Cost of Living Comparison Between Vancouver and Kamloops Cost of Living Comparison Between Vancouver and Kamloops

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,860 per month in Vancouver vs $2,553 in Kamloops, rent included.

A couple spends around $4,199 per month in Vancouver vs $3,627 in Kamloops, rent included.

A family of three spends $5,538 per month in Vancouver vs $4,701 in Kamloops, rent included.

Vancouver costs about 12% more than Kamloops, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Vancouver and Kamloops sit above the global median – Vancouver by 113%, Kamloops by 90%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.50 CA$25.84

$22.38 CA$31.26

-17.34%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$79.5 CA$111

$66.2 CA$92.5

20.08%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.11 CA$15.52

$11.16 CA$15.58

-0.45%

Cappuccino

$4.11 CA$5.74

$4.17 CA$5.83

-1.44%

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

$2.21 CA$3.08

$2.68 CA$3.74

-17.54%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.75 CA$2.45

$1.95 CA$2.72

-10.26%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.77 CA$8.06

$6.01 CA$8.40

-3.99%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.45 CA$10.40

$5.95 CA$8.31

25.21%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.20 CA$3.07

$2.81 CA$3.93

-21.71%

White Bread (500g)

$3.22 CA$4.49

$2.45 CA$3.42

31.43%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.68 CA$5.14

$4.52 CA$6.31

-18.58%

Eggs

$4.39 CA$6.13

$3.73 CA$5.21

17.69%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.82 CA$17.90

$10.38 CA$14.50

23.51%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.20 CA$19.82

$13.27 CA$18.53

7.01%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.04 CA$22.40

$15.66 CA$21.88

2.43%

Apples (1kg)

$4.38 CA$6.12

$4.09 CA$5.72

7.09%

Banana (1kg)

$1.53 CA$2.13

$1.67 CA$2.34

-8.38%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.07 CA$5.68

$4.09 CA$5.71

-0.49%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.18 CA$7.23

$3.89 CA$5.43

33.16%

Potato (1kg)

$3.05 CA$4.25

$2.66 CA$3.71

14.66%

Onion (1kg)

$2.96 CA$4.14

$2.12 CA$2.97

39.62%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.73 CA$3.81

$2.86 CA$3.99

-4.55%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.87 CA$2.61

$1.79 CA$2.50

4.47%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$15.40 CA$21.51

$16.43 CA$22.95

-6.27%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.32 CA$20.00

$13.02 CA$18.18

9.98%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.11 CA$4.35

$4.48 CA$6.25

-30.58%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.66 CA$5.12

$3.94 CA$5.50

-7.11%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.41 CA$3.37

$1.49 CA$2.08

61.74%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$82.6 CA$115

$36.19 CA$50.5

128.27%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.65 CA$5.10

$3.92 CA$5.47

-6.89%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.49 CA$2.08

$1.62 CA$2.26

-8.02%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$26.94 CA$37.63

$12.69 CA$17.73

112.29%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.28 CA$1.78

$1.29 CA$1.80

-0.78%

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

$24.9K CA$34.8K

0.11%

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

$21.0K CA$29.3K

$20.3K CA$28.4K

3.28%

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

$92.2 CA$129

$174 CA$243

-47.10%

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

$40.43 CA$56.5

$48.93 CA$68.3

-17.37%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$62.0 CA$86.6

$70.5 CA$98.5

-12.09%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.57 CA$62.2

$54.5 CA$76.2

-18.28%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$15.75 CA$21.99

$29.39 CA$41.05

-46.41%

Cinema Ticket

$12.19 CA$17.02

$11.92 CA$16.65

2.27%

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

$1,164 CA$1,625

$797 CA$1,113

46.05%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$18.1K CA$25.3K

$3,989 CA$5,571

353.89%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$62.9 CA$87.9

$68.6 CA$95.8

-8.31%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.23 CA$59.0

$59.1 CA$82.5

-28.50%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$98.0 CA$137

$80.3 CA$112

21.96%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$118 CA$165

$114 CA$159

3.28%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,977 CA$2,761

$1,453 CA$2,028

36.11%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,665 CA$2,325

$1,265 CA$1,766

31.66%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,579 CA$4,997

$2,226 CA$3,108

60.79%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,798 CA$3,907

$1,944 CA$2,715

43.88%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$8,881 CA$12.4K

$5,178 CA$7,231

71.53%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,873 CA$9,598

$3,836 CA$5,357

79.17%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,432 CA$4,792

$2,907 CA$4,060

18.04%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.61

6.69

-16.14%

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

Last update for Vancouver: June 7, 2026

Last update for Kamloops: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,977 in Vancouver versus $1,453 in Kamloops. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 18% higher in Vancouver, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $80.0 in Vancouver versus $66.0 in Kamloops. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $417 vs $398 – making Kamloops the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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 Kamloops: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $2,860 in Vancouver, $2,553 in Kamloops – roughly 12% apart. Vancouver costs more across the board, with Getting Around showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,291 per month in Vancouver and $3,829 in Kamloops. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Kamloops, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Kindergarten costs $1,164 per month in Vancouver and $797 in Kamloops. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 5% more in Vancouver, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

$3,000 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $2,860 in Vancouver and $2,553 in Kamloops. You'll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

Families tend to lean toward Kamloops – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

If budget matters most, go with Kamloops. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Vancouver makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.