Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Vancouver and Luquillo

For one person, living is cheaper in Luquillo: $1,260 a month against $2,626 in Vancouver, rent and utilities included – about $16,400 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Vancouver
🇨🇦 Canada
$2,626
/mo nomad
Luquillo
🇵🇷 Puerto Rico
$1,260
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Vancouver and in Luquillo

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,626 in Vancouver versus $1,260 in Luquillo.

  • Vancouver $2,626
  • Luquillo $1,260

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,841 in Vancouver versus $2,013 in Luquillo.

  • Vancouver $3,841
  • Luquillo $2,013

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,056 in Vancouver versus $2,766 in Luquillo.

  • Vancouver $5,056
  • Luquillo $2,766

Living in Vancouver is roughly 108% more expensive than in Luquillo, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in transport.

The two cities straddle the global median: Vancouver is 95% above, Luquillo is 7% below.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Vancouver
Luquillo
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$17.19 CA$24.30
$19.51 $19.51
-11.89%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$69.1 CA$97.6
$80.9 $80.9
-14.69%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$10.61 CA$15.00
$9.07 $9.07
16.98%
Cappuccino
$3.83 CA$5.42
$3.56 $3.56
7.58%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.04 CA$2.88
$1.60 $1.60
27.50%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.65 CA$2.34
$1.46 $1.46
13.01%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$5.54 CA$7.83
$3.06 $3.06
81.05%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$6.20 CA$8.77
$2.28 $2.28
171.93%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Vancouver
Luquillo
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$2.14 CA$3.02
$2.23 $2.23
-4.04%
White Bread (500g)
$2.51 CA$3.54
$3.54 $3.54
-29.10%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$4.49 CA$6.35
$2.32 $2.32
93.53%
Eggs
$4.09 CA$5.78
$7.61 $7.61
-46.25%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$11.73 CA$16.58
$12.44 $12.44
-5.71%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$13.11 CA$18.54
$9.60 $9.60
36.56%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$19.50 CA$27.57
$13.39 $13.39
45.63%
Apples (1kg)
$4.00 CA$5.65
$4.94 $4.94
-19.03%
Banana (1kg)
$1.38 CA$1.94
$2.53 $2.53
-45.45%
Oranges (1kg)
$3.88 CA$5.48
$4.73 $4.73
-17.97%
Tomato (1kg)
$3.95 CA$5.58
$4.92 $4.92
-19.72%
Potato (1kg)
$2.72 CA$3.85
$3.74 $3.74
-27.27%
Onion (1kg)
$2.86 CA$4.05
$4.00 $4.00
-28.50%
Lettuce (1 head)
$2.46 CA$3.48
$3.42 $3.42
-28.07%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.56 CA$2.21
$1.66 $1.66
-6.02%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$15.48 CA$21.88
$11.86 $11.86
30.52%
Wine (Bottle)
$13.75 CA$19.44
$12.10 $12.10
13.64%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$2.63 CA$3.72
$3.04 $3.04
-13.49%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.89 CA$4.09
$3.94 $3.94
-26.65%
🚌 Getting Around
Vancouver
Luquillo
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$2.48 CA$3.51
-
-
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$83.0 CA$117
-
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$2.72 CA$3.85
$2.54 $2.54
7.09%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.58 CA$2.24
$1.54 $1.54
2.60%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$31.05 CA$43.89
$41.93 $41.93
-25.95%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.37 CA$1.94
$0.85 $0.85
61.18%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$27.7K CA$39.1K
$39.8K $39.8K
-30.50%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$19.6K CA$27.8K
$27.7K $27.7K
-29.18%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Vancouver
Luquillo
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$82.5 CA$117
$274 $274
-69.85%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$37.26 CA$52.7
$69.4 $69.4
-46.27%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$51.7 CA$73.1
$69.2 $69.2
-25.26%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Vancouver
Luquillo
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$42.87 CA$60.6
-
-
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$12.40 CA$17.53
-
-
Cinema Ticket
$12.13 CA$17.15
$10.51 $10.51
15.41%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Vancouver
Luquillo
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$1,102 CA$1,557
$825 $825
33.55%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$19.8K CA$28.0K
$12.4K $12.4K
59.48%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Vancouver
Luquillo
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$56.4 CA$79.7
$55.8 $55.8
1.09%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$33.43 CA$47.26
$61.5 $61.5
-45.64%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$93.9 CA$133
$108 $108
-12.99%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$93.8 CA$133
$112 $112
-16.04%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Vancouver
Luquillo
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,775 CA$2,509
-
-
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,497 CA$2,116
-
-
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$3,082 CA$4,357
-
-
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$2,416 CA$3,416
-
-
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$8,069 CA$11.4K
-
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$6,449 CA$9,118
-
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Vancouver
Luquillo
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$3,776 CA$5,339
$4,190 $4,190
-9.87%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
4.28
6.55
-34.66%

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

Last update for Vancouver: October 10, 2026

Last update for Luquillo: October 12, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Vancouver
$1.5K
Luquillo
- * 100%
Groceries & Markets
Vancouver
$392
Luquillo
$406 3.6% $14
Eating Out
Vancouver
$270
Luquillo
$258 4.5% $12
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Vancouver
$171
Luquillo
$412 140% $241
Clothing & Footwear
Vancouver
$125
Luquillo
$152 21.4% $27
Getting Around
Vancouver
$104
Luquillo
$10 * 90.1% $93
Sport & Entertainment
Vancouver
$67
Luquillo
$21 * 68.7% $46

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

Luquillo pays 11% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $69.0 in Vancouver vs $81.0 in Luquillo for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $392 vs $406 per month, with Vancouver cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇨🇦 Vancouver
🇵🇷 Luquillo
🕒 Local time
13:27 1:27 PM
16:27 4:27 PM
3 h ahead of Vancouver
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
631,486
20,000
Exchange rates and currency converter

USD, EUR to CAD – Canadian Dollar Converter

Canadian Dollar exchange rates as of October 17, 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 17, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.889 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Vancouver Luquillo 6,120 km ≈ 8 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Vancouver
  • Luquillo

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 Luquillo: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Luquillo cheaper than Vancouver?
Luquillo is cheaper overall, especially in eating out, transport, and leisure. The 108% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
Where can you earn more: Vancouver or Luquillo?
On paper, salaries run 11% lower in Luquillo. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.
How do food prices compare in Vancouver and in Luquillo?
Shoppers in Vancouver pay roughly 4% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.
What are total monthly expenses in Vancouver and in Luquillo?
All in, you'll spend $2,626 per month in Vancouver versus $1,260 in Luquillo – a 108% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget for living in Vancouver or in Luquillo?
At $1,260 in Luquillo versus $2,626 in Vancouver, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Luquillo but tight or insufficient in Vancouver. The gap between the two cities makes Luquillo the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Is it better to live in Vancouver or in Luquillo?
Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.
Which city is safer, Vancouver or Luquillo?
Safety-wise, Vancouver and Luquillo are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.
Which city is easier to live in as a foreigner?
Expats usually find Luquillo gentler on the wallet – expenses run 108% less than in Vancouver. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

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