Cost of Living Comparison Between Vancouver and Kingston Cost of Living Comparison Between Vancouver and Kingston

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,831 per month in Vancouver vs $2,347 in Kingston, rent included.

A couple spends around $4,231 per month in Vancouver vs $3,286 in Kingston, rent included.

A family of three spends $5,630 per month in Vancouver vs $4,226 in Kingston, rent included.

Vancouver costs about 21% more than Kingston, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Vancouver and Kingston sit above the global median – Vancouver by 111%, Kingston by 75%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.26 CA$25.39

$16.77 CA$23.33

8.88%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$77.8 CA$108

$74.6 CA$104

4.37%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.85 CA$15.09

$11.29 CA$15.70

-3.90%

Cappuccino

$3.98 CA$5.54

$3.55 CA$4.94

12.11%

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

$2.12 CA$2.95

$1.88 CA$2.62

12.77%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.78 CA$2.47

$1.42 CA$1.98

25.35%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.77 CA$8.02

$5.78 CA$8.04

-0.17%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.56 CA$10.51

$6.62 CA$9.20

14.20%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.32 CA$3.23

$2.57 CA$3.57

-9.73%

White Bread (500g)

$3.10 CA$4.31

$2.55 CA$3.55

21.57%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.89 CA$5.40

$4.06 CA$5.64

-4.19%

Eggs

$4.53 CA$6.30

$2.92 CA$4.06

55.14%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.92 CA$17.96

$10.55 CA$14.67

22.46%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.14 CA$19.67

$11.30 CA$15.71

25.13%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.74 CA$21.89

$11.82 CA$16.44

33.16%

Apples (1kg)

$4.26 CA$5.92

$3.64 CA$5.06

17.03%

Banana (1kg)

$1.47 CA$2.04

$1.31 CA$1.83

12.21%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.02 CA$5.59

Tomato (1kg)

$5.06 CA$7.04

$4.76 CA$6.62

6.30%

Potato (1kg)

$3.02 CA$4.20

$3.57 CA$4.97

-15.41%

Onion (1kg)

$2.95 CA$4.10

$2.30 CA$3.20

28.26%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.60 CA$3.62

$2.99 CA$4.16

-13.04%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.88 CA$2.62

$1.68 CA$2.34

11.90%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$15.20 CA$21.14

$13.60 CA$18.91

11.76%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.30 CA$19.88

$12.50 CA$17.39

14.40%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.07 CA$4.27

$2.27 CA$3.16

35.24%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.74 CA$5.20

$3.45 CA$4.80

8.41%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.44 CA$3.39

$2.64 CA$3.67

-7.58%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$84.9 CA$118

$60.0 CA$83.5

41.36%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.74 CA$5.20

$3.23 CA$4.49

15.79%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.50 CA$2.09

$1.52 CA$2.11

-1.32%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$27.43 CA$38.15

$33.53 CA$46.63

-18.19%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.34 CA$1.86

$1.10 CA$1.53

21.82%

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

$25.1K CA$34.9K

0.08%

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

$20.7K CA$28.8K

$21.0K CA$29.3K

-1.47%

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

$91.8 CA$128

$134 CA$186

-31.33%

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

$39.42 CA$54.8

$43.78 CA$60.9

-9.96%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$61.1 CA$84.9

$78.5 CA$109

-22.16%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.89 CA$62.4

$31.93 CA$44.41

40.59%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$15.68 CA$21.81

$9.31 CA$12.95

68.42%

Cinema Ticket

$12.37 CA$17.20

$11.16 CA$15.51

10.84%

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

$1,180 CA$1,641

$434 CA$604

171.92%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$18.8K CA$26.1K

$11.7K CA$16.2K

60.68%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$62.7 CA$87.2

$46.04 CA$64.0

36.12%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.13 CA$60.0

$35.14 CA$48.86

22.74%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.7 CA$132

$95.7 CA$133

-0.96%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$118 CA$165

$94.5 CA$131

25.28%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,995 CA$2,774

$1,278 CA$1,778

56.06%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,629 CA$2,266

$1,146 CA$1,594

42.12%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,589 CA$4,991

$2,064 CA$2,870

73.88%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,769 CA$3,851

$1,643 CA$2,285

68.56%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$9,246 CA$12.9K

$3,486 CA$4,848

165.23%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$7,086 CA$9,854

$2,498 CA$3,474

183.64%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,474 CA$4,831

$2,996 CA$4,167

15.94%

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 2, 2026

Last update for Kingston: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,995 in Vancouver versus $1,278 in Kingston. 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 16% 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 $78.0 in Vancouver versus $75.0 in Kingston. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $415 vs $359 – making Kingston 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 Kingston: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $2,831 in Vancouver, $2,347 in Kingston – roughly 21% apart. Vancouver costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,247 per month in Vancouver and $3,521 in Kingston. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Monthly expenses with rent come to $2,831 in Vancouver and $2,347 in Kingston. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 41% less in Kingston. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $3,000 monthly budget goes further in Kingston, where all-in costs run around $2,347, than in Vancouver at $2,831. In Kingston it covers expenses comfortably, while in Vancouver it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

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

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Kingston. 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.