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: $2,818 in Vancouver versus $2,433 in London.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,226 in Vancouver versus $3,468 in London.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,634 in Vancouver versus $4,504 in London.

Living in Vancouver is roughly 16% more expensive than in London, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Vancouver 112% above, London 83% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.73 CA$26.24

$18.18 CA$25.47

3.03%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$78.5 CA$110

$73.5 CA$103

6.72%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.85 CA$15.21

$10.16 CA$14.24

6.79%

Cappuccino

$4.10 CA$5.75

$3.53 CA$4.95

16.15%

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

$2.13 CA$2.98

$1.96 CA$2.75

8.67%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.76 CA$2.47

$1.87 CA$2.63

-5.88%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.76 CA$8.08

$5.79 CA$8.12

-0.52%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.23 CA$10.13

$6.77 CA$9.49

6.79%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.29 CA$3.20

$1.63 CA$2.28

40.49%

White Bread (500g)

$3.22 CA$4.51

$2.39 CA$3.35

34.73%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.70 CA$5.18

$3.33 CA$4.67

11.11%

Eggs

$4.36 CA$6.10

$3.40 CA$4.77

28.24%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.86 CA$18.02

$9.97 CA$13.98

28.99%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.24 CA$19.96

$12.51 CA$17.53

13.83%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.74 CA$22.05

$9.01 CA$12.63

74.69%

Apples (1kg)

$4.30 CA$6.03

$4.60 CA$6.44

-6.52%

Banana (1kg)

$1.52 CA$2.13

$1.37 CA$1.92

10.95%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.99 CA$5.59

$3.53 CA$4.95

13.03%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.13 CA$7.19

$3.82 CA$5.35

34.29%

Potato (1kg)

$3.06 CA$4.29

$1.61 CA$2.25

90.06%

Onion (1kg)

$3.05 CA$4.27

$2.14 CA$2.99

42.52%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.63 CA$3.68

$2.12 CA$2.96

24.06%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.87 CA$2.62

$1.44 CA$2.02

29.86%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$15.70 CA$22.00

$12.64 CA$17.72

24.21%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.59 CA$20.44

$12.46 CA$17.46

17.09%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.21 CA$4.50

$2.07 CA$2.90

55.07%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.59 CA$5.03

$2.48 CA$3.47

44.76%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.44 CA$3.42

$2.43 CA$3.41

0.41%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$83.2 CA$117

$83.0 CA$116

0.23%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.70 CA$5.18

$3.98 CA$5.58

-7.04%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.49 CA$2.08

$1.76 CA$2.47

-15.34%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$27.37 CA$38.36

$31.21 CA$43.73

-12.30%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.33 CA$1.87

$1.10 CA$1.54

20.91%

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

$25.1K CA$35.2K

$25.2K CA$35.3K

-0.30%

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

$20.7K CA$29.1K

$20.8K CA$29.1K

-0.10%

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

$90.0 CA$126

$144 CA$202

-37.46%

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

$40.83 CA$57.2

$47.77 CA$66.9

-14.53%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$61.1 CA$85.6

$57.9 CA$81.1

5.56%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$45.73 CA$64.1

$42.41 CA$59.4

7.83%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$15.45 CA$21.65

$7.30 CA$10.24

111.64%

Cinema Ticket

$12.01 CA$16.83

$11.06 CA$15.49

8.59%

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

$1,162 CA$1,628

$548 CA$768

111.99%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$18.1K CA$25.3K

$14.3K CA$20.1K

26.02%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$63.6 CA$89.1

$54.8 CA$76.7

16.15%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.32 CA$59.3

$46.53 CA$65.2

-9.05%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$96.8 CA$136

$86.2 CA$121

12.38%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$116 CA$162

$83.1 CA$116

38.98%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,024 CA$2,836

$1,464 CA$2,052

38.25%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,614 CA$2,261

$1,272 CA$1,783

26.83%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,464 CA$4,854

$2,608 CA$3,654

32.85%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,743 CA$3,843

$1,994 CA$2,794

37.55%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$8,872 CA$12.4K

$3,503 CA$4,909

153.25%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$7,046 CA$9,874

$3,576 CA$5,011

97.03%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,312 CA$4,641

$2,941 CA$4,122

12.59%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.61

6.21

-9.66%

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

Last update for Vancouver: July 25, 2026

Last update for London: July 28, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $2,024 in Vancouver and $1,464 in London. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Vancouver pays 13% 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: $78.0 in Vancouver vs $74.0 in London for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $417 vs $326 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, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment. The 16% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 13% 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: $2,024 in Vancouver versus $1,464 in London. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $2,818 per month in Vancouver versus $2,433 in London – a 16% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in London runs roughly 0% less than in Vancouver. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $2,433 in London versus $2,818 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 16% less than in Vancouver. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.