Cost of Living Comparison Between Vancouver and High Level Cost of Living Comparison Between Vancouver and High Level

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,783 in Vancouver versus $2,275 in High Level.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,030 in Vancouver versus $3,297 in High Level.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,278 in Vancouver versus $4,318 in High Level.

Living in Vancouver is roughly 22% more expensive than in High Level, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Vancouver 102% above, High Level 65% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.99 CA$24.95

$16.86 CA$23.38

6.70%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$72.9 CA$101

$60.0 CA$83.2

21.49%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.76 CA$14.92

$11.19 CA$15.52

-3.84%

Cappuccino

$4.17 CA$5.79

$3.31 CA$4.60

25.98%

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

$2.20 CA$3.05

$2.03 CA$2.81

8.37%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.71 CA$2.37

$1.68 CA$2.33

1.79%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.91 CA$8.19

$5.94 CA$8.23

-0.51%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.66 CA$9.24

$5.04 CA$6.99

32.14%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.19 CA$3.04

$1.96 CA$2.72

11.73%

White Bread (500g)

$2.66 CA$3.69

$2.83 CA$3.93

-6.01%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.43 CA$6.14

$3.33 CA$4.62

33.03%

Eggs

$4.20 CA$5.83

$3.09 CA$4.28

35.92%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.88 CA$16.47

$9.17 CA$12.72

29.55%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.66 CA$18.95

$13.08 CA$18.14

4.43%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$20.32 CA$28.18

$14.79 CA$20.51

37.39%

Apples (1kg)

$4.24 CA$5.88

$4.41 CA$6.11

-3.85%

Banana (1kg)

$1.38 CA$1.92

$1.17 CA$1.63

17.95%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.05 CA$5.61

$3.62 CA$5.02

11.88%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.03 CA$5.58

$4.39 CA$6.09

-8.20%

Potato (1kg)

$2.87 CA$3.97

$2.29 CA$3.17

25.33%

Onion (1kg)

$2.99 CA$4.15

$2.50 CA$3.47

19.60%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.64 CA$3.66

$2.60 CA$3.60

1.54%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.65 CA$2.29

$1.58 CA$2.19

4.43%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$15.92 CA$22.07

$13.74 CA$19.05

15.87%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.63 CA$20.29

$11.14 CA$15.45

31.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.78 CA$3.86

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.06 CA$4.25

$2.91 CA$4.04

5.15%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.57 CA$3.56

$2.17 CA$3.01

18.43%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$83.2 CA$115

$55.6 CA$77.1

49.65%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.70 CA$3.74

$2.66 CA$3.69

1.50%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.63 CA$2.26

$1.42 CA$1.97

14.79%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$32.68 CA$45.33

$27.06 CA$37.53

20.77%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.44 CA$2.00

$1.15 CA$1.59

25.22%

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

$28.4K CA$39.4K

$29.4K CA$40.7K

-3.28%

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

$19.5K CA$27.1K

$19.1K CA$26.5K

2.33%

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

$79.2 CA$110

$139 CA$192

-42.92%

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

$36.21 CA$50.2

$33.52 CA$46.49

8.03%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$51.3 CA$71.2

$52.8 CA$73.3

-2.84%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$43.58 CA$60.4

$42.19 CA$58.5

3.29%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$13.16 CA$18.25

$20.93 CA$29.03

-37.12%

Cinema Ticket

$11.85 CA$16.44

$12.23 CA$16.96

-3.11%

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

$1,131 CA$1,568

$887 CA$1,230

27.49%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$19.7K CA$27.3K

$12.6K CA$17.5K

56.36%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$60.0 CA$83.2

$56.9 CA$78.9

5.41%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.84 CA$48.32

$43.52 CA$60.4

-19.94%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$90.5 CA$125

$73.9 CA$103

22.33%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$93.5 CA$130

$105 CA$146

-11.28%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,806 CA$2,505

$1,276 CA$1,770

41.54%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,581 CA$2,193

$1,281 CA$1,777

23.37%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,182 CA$4,413

$1,717 CA$2,382

85.29%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,465 CA$3,418

$1,568 CA$2,175

57.19%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$8,841 CA$12.3K

$4,084 CA$5,665

116.46%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,963 CA$9,657

$4,144 CA$5,748

68.01%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,738 CA$5,184

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.21

4.68

-10.04%

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

Last update for Vancouver: September 7, 2026

Last update for High Level: September 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,806 in Vancouver and $1,276 in High Level. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $73.0 in Vancouver vs $60.0 in High Level for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $408 vs $360 per month, with High Level 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 High Level: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Vancouver and High Level differ by about 22% in total monthly costs ($2,783 vs $2,275 including rent). High Level is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $4,174 in Vancouver and $3,413 in High Level to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,806 in Vancouver versus $1,276 in High Level. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $2,783 per month in Vancouver versus $2,275 in High Level – a 22% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in High Level runs roughly 50% less than in Vancouver. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $2,275 in High Level versus $2,783 in Vancouver, a $3,000 budget is realistic in High Level but tight or insufficient in Vancouver. The gap between the two cities makes High Level 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.

Safety-wise, Vancouver and High Level are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find High Level gentler on the wallet – expenses run 22% less than in Vancouver. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.