Cost of Living Comparison Between Vancouver and London Cost of Living Comparison Between Vancouver and London

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,735 in Vancouver versus $2,413 in London.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,984 in Vancouver versus $3,451 in London.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,234 in Vancouver versus $4,490 in London.

Living in Vancouver is roughly 13% more expensive than in London, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Vancouver 100% above, London 76% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.82 CA$24.93

$21.91 CA$30.65

-18.67%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$72.4 CA$101

$64.4 CA$90.1

12.43%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.93 CA$15.30

$12.45 CA$17.42

-12.21%

Cappuccino

$4.19 CA$5.86

$3.79 CA$5.30

10.55%

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

$2.22 CA$3.11

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.64 CA$2.29

$2.20 CA$3.08

-25.45%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.89 CA$8.23

$6.34 CA$8.87

-7.10%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.51 CA$9.11

$6.55 CA$9.17

-0.61%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.12 CA$2.96

$2.02 CA$2.83

4.95%

White Bread (500g)

$2.64 CA$3.69

$2.60 CA$3.63

1.54%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.44 CA$6.21

$4.05 CA$5.66

9.63%

Eggs

$4.21 CA$5.89

$3.78 CA$5.28

11.38%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.04 CA$16.85

$10.17 CA$14.23

18.39%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.91 CA$19.46

$11.83 CA$16.55

17.58%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$20.62 CA$28.85

$15.37 CA$21.50

34.16%

Apples (1kg)

$4.29 CA$6.00

$4.36 CA$6.09

-1.61%

Banana (1kg)

$1.34 CA$1.88

$1.38 CA$1.93

-2.90%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.88 CA$5.43

$3.93 CA$5.50

-1.27%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.08 CA$5.70

$4.10 CA$5.74

-0.49%

Potato (1kg)

$2.88 CA$4.03

$3.14 CA$4.39

-8.28%

Onion (1kg)

$2.93 CA$4.09

$3.17 CA$4.44

-7.57%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.63 CA$3.68

$2.51 CA$3.51

4.78%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.70 CA$2.38

$1.48 CA$2.08

14.86%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$15.66 CA$21.91

$12.05 CA$16.86

29.96%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.23 CA$19.91

$12.34 CA$17.27

15.32%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.78 CA$3.89

$2.55 CA$3.57

9.02%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.05 CA$4.27

$2.87 CA$4.02

6.27%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.53 CA$3.54

$2.37 CA$3.31

6.75%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$85.5 CA$120

$81.3 CA$114

5.23%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.67 CA$3.73

$2.58 CA$3.61

3.49%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.61 CA$2.25

$1.65 CA$2.31

-2.42%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$32.34 CA$45.24

$22.58 CA$31.59

43.22%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.40 CA$1.96

$1.23 CA$1.72

13.82%

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

$28.6K CA$40.0K

$28.1K CA$39.4K

1.51%

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

$19.8K CA$27.7K

$24.1K CA$33.7K

-17.63%

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

$78.8 CA$110

$139 CA$194

-43.08%

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

$35.70 CA$49.94

$41.37 CA$57.9

-13.71%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$51.1 CA$71.5

$56.4 CA$78.9

-9.37%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.37 CA$59.3

$38.15 CA$53.4

11.06%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$13.04 CA$18.24

$28.95 CA$40.50

-54.96%

Cinema Ticket

$11.68 CA$16.34

$10.73 CA$15.00

8.85%

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

$1,108 CA$1,549

$426 CA$596

159.93%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$19.9K CA$27.8K

$20.5K CA$28.6K

-2.93%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.0 CA$79.7

$54.0 CA$75.5

5.50%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.01 CA$48.98

$39.82 CA$55.7

-12.08%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$88.0 CA$123

$83.6 CA$117

5.28%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$91.2 CA$128

$91.0 CA$127

0.20%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,843 CA$2,579

$1,271 CA$1,778

45.06%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,530 CA$2,140

$1,156 CA$1,617

32.37%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,156 CA$4,415

$2,109 CA$2,951

49.60%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,476 CA$3,464

$1,697 CA$2,375

45.89%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$8,675 CA$12.1K

$3,526 CA$4,932

146.04%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,528 CA$9,132

$3,696 CA$5,170

76.65%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,726 CA$5,213

$2,971 CA$4,156

25.42%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.21

4.72

-10.81%

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

Last update for Vancouver: September 13, 2026

Last update for London: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,843 in Vancouver and $1,271 in London. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Vancouver pays 25% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $72.0 in Vancouver vs $64.0 in London for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $409 vs $366 per month, with London cheaper across the board.

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 London: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

London is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Getting Around, Sport & Entertainment. The 13% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 25% higher in Vancouver, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,843 in Vancouver versus $1,271 in London. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $2,735 per month in Vancouver versus $2,413 in London – a 13% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in London runs roughly 5% less than in Vancouver. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $2,413 in London versus $2,735 in Vancouver, a $2,500 budget is realistic in London but tight or insufficient in Vancouver. The gap between the two cities makes London the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, London is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Vancouver, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Vancouver and London are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find London gentler on the wallet – expenses run 13% less than in Vancouver. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.