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: $2,854 in Vancouver versus $2,674 in Guelph.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,189 in Vancouver versus $3,711 in Guelph.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,523 in Vancouver versus $4,748 in Guelph.

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

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Vancouver 114% above, Guelph 100% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.10 CA$25.54

$20.64 CA$29.11

-12.31%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$78.6 CA$111

$74.6 CA$105

5.42%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.95 CA$15.45

$11.86 CA$16.73

-7.67%

Cappuccino

$4.11 CA$5.79

$3.70 CA$5.22

11.08%

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

$2.15 CA$3.03

$1.82 CA$2.57

18.13%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.85 CA$2.61

$1.79 CA$2.53

3.35%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.79 CA$8.17

$5.22 CA$7.37

10.92%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.25 CA$10.23

$5.98 CA$8.43

21.24%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.25 CA$3.17

$2.00 CA$2.83

12.50%

White Bread (500g)

$3.06 CA$4.31

$2.71 CA$3.83

12.92%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.85 CA$5.43

$3.29 CA$4.65

17.02%

Eggs

$4.53 CA$6.39

$3.03 CA$4.27

49.50%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.68 CA$17.89

$8.61 CA$12.15

47.27%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.29 CA$20.16

$8.87 CA$12.52

61.10%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.53 CA$21.91

$26.09 CA$36.80

-40.48%

Apples (1kg)

$4.22 CA$5.95

$4.08 CA$5.75

3.43%

Banana (1kg)

$1.47 CA$2.08

$0.91 CA$1.28

61.54%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.01 CA$5.66

$3.20 CA$4.51

25.31%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.98 CA$7.03

$2.21 CA$3.12

125.34%

Potato (1kg)

$3.15 CA$4.44

$2.93 CA$4.14

7.51%

Onion (1kg)

$3.07 CA$4.33

$2.53 CA$3.57

21.34%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.72 CA$3.84

$2.41 CA$3.40

12.86%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.80 CA$2.54

$1.50 CA$2.11

20.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$15.23 CA$21.49

$11.18 CA$15.77

36.23%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.69 CA$20.73

$11.21 CA$15.81

31.04%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.17 CA$4.47

$2.61 CA$3.68

21.46%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.81 CA$5.37

$2.83 CA$3.99

34.63%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.35 CA$3.32

$2.37 CA$3.34

-0.84%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$85.4 CA$120

$62.1 CA$87.6

37.46%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.77 CA$5.32

$2.39 CA$3.37

57.74%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.45 CA$2.04

$1.76 CA$2.48

-17.61%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$27.66 CA$39.01

$32.65 CA$46.05

-15.28%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.35 CA$1.90

$1.13 CA$1.59

19.47%

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

$25.5K CA$35.9K

$24.5K CA$34.6K

3.80%

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

$21.0K CA$29.7K

$21.3K CA$30.0K

-1.12%

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

$88.7 CA$125

$135 CA$190

-34.17%

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

$39.79 CA$56.1

$53.3 CA$75.2

-25.38%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$60.4 CA$85.2

$62.6 CA$88.2

-3.47%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$45.70 CA$64.5

$55.1 CA$77.8

-17.12%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$15.60 CA$22.01

$18.77 CA$26.47

-16.89%

Cinema Ticket

$12.28 CA$17.33

$11.11 CA$15.67

10.53%

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

$1,193 CA$1,683

$937 CA$1,321

27.40%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$18.1K CA$25.6K

$10.9K CA$15.4K

66.38%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$62.3 CA$87.8

$61.5 CA$86.8

1.22%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.22 CA$61.0

$38.54 CA$54.4

12.14%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$96.3 CA$136

$86.2 CA$122

11.71%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$117 CA$165

$129 CA$182

-8.94%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,005 CA$2,827

$1,479 CA$2,086

35.56%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,612 CA$2,273

$1,461 CA$2,060

10.34%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,457 CA$4,877

$2,131 CA$3,006

62.24%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,796 CA$3,943

$1,972 CA$2,782

41.76%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$9,119 CA$12.9K

$4,743 CA$6,689

92.28%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$7,147 CA$10.1K

$4,845 CA$6,834

47.52%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,304 CA$4,660

$3,181 CA$4,487

3.86%

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: July 21, 2026

Last update for Guelph: July 19, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $2,005 in Vancouver and $1,479 in Guelph. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Vancouver pays 4% 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: $79.0 in Vancouver vs $75.0 in Guelph for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $415 vs $353 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.

Average pay runs 4% 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: $2,005 in Vancouver versus $1,479 in Guelph. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 17% 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 $75.0 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.