Cost of Living Comparison Between Vancouver and Milton Cost of Living Comparison Between Vancouver and Milton

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,783 in Vancouver versus $2,763 in Milton.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,030 in Vancouver versus $3,925 in Milton.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,278 in Vancouver versus $5,086 in Milton.

Living in Vancouver is roughly 1% more expensive than in Milton, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Vancouver 102% above, Milton 100% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.99 CA$25.01

$14.44 CA$20.07

24.58%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$72.9 CA$101

$73.0 CA$101

-0.19%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.76 CA$14.96

$8.94 CA$12.43

20.36%

Cappuccino

$4.17 CA$5.80

$3.72 CA$5.17

12.10%

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

$2.20 CA$3.05

$3.10 CA$4.30

-29.03%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.71 CA$2.38

$2.30 CA$3.20

-25.65%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.91 CA$8.21

$4.76 CA$6.62

24.16%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.66 CA$9.26

$6.33 CA$8.80

5.21%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.19 CA$3.04

$2.08 CA$2.89

5.29%

White Bread (500g)

$2.66 CA$3.70

$2.30 CA$3.20

15.65%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.43 CA$6.16

$2.62 CA$3.65

69.08%

Eggs

$4.20 CA$5.84

$3.21 CA$4.47

30.84%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.88 CA$16.51

$8.95 CA$12.45

32.74%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.66 CA$18.99

$22.58 CA$31.39

-39.50%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$20.32 CA$28.24

$23.56 CA$32.75

-13.75%

Apples (1kg)

$4.24 CA$5.90

$5.17 CA$7.19

-17.99%

Banana (1kg)

$1.38 CA$1.92

$1.16 CA$1.61

18.97%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.05 CA$5.63

$2.88 CA$4.00

40.63%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.03 CA$5.60

$4.03 CA$5.61

Potato (1kg)

$2.87 CA$3.98

$2.40 CA$3.34

19.58%

Onion (1kg)

$2.99 CA$4.16

$2.18 CA$3.03

37.16%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.64 CA$3.67

$2.24 CA$3.11

17.86%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.65 CA$2.29

$1.97 CA$2.74

-16.24%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$15.92 CA$22.12

$11.41 CA$15.86

39.53%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.63 CA$20.33

$13.98 CA$19.43

4.65%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.78 CA$3.87

$2.07 CA$2.87

34.30%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.06 CA$4.26

$2.81 CA$3.91

8.90%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.57 CA$3.57

$2.91 CA$4.05

-11.68%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$83.2 CA$116

$57.0 CA$79.2

46.05%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.70 CA$3.75

$3.30 CA$4.58

-18.18%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.63 CA$2.26

$1.52 CA$2.11

7.24%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$32.68 CA$45.43

$28.67 CA$39.86

13.99%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.44 CA$2.00

$1.07 CA$1.49

34.58%

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

$28.4K CA$39.5K

$24.2K CA$33.7K

17.24%

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

$19.5K CA$27.2K

$19.2K CA$26.7K

1.72%

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

$79.2 CA$110

$232 CA$323

-65.93%

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

$36.21 CA$50.3

$52.9 CA$73.5

-31.49%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$51.3 CA$71.3

$66.6 CA$92.6

-22.99%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$43.58 CA$60.6

$48.76 CA$67.8

-10.62%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$13.16 CA$18.29

$21.18 CA$29.45

-37.87%

Cinema Ticket

$11.85 CA$16.48

$14.69 CA$20.43

-19.33%

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

$1,131 CA$1,572

$421 CA$585

168.82%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$19.7K CA$27.4K

$11.1K CA$15.4K

78.20%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$60.0 CA$83.4

$71.0 CA$98.7

-15.50%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.84 CA$48.43

$47.26 CA$65.7

-26.28%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$90.5 CA$126

$92.0 CA$128

-1.67%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$93.5 CA$130

$142 CA$198

-34.26%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,806 CA$2,511

$1,524 CA$2,118

18.55%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,581 CA$2,198

$1,432 CA$1,991

10.38%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,182 CA$4,424

$2,565 CA$3,565

24.08%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,465 CA$3,426

$2,088 CA$2,903

18.03%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$8,841 CA$12.3K

$4,846 CA$6,737

82.42%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,963 CA$9,679

$4,285 CA$5,957

62.48%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,738 CA$5,196

$3,242 CA$4,507

15.29%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.21

5.69

-26.01%

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

Last update for Vancouver: September 7, 2026

Last update for Milton: September 5, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,806 in Vancouver and $1,524 in Milton. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Vancouver pays 15% 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: $73.0 in Vancouver vs $73.0 in Milton for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $408 vs $430 per month, with Vancouver 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 Milton: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Vancouver and Milton differ by about 1% in total monthly costs ($2,783 vs $2,763 including rent). Milton is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 15% 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: $1,806 in Vancouver versus $1,524 in Milton. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Milton runs roughly 46% less than in Vancouver. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $1,131 in Vancouver versus $421 in Milton. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Both cities are expensive relative to $3,000. Milton is the more realistic option, but even there you'll need to be disciplined with housing, food, and fun money.

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.

Safety-wise, Vancouver and Milton 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 Milton gentler on the wallet – expenses run 1% less than in Vancouver. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.