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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,735 per month in Vancouver vs $2,472 in Kamloops, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,984 per month in Vancouver vs $3,649 in Kamloops, rent included.

A family of three spends $5,234 per month in Vancouver vs $4,825 in Kamloops, rent included.

Vancouver costs about 11% more than Kamloops, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Vancouver and Kamloops sit above the global median – Vancouver by 100%, Kamloops by 81%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.82 CA$24.93

$21.30 CA$29.80

-16.34%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$72.4 CA$101

$77.0 CA$108

-5.93%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.93 CA$15.30

$10.93 CA$15.29

Cappuccino

$4.19 CA$5.86

$3.82 CA$5.34

9.69%

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

$2.22 CA$3.11

$2.62 CA$3.66

-15.27%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.64 CA$2.29

$1.74 CA$2.43

-5.75%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.89 CA$8.23

$6.13 CA$8.58

-3.92%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.51 CA$9.11

$6.65 CA$9.30

-2.11%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.12 CA$2.96

$2.40 CA$3.36

-11.67%

White Bread (500g)

$2.64 CA$3.69

$2.48 CA$3.47

6.45%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.44 CA$6.21

$3.95 CA$5.52

12.41%

Eggs

$4.21 CA$5.89

$4.30 CA$6.01

-2.09%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.04 CA$16.85

$8.54 CA$11.95

40.98%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.91 CA$19.46

$12.34 CA$17.26

12.72%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$20.62 CA$28.85

$18.03 CA$25.22

14.36%

Apples (1kg)

$4.29 CA$6.00

$4.24 CA$5.93

1.18%

Banana (1kg)

$1.34 CA$1.88

$1.86 CA$2.60

-27.96%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.88 CA$5.43

$4.21 CA$5.89

-7.84%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.08 CA$5.70

$4.19 CA$5.87

-2.63%

Potato (1kg)

$2.88 CA$4.03

$3.03 CA$4.24

-4.95%

Onion (1kg)

$2.93 CA$4.09

$2.25 CA$3.15

30.22%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.63 CA$3.68

$2.61 CA$3.66

0.77%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.70 CA$2.38

$1.84 CA$2.57

-7.61%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$15.66 CA$21.91

$16.81 CA$23.52

-6.84%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.23 CA$19.91

$13.17 CA$18.43

8.05%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.78 CA$3.89

$4.71 CA$6.59

-40.98%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.05 CA$4.27

$3.93 CA$5.50

-22.39%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.53 CA$3.54

$1.64 CA$2.30

54.27%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$85.5 CA$120

$37.99 CA$53.1

125.14%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.67 CA$3.73

$2.79 CA$3.90

-4.30%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.61 CA$2.25

$1.74 CA$2.44

-7.47%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$32.34 CA$45.24

$12.60 CA$17.63

156.67%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.40 CA$1.96

$1.31 CA$1.83

6.87%

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

$28.6K CA$40.0K

$28.8K CA$40.2K

-0.67%

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

$19.8K CA$27.7K

$19.7K CA$27.6K

0.52%

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

$78.8 CA$110

$202 CA$282

-60.91%

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

$35.70 CA$49.94

$49.15 CA$68.8

-27.37%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$51.1 CA$71.5

$67.8 CA$94.8

-24.61%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.37 CA$59.3

$42.32 CA$59.2

0.12%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$13.04 CA$18.24

$27.95 CA$39.09

-53.35%

Cinema Ticket

$11.68 CA$16.34

$11.80 CA$16.50

-1.02%

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

$1,108 CA$1,549

$764 CA$1,069

44.99%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$19.9K CA$27.8K

$4,020 CA$5,623

394.46%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.0 CA$79.7

$61.2 CA$85.6

-6.87%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.01 CA$48.98

$59.4 CA$83.1

-41.06%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$88.0 CA$123

$83.4 CA$117

5.44%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$91.2 CA$128

$105 CA$147

-12.93%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,843 CA$2,579

$1,415 CA$1,979

30.28%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,530 CA$2,140

$1,199 CA$1,677

27.62%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,156 CA$4,415

$2,344 CA$3,279

34.61%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,476 CA$3,464

$2,059 CA$2,881

20.26%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$8,675 CA$12.1K

$5,209 CA$7,287

66.54%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,528 CA$9,132

$3,898 CA$5,454

67.46%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,726 CA$5,213

$2,986 CA$4,177

24.80%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.21

4.6

-8.48%

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

Last update for Vancouver: September 13, 2026

Last update for Kamloops: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,843 in Vancouver versus $1,415 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 25% 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 $72.0 in Vancouver versus $77.0 in Kamloops. Groceries tell a different story – $409 in Vancouver vs $397 in Kamloops – so Kamloops wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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: $2,735 in Vancouver, $2,472 in Kamloops – roughly 11% apart. Vancouver costs more across the board, with Getting Around showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,103 per month in Vancouver and $3,708 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 $1,108 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.

Groceries cost about 3% 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 $2,735 in Vancouver and $2,472 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.