Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Vancouver and Lowell, MA

For one person, living costs are similar in Vancouver and in Lowell, MA: $2,662 and $2,689 a month, rent and utilities included.

129

Cost of Living Index in Vancouver
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Vancouver Living Index
129

Cost of Living Index in Lowell, MA
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Lowell, MA Living Index

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Vancouver

🇨🇦 Canada

$2,662

/mo nomad

Lowell, MA

🇺🇸 United States

$2,689

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Vancouver and in Lowell, MA

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

A single person spends $2,662 per month in Vancouver vs $2,689 in Lowell, MA, rent included.

Vancouver $2,662
Lowell, MA $2,689

A couple spends around $3,916 per month in Vancouver vs $4,243 in Lowell, MA, rent included.

Vancouver $3,916
Lowell, MA $4,243

A family of three spends $5,170 per month in Vancouver vs $5,797 in Lowell, MA, rent included.

Vancouver $5,170
Lowell, MA $5,797

Vancouver is about 1% cheaper than Lowell, MA, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in transport.

Both Vancouver and Lowell, MA sit above the global median – Vancouver by 96%, Lowell, MA by 98%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.01 CA$25.46

$18.09 $18.09

-0.44%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$71.0 CA$100

$69.0 $69.0

2.94%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.83 CA$15.31

$9.24 $9.24

17.21%

Cappuccino

$3.94 CA$5.56

$4.90 $4.90

-19.59%

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

$2.13 CA$3.01

$2.02 $2.02

5.45%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.66 CA$2.34

$1.65 $1.65

0.61%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.73 CA$8.10

$4.97 $4.97

15.29%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.40 CA$9.04

$8.21 $8.21

-22.05%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.15 CA$3.04

$0.81 $0.81

165.43%

White Bread (500g)

$2.55 CA$3.61

$2.13 $2.13

19.72%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.56 CA$6.45

$5.28 $5.28

-13.64%

Eggs

$4.06 CA$5.74

$4.11 $4.11

-1.22%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.14 CA$17.17

$11.15 $11.15

8.88%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.23 CA$18.71

$8.94 $8.94

47.99%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$20.24 CA$28.62

$17.47 $17.47

15.86%

Apples (1kg)

$4.05 CA$5.73

$2.73 $2.73

48.35%

Banana (1kg)

$1.42 CA$2.00

$1.22 $1.22

16.39%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.97 CA$5.62

$6.82 $6.82

-41.79%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.91 CA$5.53

$5.52 $5.52

-29.17%

Potato (1kg)

$2.64 CA$3.74

$1.67 $1.67

58.08%

Onion (1kg)

$2.82 CA$3.98

$4.43 $4.43

-36.34%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.48 CA$3.51

$3.01 $3.01

-17.61%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.59 CA$2.24

$2.20 $2.20

-27.73%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$15.30 CA$21.64

$13.78 $13.78

11.03%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.32 CA$20.24

$13.42 $13.42

6.71%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.57 CA$3.63

$1.74 $1.74

47.70%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.91 CA$4.12

$4.19 $4.19

-30.55%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.55 CA$3.60

$1.81 $1.81

40.88%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$84.6 CA$120

$55.2 $55.2

53.33%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.64 CA$3.73

$4.04 $4.04

-34.65%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.63 CA$2.31

$1.75 $1.75

-6.86%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$31.77 CA$44.91

$29.46 $29.46

7.84%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.42 CA$2.01

$0.84 $0.84

69.05%

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

$27.1K CA$38.3K

$27.7K $27.7K

-2.11%

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

$21.6K CA$30.5K

$26.5K $26.5K

-18.60%

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

$81.3 CA$115

$186 $186

-56.25%

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

$37.20 CA$52.6

$51.6 $51.6

-27.92%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$52.6 CA$74.4

$66.9 $66.9

-21.38%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.34 CA$62.7

$40.07 $40.07

10.66%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$12.37 CA$17.49

$12.45 $12.45

-0.64%

Cinema Ticket

$12.62 CA$17.85

$14.05 $14.05

-10.18%

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

$1,093 CA$1,544

$1,410 $1,410

-22.51%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$20.0K CA$28.2K

$29.5K $29.5K

-32.44%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.5 CA$82.7

$57.8 $57.8

1.19%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$33.35 CA$47.14

$37.86 $37.86

-11.91%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$96.3 CA$136

$79.2 $79.2

21.64%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$95.6 CA$135

$70.2 $70.2

36.19%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,765 CA$2,495

$1,620 $1,620

8.91%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,508 CA$2,132

$1,474 $1,474

2.34%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,122 CA$4,414

$3,728 $3,728

-16.23%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,469 CA$3,490

$3,116 $3,116

-20.78%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$8,173 CA$11.6K

$3,460 $3,460

136.22%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,354 CA$8,982

$3,536 $3,536

79.66%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,592 CA$5,078

$3,963 $3,963

-9.35%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.28

6.1

-29.84%

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

Last update for Vancouver: October 17, 2026

Last update for Lowell, MA: October 18, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Vancouver

$1.5K 56.7%

Lowell, MA

$1.5K 54.8% 2.3% $35

Groceries & Markets

Vancouver

$399 15%

Lowell, MA

$370 13.8% 7.3% $29

Eating Out

Vancouver

$280 10.5%

Lowell, MA

$287 10.7% 2.4% $6.8

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Vancouver

$171 6.4%

Lowell, MA

$304 11.3% 77.9% $133

Clothing & Footwear

Vancouver

$128 4.8%

Lowell, MA

$110 4.1% 13.6% $17

Getting Around

Vancouver

$106 4%

Lowell, MA

$75 2.8% 28.8% $30

Sport & Entertainment

Vancouver

$70 2.6%

Lowell, MA

$68 2.5% 2% $1.4

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,765 in Vancouver versus $1,620 in Lowell, MA. 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 10% higher in Lowell, MA, 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 $71.0 in Vancouver versus $69.0 in Lowell, MA. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $399 vs $370 – making Lowell, MA the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇨🇦 Vancouver

🇺🇸 Lowell, MA

🕒 Local time

03:12 3:12 AM

06:12 6:12 AM

3 h ahead of Vancouver

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

631,486

106,519

💱 Currency

Canadian Dollar CAD $

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 CAD = 0.707 USD

1 CAD = 0.629 EUR

1 USD = 0.89 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

USD, EUR to CAD – Canadian Dollar Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇨🇦 Canadian Dollar ($)

Canadian Dollar exchange rates as of October 22, 2026: 1 USD = 1.41 CAD (1 CAD = 0.707 USD). 1 EUR = 1.59 CAD (1 CAD = 0.629 EUR).

United States Dollar exchange rates as of October 22, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.89 EUR).

USD to CAD in detail →

On the map

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Between locations

Vancouver Lowell, MA 3,990 km ≈ 5 h nonstop flight

From you

Vancouver
Lowell, MA

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 Lowell, MA: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Lowell, MA is pricier by about 1%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in transport.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,992 per month in Vancouver and $4,033 in Lowell, MA. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Public transport costs about 53% less in Vancouver. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $1,093 per month in Vancouver and $1,410 in Lowell, MA. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

$3,000 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $2,662 in Vancouver and $2,689 in Lowell, MA. You'll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

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