Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Vancouver and High Level

For one person, living is cheaper in High Level: $2,168 a month against $2,725 in Vancouver, rent and utilities included – about $6,700 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Vancouver, Canada
High Level, Canada
Vancouver
🇨🇦 Canada
$2,725
/mo nomad
High Level
🇨🇦 Canada
$2,168
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Vancouver and in High Level

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Vancouver and in High Level actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,725 in Vancouver versus $2,168 in High Level.

  • Vancouver $2,725
  • High Level $2,168

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,039 in Vancouver versus $3,250 in High Level.

  • Vancouver $4,039
  • High Level $3,250

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,352 in Vancouver versus $4,332 in High Level.

  • Vancouver $5,352
  • High Level $4,332

Living in Vancouver is roughly 26% more expensive than in High Level, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Vancouver 100% above, High Level 59% above.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Vancouver
High Level
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$17.65 CA$24.77
$19.04 CA$26.71
-7.30%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$72.4 CA$102
$57.0 CA$80.0
26.99%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$10.84 CA$15.21
$10.18 CA$14.28
6.48%
Cappuccino
$3.91 CA$5.49
$3.41 CA$4.79
14.66%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.10 CA$2.95
$1.90 CA$2.66
10.53%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.64 CA$2.30
$1.83 CA$2.57
-10.38%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$5.74 CA$8.06
$5.39 CA$7.57
6.49%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$6.36 CA$8.93
$6.29 CA$8.82
1.11%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Vancouver
High Level
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$2.21 CA$3.10
$2.30 CA$3.23
-3.91%
White Bread (500g)
$2.64 CA$3.71
$2.85 CA$4.00
-7.37%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$4.68 CA$6.56
$3.60 CA$5.05
30.00%
Eggs
$4.24 CA$5.95
$3.62 CA$5.08
17.13%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$11.92 CA$16.73
$9.52 CA$13.36
25.21%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$13.12 CA$18.42
$10.62 CA$14.90
23.54%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$20.40 CA$28.63
$14.27 CA$20.02
42.96%
Apples (1kg)
$4.10 CA$5.76
$3.39 CA$4.75
20.94%
Banana (1kg)
$1.38 CA$1.93
$1.36 CA$1.91
1.47%
Oranges (1kg)
$3.83 CA$5.37
$3.47 CA$4.86
10.37%
Tomato (1kg)
$3.92 CA$5.50
$3.73 CA$5.23
5.09%
Potato (1kg)
$2.77 CA$3.89
$2.58 CA$3.62
7.36%
Onion (1kg)
$2.84 CA$3.98
$2.12 CA$2.97
33.96%
Lettuce (1 head)
$2.60 CA$3.65
$2.77 CA$3.88
-6.14%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.59 CA$2.24
$1.79 CA$2.52
-11.17%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$15.87 CA$22.27
$14.78 CA$20.74
7.37%
Wine (Bottle)
$14.00 CA$19.64
$12.93 CA$18.14
8.28%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$2.57 CA$3.61
$2.70 CA$3.79
-4.81%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.01 CA$4.23
$3.02 CA$4.24
-0.33%
🚌 Getting Around
Vancouver
High Level
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$2.55 CA$3.59
$2.22 CA$3.11
14.86%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$84.1 CA$118
$55.5 CA$77.9
51.56%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$2.67 CA$3.74
$2.59 CA$3.64
3.09%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.58 CA$2.22
$1.44 CA$2.02
9.72%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$32.19 CA$45.17
$22.89 CA$32.12
40.63%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.45 CA$2.04
$1.13 CA$1.59
28.32%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$27.5K CA$38.6K
$31.5K CA$44.2K
-12.76%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$21.3K CA$29.9K
$22.4K CA$31.4K
-4.61%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Vancouver
High Level
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$82.5 CA$116
$121 CA$170
-32.10%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$37.46 CA$52.6
$40.46 CA$56.8
-7.41%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$51.7 CA$72.5
$58.1 CA$81.5
-11.03%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Vancouver
High Level
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$40.52 CA$56.9
$36.13 CA$50.7
12.15%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$12.69 CA$17.81
$19.53 CA$27.41
-35.02%
Cinema Ticket
$12.66 CA$17.77
$10.77 CA$15.11
17.55%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Vancouver
High Level
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$1,080 CA$1,515
$580 CA$814
86.19%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$20.1K CA$28.3K
$14.4K CA$20.2K
40.10%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Vancouver
High Level
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$58.5 CA$82.0
$49.88 CA$70.0
17.18%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$34.10 CA$47.85
$36.48 CA$51.2
-6.52%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$96.9 CA$136
$92.9 CA$130
4.28%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$97.4 CA$137
$89.6 CA$126
8.68%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Vancouver
High Level
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,813 CA$2,545
$1,288 CA$1,807
40.79%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,576 CA$2,211
$1,064 CA$1,493
48.07%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$3,217 CA$4,514
$1,988 CA$2,790
61.78%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$2,651 CA$3,721
$1,862 CA$2,614
42.36%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$8,590 CA$12.1K
$4,808 CA$6,747
78.67%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$6,649 CA$9,331
$3,870 CA$5,431
71.81%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Vancouver
High Level
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$3,733 CA$5,239
-
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
4.28
4.68
-8.55%

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

Last update for Vancouver: October 27, 2026

Last update for High Level: October 25, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Vancouver
$1.6K
High Level
$1.1K 32.5% $512
Groceries & Markets
Vancouver
$401
High Level
$352 12.1% $48
Eating Out
Vancouver
$277
High Level
$278 0.4% $1.2
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Vancouver
$172
High Level
$220 28.2% $48
Clothing & Footwear
Vancouver
$129
High Level
$121 6.3% $8.1
Getting Around
Vancouver
$105
High Level
$74 29.3% $31
Sport & Entertainment
Vancouver
$66
High Level
$58 12.4% $8.2

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,813 in Vancouver and $1,288 in High Level. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $72 in Vancouver vs $57 in High Level for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $401 vs $352 per month, with High Level cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇨🇦 Vancouver
🇨🇦 High Level
🕒 Local time
13:26 1:26 PM
14:26 2:26 PM
1 h ahead of Vancouver
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
631,486
3,200
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

USD, EUR to CAD – Canadian Dollar Converter

Canadian Dollar exchange rates as of October 28, 2026: 1 USD = 1.4 CAD (1 CAD = 0.713 USD). 1 EUR = 1.56 CAD (1 CAD = 0.64 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Vancouver High Level 1,100 km ≈ 2 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Vancouver
  • High Level

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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
What is the total cost difference between living in Vancouver and in High Level?
Total monthly costs including rent come to $2,725 in Vancouver and $2,168 in High Level, so High Level is about 20% cheaper – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.
What salary covers living expenses in Vancouver compared to High Level?
You’d need roughly $4,087 in Vancouver and $3,251 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.
How do apartment prices compare in Vancouver and in High Level?
Rent for a central apartment: $1,813 in Vancouver versus $1,288 in High Level. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Which city is more expensive overall: Vancouver or High Level?
All in, you’ll spend $2,725 per month in Vancouver versus $2,168 in High Level – High Level is about 20% cheaper, which adds up to real savings over time.
How do commuting costs compare in Vancouver and in High Level?
A monthly transit pass in High Level runs roughly 34% less than in Vancouver. The price difference matters if you commute daily and watch your budget.
How far does $3,000 go in Vancouver compared to High Level?
Either city works on $3,000 a month, though High Level gives you more room to save. At this income level, the choice is more about lifestyle than financial pressure.
Where should families live: Vancouver or High Level?
For families, High Level is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Vancouver, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.
Where should expats move: Vancouver or High Level?
Expats usually find High Level gentler on the wallet – expenses run 20% less than in Vancouver. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

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