48 CA$2.03

$1.68 CA$2.30

-11.90%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$26.98 CA$36.96

$33.47 CA$45.85

-19.39%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.28 CA$1.76

$1.13 CA$1.55

13.27%

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

$25.6K CA$35.0K

$25.0K CA$34.3K

2.11%

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

$20.8K CA$28.6K

$21.5K CA$29.4K

-2.98%

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

$91.0 CA$125

$131 CA$180

-30.61%

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

$40.15 CA$55.0

$54.3 CA$74.3

-25.99%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$60.8 CA$83.3

$62.2 CA$85.2

-2.30%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$46.05 CA$63.1

$54.3 CA$74.4

-15.26%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$15.77 CA$21.61

$18.60 CA$25.49

-15.22%

Cinema Ticket

$12.25 CA$16.79

$11.03 CA$15.11

11.06%

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

$1,165 CA$1,596

$933 CA$1,278

24.83%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$18.4K CA$25.2K

$11.0K CA$15.1K

66.97%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$62.6 CA$85.7

$62.0 CA$85.0

0.87%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.30 CA$58.0

$39.19 CA$53.7

7.94%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$98.1 CA$134

$85.4 CA$117

14.85%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$114 CA$156

$125 CA$171

-8.70%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,988 CA$2,724

$1,473 CA$2,018

35.00%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,669 CA$2,287

$1,467 CA$2,009

13.80%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,580 CA$4,904

$2,115 CA$2,898

69.26%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,728 CA$3,738

$2,000 CA$2,739

36.45%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$9,014 CA$12.3K

$4,855 CA$6,651

85.66%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$7,085 CA$9,707

$5,029 CA$6,890

40.89%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,588 CA$4,916

$3,330 CA$4,562

7.77%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.61

6.55

-14.35%

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

Last update for Vancouver: April 12, 2026

Last update for Guelph: April 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,988 in Vancouver and $1,473 in Guelph. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Vancouver pays 8% 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: $79 in Vancouver vs $73 in Guelph for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $415 vs $351 per month, with Guelph 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 Guelph: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Guelph is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Getting Around. The 7% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Vancouver pays 8% 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: $1,988 in Vancouver versus $1,473 in Guelph. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 18% higher in Vancouver. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Dining out is cheaper in Guelph – a meal for two runs $73.0 versus $79.0 in Vancouver. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

Both cities are expensive relative to $2,500. Guelph is the more realistic option, but even there you'll need to be disciplined with housing, food, and fun money.

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 Guelph gentler on the wallet – expenses run 7% less than in Vancouver. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.