Last update: Nov 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Vancouver and Kanata

For one person, living is cheaper in Kanata: $2,514 a month against $2,683 in Vancouver, rent and utilities included – about $2,000 less a year. Other living expenses account for most of the difference.

128

Cost of Living Index in Vancouver
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Vancouver Living Index
119

Cost of Living Index in Kanata
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Kanata Living Index

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Vancouver

🇨🇦 Canada

$2,683

/mo nomad

Kanata

🇨🇦 Canada

$2,514

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Vancouver and in Kanata

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

A single person spends $2,683 per month in Vancouver vs $2,514 in Kanata, rent included.

Vancouver $2,683
Kanata $2,514

A couple spends around $3,963 per month in Vancouver vs $3,581 in Kanata, rent included.

Vancouver $3,963
Kanata $3,581

A family of three spends $5,244 per month in Vancouver vs $4,648 in Kanata, rent included.

Vancouver $5,244
Kanata $4,648

Vancouver costs about 7% more than Kanata, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Vancouver and Kanata sit above the global median – Vancouver by 98%, Kanata by 86%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.10 CA$25.26

$18.08 CA$25.24

0.11%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$71.0 CA$99.1

$77.2 CA$108

-8.02%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.57 CA$14.75

$10.87 CA$15.17

-2.76%

Cappuccino

$3.97 CA$5.54

$3.46 CA$4.83

14.74%

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

$2.07 CA$2.89

$2.00 CA$2.79

3.50%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.85 CA$2.58

$1.66 CA$2.32

11.45%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.67 CA$7.91

$2.65 CA$3.69

113.96%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.61 CA$9.23

$2.74 CA$3.83

141.24%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.16 CA$3.01

$1.98 CA$2.76

9.09%

White Bread (500g)

$2.58 CA$3.60

$2.74 CA$3.82

-5.84%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.30 CA$6.00

$1.83 CA$2.56

134.97%

Eggs

$4.09 CA$5.71

$4.36 CA$6.09

-6.19%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.12 CA$16.91

$13.52 CA$18.87

-10.36%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.28 CA$18.54

$11.22 CA$15.66

18.36%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$20.11 CA$28.07

$8.95 CA$12.50

124.69%

Apples (1kg)

$3.96 CA$5.53

$3.42 CA$4.78

15.79%

Banana (1kg)

$1.43 CA$1.99

$0.98 CA$1.37

45.92%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.71 CA$5.18

$2.86 CA$4.00

29.72%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.92 CA$5.48

$3.91 CA$5.46

0.26%

Potato (1kg)

$2.87 CA$4.00

$1.13 CA$1.57

153.98%

Onion (1kg)

$2.98 CA$4.16

$2.14 CA$2.98

39.25%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.61 CA$3.65

$2.56 CA$3.57

1.95%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.63 CA$2.28

$1.41 CA$1.97

15.60%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$15.94 CA$22.25

$13.08 CA$18.26

21.87%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.25 CA$19.89

$21.76 CA$30.37

-34.51%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.52 CA$3.52

$2.71 CA$3.78

-7.01%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.87 CA$4.01

$3.23 CA$4.51

-11.15%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.57 CA$3.58

$2.64 CA$3.69

-2.65%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$84.4 CA$118

$89.4 CA$125

-5.61%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.74 CA$3.83

$2.89 CA$4.03

-5.19%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.63 CA$2.27

$1.25 CA$1.75

30.40%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$31.90 CA$44.52

$33.64 CA$46.96

-5.17%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.46 CA$2.03

$1.17 CA$1.63

24.79%

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

$26.7K CA$37.3K

$26.8K CA$37.4K

-0.36%

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

$21.0K CA$29.4K

$18.4K CA$25.7K

14.38%

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

$88.2 CA$123

$112 CA$157

-21.31%

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

$36.72 CA$51.3

$44.44 CA$62.0

-17.37%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$49.81 CA$69.5

$41.78 CA$58.3

19.22%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$45.34 CA$63.3

$45.73 CA$63.8

-0.85%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$12.13 CA$16.93

Cinema Ticket

$12.55 CA$17.52

$9.40 CA$13.12

33.51%

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

$1,055 CA$1,473

$861 CA$1,202

22.57%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$28.5K CA$39.8K

$10.6K CA$14.8K

168.25%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.4 CA$78.8

$57.0 CA$79.5

-0.95%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.37 CA$47.98

$31.75 CA$44.32

8.25%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$89.8 CA$125

$86.9 CA$121

3.35%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$94.3 CA$132

$63.3 CA$88.3

49.09%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,738 CA$2,426

$1,559 CA$2,177

11.45%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,528 CA$2,134

$1,435 CA$2,003

6.52%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,107 CA$4,337

$2,248 CA$3,138

38.23%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,547 CA$3,555

$2,133 CA$2,978

19.40%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$8,540 CA$11.9K

$3,266 CA$4,559

161.46%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,328 CA$8,833

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,770 CA$5,262

$2,992 CA$4,177

25.99%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.24

4.97

-14.69%

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

Last update for Vancouver: November 2, 2026

Last update for Kanata: October 31, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Vancouver

$1.5K 57%

Kanata

$1.4K 57.1% 6.1% $94

Groceries & Markets

Vancouver

$398 14.9%

Kanata

$348 13.8% 12.7% $50

Eating Out

Vancouver

$281 10.5%

Kanata

$252 10% 10.4% $29

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Vancouver

$175 6.5%

Kanata

$198 7.9% 13.5% $24

Clothing & Footwear

Vancouver

$124 4.6%

Kanata

$108 4.3% 13.1% $16

Getting Around

Vancouver

$106 3.9%

Kanata

$109 4.3% 3.4% $3.6

Sport & Entertainment

Vancouver

$70 2.6%

Kanata

$65 2.6% 8.4% $5.9

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,738 in Vancouver versus $1,559 in Kanata. 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 26% higher in Vancouver. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $71 in Vancouver versus $77 in Kanata. Groceries tell a different story – $398 in Vancouver vs $348 in Kanata – so Kanata wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know

🇨🇦 Vancouver

🇨🇦 Kanata

🕒 Local time

15:49 3:49 PM

17:49 5:49 PM

2 h ahead of Vancouver

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

631,486

90,000

💱 Currency

Canadian Dollar CAD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 CAD = 0.716 USD

1 CAD = 0.638 EUR

1 CAD = 0.716 USD

1 CAD = 0.638 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

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Between locations

Vancouver Kanata 3,520 km ≈ 5 h nonstop flight

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 Kanata: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Vancouver is pricier by about 7%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,024 per month in Vancouver and $3,772 in Kanata. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Kanata, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $1,559 there versus $1,738 in Vancouver.

Public transport costs about 6% less in Vancouver. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $1,055 per month in Vancouver and $861 in Kanata. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

$2,500 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $2,683 in Vancouver and $2,514 in Kanata. You’ll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

Families tend to lean toward Kanata – 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 Kanata. If higher salaries or specific career opportunities are the priority, Vancouver makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.