Cost of Living Comparison Between Vancouver and North Vancouver Cost of Living Comparison Between Vancouver and North Vancouver

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,831 in Vancouver versus $2,797 in North Vancouver.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,231 in Vancouver versus $4,453 in North Vancouver.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,630 in Vancouver versus $6,108 in North Vancouver.

Living in Vancouver is roughly 1% more expensive than North Vancouver, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Vancouver 111% above, North Vancouver 109% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.26 CA$25.39

$18.04 CA$25.09

1.22%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$77.8 CA$108

$69.1 CA$96.1

12.57%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.85 CA$15.09

$10.38 CA$14.43

4.53%

Cappuccino

$3.98 CA$5.54

$4.12 CA$5.74

-3.40%

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

$2.12 CA$2.95

$2.05 CA$2.85

3.41%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.78 CA$2.47

$1.30 CA$1.81

36.92%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.77 CA$8.02

$5.08 CA$7.06

13.58%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.56 CA$10.51

$6.82 CA$9.48

10.85%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.32 CA$3.23

$2.19 CA$3.05

5.94%

White Bread (500g)

$3.10 CA$4.31

$2.62 CA$3.64

18.32%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.89 CA$5.40

$2.67 CA$3.72

45.69%

Eggs

$4.53 CA$6.30

$3.76 CA$5.23

20.48%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.92 CA$17.96

$10.48 CA$14.57

23.28%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.14 CA$19.67

$11.67 CA$16.23

21.17%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.74 CA$21.89

$14.50 CA$20.16

8.55%

Apples (1kg)

$4.26 CA$5.92

$3.48 CA$4.84

22.41%

Banana (1kg)

$1.47 CA$2.04

$1.43 CA$1.99

2.80%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.02 CA$5.59

$2.96 CA$4.12

35.81%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.06 CA$7.04

$4.00 CA$5.56

26.50%

Potato (1kg)

$3.02 CA$4.20

$2.44 CA$3.39

23.77%

Onion (1kg)

$2.95 CA$4.10

$2.09 CA$2.90

41.15%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.60 CA$3.62

$2.47 CA$3.43

5.26%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.88 CA$2.62

$1.21 CA$1.68

55.37%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$15.20 CA$21.14

$14.76 CA$20.53

2.98%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.30 CA$19.88

$13.06 CA$18.17

9.49%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.07 CA$4.27

$3.90 CA$5.42

-21.28%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.74 CA$5.20

$2.33 CA$3.24

60.52%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.44 CA$3.39

$2.63 CA$3.66

-7.22%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$84.9 CA$118

$89.7 CA$125

-5.42%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.74 CA$5.20

$2.66 CA$3.70

40.60%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.50 CA$2.09

$1.55 CA$2.16

-3.23%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$27.43 CA$38.15

$28.74 CA$39.97

-4.56%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.34 CA$1.86

$1.30 CA$1.81

3.08%

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

$25.1K CA$34.9K

$24.7K CA$34.4K

1.66%

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

$20.7K CA$28.8K

$20.5K CA$28.5K

1.26%

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

$91.8 CA$128

$133 CA$186

-31.21%

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

$39.42 CA$54.8

$42.28 CA$58.8

-6.76%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$61.1 CA$84.9

$66.6 CA$92.7

-8.33%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.89 CA$62.4

$33.30 CA$46.32

34.80%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$15.68 CA$21.81

$29.62 CA$41.19

-47.06%

Cinema Ticket

$12.37 CA$17.20

$12.36 CA$17.18

0.08%

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

$1,180 CA$1,641

$1,207 CA$1,678

-2.22%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$18.8K CA$26.1K

$11.2K CA$15.5K

68.10%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$62.7 CA$87.2

$54.8 CA$76.2

14.42%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.13 CA$60.0

$45.49 CA$63.3

-5.19%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.7 CA$132

$95.4 CA$133

-0.68%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$118 CA$165

$115 CA$159

3.27%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,995 CA$2,774

$1,880 CA$2,614

6.13%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,629 CA$2,266

$1,683 CA$2,340

-3.18%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,589 CA$4,991

$3,552 CA$4,940

1.04%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,769 CA$3,851

$3,435 CA$4,777

-19.38%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$9,246 CA$12.9K

$8,170 CA$11.4K

13.17%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$7,086 CA$9,854

$6,898 CA$9,593

2.72%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,474 CA$4,831

$3,092 CA$4,300

12.36%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.61

6.54

-14.22%

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

Last update for Vancouver: June 2, 2026

Last update for North Vancouver: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,995 in Vancouver and $1,880 in North Vancouver. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Vancouver pays 12% 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 $69.0 in North Vancouver for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $415 vs $351 per month, with North 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 North Vancouver: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Vancouver and North Vancouver differ by about 1% in total monthly costs ($2,831 vs $2,797 including rent). North Vancouver is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Vancouver pays 12% more on average, 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: $1,995 in Vancouver versus $1,880 in North Vancouver. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in North Vancouver – a meal for two runs $69.0 versus $78.0 in Vancouver. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $2,831 per month in Vancouver versus $2,797 in North Vancouver – a 1% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

Both cities are expensive relative to $3,000. North Vancouver 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 North Vancouver 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 North Vancouver 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.