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: $2,831 in Vancouver versus $2,363 in High Level.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,231 in Vancouver versus $3,362 in High Level.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,630 in Vancouver versus $4,361 in High Level.

Living in Vancouver is roughly 20% more expensive than High Level, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Vancouver 111% above, High Level 76% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.26 CA$25.37

$16.89 CA$23.47

8.11%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$77.8 CA$108

$70.7 CA$98.3

10.04%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.85 CA$15.08

$10.94 CA$15.19

-0.82%

Cappuccino

$3.98 CA$5.53

$3.76 CA$5.22

5.85%

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

$2.12 CA$2.94

$1.99 CA$2.76

6.53%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.78 CA$2.47

$1.67 CA$2.32

6.59%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.77 CA$8.02

$5.60 CA$7.78

3.04%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.56 CA$10.50

$5.85 CA$8.12

29.23%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.32 CA$3.23

$2.09 CA$2.91

11.00%

White Bread (500g)

$3.10 CA$4.30

$2.61 CA$3.63

18.77%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.89 CA$5.40

$3.64 CA$5.05

6.87%

Eggs

$4.53 CA$6.29

$3.48 CA$4.83

30.17%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.92 CA$17.95

$10.99 CA$15.27

17.56%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.14 CA$19.65

$11.64 CA$16.17

21.48%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.74 CA$21.87

$14.67 CA$20.38

7.29%

Apples (1kg)

$4.26 CA$5.91

$3.95 CA$5.49

7.85%

Banana (1kg)

$1.47 CA$2.04

$1.41 CA$1.95

4.26%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.02 CA$5.59

$3.66 CA$5.08

9.84%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.06 CA$7.03

$3.84 CA$5.33

31.77%

Potato (1kg)

$3.02 CA$4.20

$2.51 CA$3.49

20.32%

Onion (1kg)

$2.95 CA$4.10

$2.50 CA$3.47

18.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.60 CA$3.61

$2.62 CA$3.64

-0.76%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.88 CA$2.61

$1.77 CA$2.45

6.21%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$15.20 CA$21.12

$13.78 CA$19.14

10.30%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.30 CA$19.86

$11.82 CA$16.42

20.98%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.07 CA$4.27

$2.80 CA$3.89

9.64%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.74 CA$5.20

$3.04 CA$4.23

23.03%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.44 CA$3.39

$2.40 CA$3.34

1.67%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$84.9 CA$118

$61.9 CA$86.1

37.02%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.74 CA$5.19

$3.24 CA$4.51

15.43%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.50 CA$2.09

$1.48 CA$2.06

1.35%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$27.43 CA$38.11

$25.67 CA$35.66

6.86%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.34 CA$1.86

$1.15 CA$1.60

16.52%

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

$25.1K CA$34.9K

$25.3K CA$35.1K

-0.74%

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

$20.7K CA$28.8K

$21.0K CA$29.2K

-1.34%

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

$91.8 CA$128

$140 CA$195

-34.62%

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

$39.42 CA$54.8

$43.21 CA$60.0

-8.77%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$61.1 CA$84.9

$63.1 CA$87.7

-3.26%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.89 CA$62.4

$41.85 CA$58.1

7.26%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$15.68 CA$21.79

Cinema Ticket

$12.37 CA$17.18

$11.57 CA$16.08

6.91%

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

$1,180 CA$1,640

$723 CA$1,005

63.14%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$18.8K CA$26.1K

$11.8K CA$16.3K

59.58%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$62.7 CA$87.1

$55.1 CA$76.5

13.82%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.13 CA$59.9

$39.43 CA$54.8

9.38%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.7 CA$132

$86.3 CA$120

9.77%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$118 CA$164

$108 CA$150

9.41%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,995 CA$2,771

$1,327 CA$1,843

50.37%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,629 CA$2,264

$1,185 CA$1,646

37.52%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,589 CA$4,986

$2,025 CA$2,814

77.21%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,769 CA$3,848

$1,805 CA$2,508

53.39%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$9,246 CA$12.8K

$4,894 CA$6,799

88.94%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$7,086 CA$9,845

$4,084 CA$5,674

73.51%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,474 CA$4,827

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.61

6.46

-13.16%

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

Last update for Vancouver: June 2, 2026

Last update for High Level: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,995 in Vancouver and $1,327 in High Level. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $78.0 in Vancouver vs $71.0 in High Level for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $415 vs $361 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 20% in total monthly costs ($2,831 vs $2,363 including rent). High Level is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $4,247 in Vancouver and $3,545 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: $1,995 in Vancouver versus $1,327 in High Level. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $2,831 per month in Vancouver versus $2,363 in High Level – a 20% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in High Level runs roughly 37% less than in Vancouver. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $2,363 in High Level versus $2,831 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 20% less than in Vancouver. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.