Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Vancouver and Middlesex, NJ

For one person, living is cheaper in Middlesex, NJ: $2,521 a month against $2,684 in Vancouver, rent and utilities included – about $2,000 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half of the difference.

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Cost of Living Index in Vancouver
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Vancouver Living Index
123

Cost of Living Index in Middlesex, NJ
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Middlesex, NJ Living Index

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Vancouver

🇨🇦 Canada

$2,684

/mo nomad

Middlesex, NJ

🇺🇸 United States

$2,521

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Vancouver and in Middlesex, NJ

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

A single person spends $2,684 per month in Vancouver vs $2,521 in Middlesex, NJ, rent included.

Vancouver $2,684
Middlesex, NJ $2,521

A couple spends around $3,878 per month in Vancouver vs $3,662 in Middlesex, NJ, rent included.

Vancouver $3,878
Middlesex, NJ $3,662

A family of three spends $5,072 per month in Vancouver vs $4,803 in Middlesex, NJ, rent included.

Vancouver $5,072
Middlesex, NJ $4,803

Vancouver costs about 6% more than Middlesex, NJ, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in transport.

Both Vancouver and Middlesex, NJ sit above the global median – Vancouver by 100%, Middlesex, NJ by 88%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.30 CA$24.66

$19.89 $19.89

-13.02%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$69.0 CA$98.3

$76.0 $76.0

-9.29%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.56 CA$15.05

$13.02 $13.02

-18.89%

Cappuccino

$3.89 CA$5.54

$5.09 $5.09

-23.58%

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

$2.05 CA$2.93

$2.78 $2.78

-26.26%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.62 CA$2.31

$2.43 $2.43

-33.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.54 CA$7.90

$5.88 $5.88

-5.78%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.33 CA$9.02

$8.93 $8.93

-29.12%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.31 CA$3.30

$1.01 $1.01

128.71%

White Bread (500g)

$2.50 CA$3.56

$4.52 $4.52

-44.69%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.44 CA$6.33

$4.38 $4.38

1.37%

Eggs

$4.07 CA$5.80

$6.22 $6.22

-34.57%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.28 CA$16.08

$10.68 $10.68

5.62%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.42 CA$19.13

$10.81 $10.81

24.14%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$20.10 CA$28.65

$18.72 $18.72

7.37%

Apples (1kg)

$4.06 CA$5.78

$5.63 $5.63

-27.89%

Banana (1kg)

$1.33 CA$1.90

$1.56 $1.56

-14.74%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.91 CA$5.57

$3.32 $3.32

17.77%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.05 CA$5.78

$3.05 $3.05

32.79%

Potato (1kg)

$2.72 CA$3.88

$2.16 $2.16

25.93%

Onion (1kg)

$2.89 CA$4.12

$2.50 $2.50

15.60%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.53 CA$3.61

$2.67 $2.67

-5.24%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.62 CA$2.31

$2.94 $2.94

-44.90%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$15.57 CA$22.19

$13.09 $13.09

18.95%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.05 CA$20.03

$17.27 $17.27

-18.65%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.69 CA$3.83

$1.82 $1.82

47.80%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.99 CA$4.26

$2.73 $2.73

9.52%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.44 CA$3.48

$1.80 $1.80

35.56%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$83.4 CA$119

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.71 CA$3.87

$5.95 $5.95

-54.45%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.57 CA$2.24

$1.84 $1.84

-14.67%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$31.39 CA$44.75

$27.78 $27.78

12.99%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.38 CA$1.96

$1.03 $1.03

33.98%

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

$28.1K CA$40.0K

$37.3K $37.3K

-24.77%

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

$19.8K CA$28.2K

$25.7K $25.7K

-22.75%

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

$81.2 CA$116

$181 $181

-55.14%

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

$37.45 CA$53.4

$36.54 $36.54

2.49%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$51.4 CA$73.2

$59.0 $59.0

-12.93%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$43.47 CA$62.0

$35.77 $35.77

21.53%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$12.53 CA$17.86

Cinema Ticket

$12.54 CA$17.88

$12.71 $12.71

-1.34%

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

$1,094 CA$1,560

$2,105 $2,105

-48.01%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$19.9K CA$28.4K

$22.3K $22.3K

-10.54%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.0 CA$81.3

$38.32 $38.32

48.80%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.73 CA$46.66

$16.53 $16.53

98.00%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$92.6 CA$132

$101 $101

-8.63%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$94.2 CA$134

$101 $101

-6.73%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,745 CA$2,488

$2,576 $2,576

-32.25%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,484 CA$2,115

$1,287 $1,287

15.33%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,998 CA$4,273

$2,469 $2,469

21.42%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,422 CA$3,453

$2,167 $2,167

11.79%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$8,002 CA$11.4K

$2,705 $2,705

195.89%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,457 CA$9,204

$2,574 $2,574

150.81%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,799 CA$5,416

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.28

6.51

-34.25%

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

Last update for Vancouver: October 3, 2026

Last update for Middlesex, NJ: October 4, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Vancouver

$1.5K 56.6%

Middlesex, NJ

$1.3K 51.4% 13.3% $197

Groceries & Markets

Vancouver

$399 15.2%

Middlesex, NJ

$412 16.5% 3.5% $14

Eating Out

Vancouver

$272 10.4%

Middlesex, NJ

$327 13.1% 20.4% $56

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Vancouver

$170 6.5%

Middlesex, NJ

$276 11.1% 62.6% $106

Clothing & Footwear

Vancouver

$124 4.8%

Middlesex, NJ

$116 4.6% 7% $8.7

Getting Around

Vancouver

$104 4%

Middlesex, NJ

$22 * 0.9% 78.4% $81

Sport & Entertainment

Vancouver

$69 2.6%

Middlesex, NJ

$61 2.5% 10.7% $7.3

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

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,745 in Vancouver versus $2,576 in Middlesex, NJ. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $69.0 in Vancouver versus $76.0 in Middlesex, NJ. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $399 vs $412 – making Vancouver the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇨🇦 Vancouver

🇺🇸 Middlesex, NJ

🕒 Local time

10:34 10:34 AM

13:34 1:34 PM

3 h ahead of Vancouver

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

631,486

13,746

💱 Currency

Canadian Dollar CAD $

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 CAD = 0.702 USD

1 CAD = 0.626 EUR

1 USD = 0.892 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 11, 2026: 1 USD = 1.43 CAD (1 CAD = 0.702 USD). 1 EUR = 1.6 CAD (1 CAD = 0.626 EUR).

United States Dollar exchange rates as of October 11, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.892 EUR).

USD to CAD in detail →

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Vancouver Middlesex, NJ 3,880 km ≈ 5 h nonstop flight

From you

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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 Middlesex, NJ: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Vancouver is pricier by about 6%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in transport.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,026 per month in Vancouver and $3,781 in Middlesex, NJ. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Middlesex, NJ, 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 $2,684 in Vancouver and $2,521 in Middlesex, NJ. That's a gap of about 6%.

Kindergarten costs $1,094 per month in Vancouver and $2,105 in Middlesex, NJ. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

$2,500 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $2,684 in Vancouver and $2,521 in Middlesex, NJ. You'll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

Families tend to lean toward Middlesex, NJ – 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 Middlesex, NJ. 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.