Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Vancouver and Kamloops

For one person, living is cheaper in Kamloops: $2,402 a month against $2,725 in Vancouver, rent and utilities included – about $3,900 less a year. Higher rent and utilities in Vancouver outweigh lower spending on other living expenses.

Vancouver, Canada
Kamloops, Canada
Vancouver
🇨🇦 Canada
$2,725
/mo nomad
Kamloops
🇨🇦 Canada
$2,402
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Vancouver and in Kamloops

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 Kamloops actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $2,725 per month in Vancouver vs $2,402 in Kamloops, rent included.

  • Vancouver $2,725
  • Kamloops $2,402

A couple spends around $4,039 per month in Vancouver vs $3,510 in Kamloops, rent included.

  • Vancouver $4,039
  • Kamloops $3,510

A family of three spends $5,352 per month in Vancouver vs $4,618 in Kamloops, rent included.

  • Vancouver $5,352
  • Kamloops $4,618

Vancouver costs about 13% more than Kamloops, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in transport.

Both Vancouver and Kamloops sit above the global median – Vancouver by 100%, Kamloops by 76%.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Vancouver
Kamloops
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$17.65 CA$24.66
$21.11 CA$29.50
-16.39%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$72.4 CA$101
$75.3 CA$105
-3.81%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$10.84 CA$15.14
$10.85 CA$15.16
-0.09%
Cappuccino
$3.91 CA$5.47
$3.90 CA$5.45
0.26%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.10 CA$2.94
$2.51 CA$3.50
-16.33%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.64 CA$2.29
$1.76 CA$2.45
-6.82%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$5.74 CA$8.02
$5.93 CA$8.29
-3.20%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$6.36 CA$8.89
$6.37 CA$8.90
-0.16%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Vancouver
Kamloops
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$2.21 CA$3.09
$2.42 CA$3.38
-8.68%
White Bread (500g)
$2.64 CA$3.69
$2.47 CA$3.45
6.88%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$4.68 CA$6.54
$3.86 CA$5.39
21.24%
Eggs
$4.24 CA$5.92
$4.09 CA$5.72
3.67%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$11.92 CA$16.66
$8.50 CA$11.88
40.24%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$13.12 CA$18.34
$12.29 CA$17.17
6.75%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$20.40 CA$28.51
$17.90 CA$25.01
13.97%
Apples (1kg)
$4.10 CA$5.73
$4.10 CA$5.72
-
Banana (1kg)
$1.38 CA$1.92
$1.85 CA$2.59
-25.41%
Oranges (1kg)
$3.83 CA$5.35
$4.13 CA$5.77
-7.26%
Tomato (1kg)
$3.92 CA$5.47
$4.03 CA$5.63
-2.73%
Potato (1kg)
$2.77 CA$3.88
$2.96 CA$4.14
-6.42%
Onion (1kg)
$2.84 CA$3.96
$2.35 CA$3.28
20.85%
Lettuce (1 head)
$2.60 CA$3.63
$2.63 CA$3.68
-1.14%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.59 CA$2.23
$1.82 CA$2.54
-12.64%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$15.87 CA$22.17
$16.31 CA$22.79
-2.70%
Wine (Bottle)
$14.00 CA$19.56
$12.88 CA$18.00
8.70%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$2.57 CA$3.59
$4.69 CA$6.56
-45.20%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.01 CA$4.21
$3.96 CA$5.54
-23.99%
🚌 Getting Around
Vancouver
Kamloops
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$2.55 CA$3.57
$1.74 CA$2.43
46.55%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$84.1 CA$118
$38.12 CA$53.3
120.70%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$2.67 CA$3.73
$3.54 CA$4.94
-24.58%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.58 CA$2.21
$1.92 CA$2.69
-17.71%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$32.19 CA$44.98
$12.26 CA$17.12
162.56%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.45 CA$2.03
$1.36 CA$1.90
6.62%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$27.5K CA$38.4K
$28.1K CA$39.2K
-2.02%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$21.3K CA$29.8K
$20.7K CA$28.9K
3.14%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Vancouver
Kamloops
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$82.5 CA$115
$203 CA$284
-59.40%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$37.46 CA$52.3
$49.46 CA$69.1
-24.26%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$51.7 CA$72.2
$67.2 CA$93.8
-23.03%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Vancouver
Kamloops
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$40.52 CA$56.6
$42.73 CA$59.7
-5.17%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$12.69 CA$17.73
$27.16 CA$37.95
-53.28%
Cinema Ticket
$12.66 CA$17.69
$11.99 CA$16.75
5.59%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Vancouver
Kamloops
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$1,080 CA$1,509
$764 CA$1,067
41.34%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$20.1K CA$28.1K
$3,881 CA$5,423
419.06%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Vancouver
Kamloops
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$58.5 CA$81.7
$60.3 CA$84.2
-3.04%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$34.10 CA$47.65
$57.2 CA$79.9
-40.37%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$96.9 CA$135
$81.3 CA$114
19.15%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$97.4 CA$136
$104 CA$145
-5.91%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Vancouver
Kamloops
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,813 CA$2,534
$1,389 CA$1,942
30.49%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,576 CA$2,202
$1,121 CA$1,566
40.55%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$3,217 CA$4,494
$2,190 CA$3,061
46.84%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$2,651 CA$3,705
$1,771 CA$2,475
49.71%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$8,590 CA$12.0K
$5,068 CA$7,082
69.48%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$6,649 CA$9,291
$3,819 CA$5,337
74.09%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Vancouver
Kamloops
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$3,733 CA$5,216
$3,020 CA$4,219
23.62%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
4.28
4.6
-6.96%

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

Last update for Vancouver: October 27, 2026

Last update for Kamloops: October 25, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Vancouver
$1.6K
Kamloops
$1.1K 28.9% $455
Groceries & Markets
Vancouver
$401
Kamloops
$393 2% $8.2
Eating Out
Vancouver
$277
Kamloops
$308 11.1% $31
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Vancouver
$172
Kamloops
$320 86.3% $148
Clothing & Footwear
Vancouver
$129
Kamloops
$136 5.4% $6.9
Getting Around
Vancouver
$105
Kamloops
$58 44.5% $47
Sport & Entertainment
Vancouver
$66
Kamloops
$67 1.3% $0.9

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,813 in Vancouver versus $1,389 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 24% higher in Vancouver. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $72 in Vancouver versus $75 in Kamloops. Groceries tell a different story – $401 in Vancouver vs $393 in Kamloops – so Kamloops wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know
🇨🇦 Vancouver
🇨🇦 Kamloops
🕒 Local time
13:01 1:01 PM
13:01 1:01 PM
Same time as Vancouver
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
631,486
90,280
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

USD, EUR to CAD – Canadian Dollar Converter

Canadian Dollar exchange rates as of November 1, 2026: 1 USD = 1.4 CAD (1 CAD = 0.716 USD). 1 EUR = 1.56 CAD (1 CAD = 0.641 EUR).

On the map
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  • Vancouver Kamloops 250 km
From you
  • Vancouver
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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 Kamloops: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
How do living costs in Vancouver and in Kamloops compare overall?
Monthly costs with rent: $2,725 in Vancouver, $2,402 in Kamloops – Kamloops comes out roughly 12% cheaper. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in transport.
What salary covers living expenses in Vancouver compared to Kamloops?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,087 per month in Vancouver and $3,603 in Kamloops. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
How do rents compare between Vancouver and Kamloops?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Kamloops, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $1,389 there versus $1,813 in Vancouver.
Which city is more expensive overall: Vancouver or Kamloops?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $2,725 in Vancouver and $2,402 in Kamloops. That makes Kamloops about 12% cheaper.
What is the difference in childcare costs between Vancouver and Kamloops?
Kindergarten costs $1,080 per month in Vancouver and $764 in Kamloops. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.
How far does $3,000 go in Vancouver compared to Kamloops?
$3,000 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $2,725 in Vancouver and $2,402 in Kamloops, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.
Where should families live: Vancouver or Kamloops?
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.
How do I decide between Vancouver and Kamloops?
If budget matters most, go with Kamloops. If higher salaries or specific career opportunities are the priority, Vancouver makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.

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