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: $2,735 in Vancouver versus $2,769 in North Vancouver.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,984 in Vancouver versus $4,402 in North Vancouver.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,234 in Vancouver versus $6,036 in North Vancouver.

Living in Vancouver costs roughly 1% less than in North Vancouver, driven mainly by Eating Out.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.82 CA$24.94

$21.91 CA$30.65

-18.67%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$72.4 CA$101

$65.7 CA$91.8

10.34%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.93 CA$15.30

$9.38 CA$13.12

16.52%

Cappuccino

$4.19 CA$5.86

$4.28 CA$5.98

-2.10%

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

$2.22 CA$3.11

$2.40 CA$3.36

-7.50%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.64 CA$2.30

$1.72 CA$2.40

-4.65%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.89 CA$8.23

$5.78 CA$8.09

1.90%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.51 CA$9.11

$5.96 CA$8.34

9.23%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.12 CA$2.96

$1.87 CA$2.62

13.37%

White Bread (500g)

$2.64 CA$3.69

$2.82 CA$3.94

-6.38%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.44 CA$6.21

$2.39 CA$3.34

85.77%

Eggs

$4.21 CA$5.90

$3.29 CA$4.60

27.96%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.04 CA$16.85

$13.84 CA$19.36

-13.01%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.91 CA$19.46

$12.91 CA$18.06

7.75%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$20.62 CA$28.85

$15.72 CA$21.99

31.17%

Apples (1kg)

$4.29 CA$6.00

$4.37 CA$6.11

-1.83%

Banana (1kg)

$1.34 CA$1.88

$1.38 CA$1.94

-2.90%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.88 CA$5.43

$4.63 CA$6.48

-16.20%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.08 CA$5.70

$4.44 CA$6.21

-8.11%

Potato (1kg)

$2.88 CA$4.03

$2.92 CA$4.09

-1.37%

Onion (1kg)

$2.93 CA$4.09

$2.88 CA$4.03

1.74%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.63 CA$3.68

$2.84 CA$3.97

-7.39%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.70 CA$2.38

$2.06 CA$2.89

-17.48%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$15.66 CA$21.91

$14.47 CA$20.25

8.22%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.23 CA$19.91

$14.54 CA$20.34

-2.13%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.78 CA$3.89

$2.08 CA$2.91

33.65%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.05 CA$4.27

$2.91 CA$4.07

4.81%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.53 CA$3.54

$3.02 CA$4.22

-16.23%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$85.5 CA$120

$100.0 CA$140

-14.44%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.67 CA$3.73

$2.72 CA$3.81

-1.84%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.61 CA$2.25

$1.55 CA$2.16

3.87%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$32.34 CA$45.25

$28.55 CA$39.94

13.27%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.40 CA$1.96

$1.31 CA$1.83

6.87%

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

$28.6K CA$40.0K

$28.7K CA$40.2K

-0.55%

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

$19.8K CA$27.7K

$19.4K CA$27.1K

2.33%

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

$78.8 CA$110

$131 CA$183

-39.79%

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

$35.70 CA$49.95

$37.41 CA$52.3

-4.57%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$51.1 CA$71.5

$54.0 CA$75.6

-5.41%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.37 CA$59.3

$31.46 CA$44.01

34.68%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$13.04 CA$18.25

$24.66 CA$34.50

-47.12%

Cinema Ticket

$11.68 CA$16.34

$12.33 CA$17.25

-5.27%

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

$1,108 CA$1,550

$1,077 CA$1,508

2.80%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$19.9K CA$27.8K

$10.8K CA$15.1K

84.43%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.0 CA$79.7

$64.2 CA$89.8

-11.21%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.01 CA$48.99

$38.41 CA$53.8

-8.85%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$88.0 CA$123

$83.8 CA$117

4.95%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$91.2 CA$128

$111 CA$155

-17.59%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,843 CA$2,579

$1,832 CA$2,563

0.63%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,530 CA$2,141

$1,550 CA$2,168

-1.27%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,156 CA$4,415

$3,143 CA$4,397

0.42%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,476 CA$3,465

$3,140 CA$4,393

-21.14%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$8,675 CA$12.1K

$8,401 CA$11.8K

3.27%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,528 CA$9,134

$6,679 CA$9,345

-2.26%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,726 CA$5,213

$3,153 CA$4,411

18.19%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.21

4.69

-10.23%

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

Last update for Vancouver: September 13, 2026

Last update for North Vancouver: September 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,843 in Vancouver and $1,832 in North Vancouver. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Vancouver pays 18% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $72.0 in Vancouver vs $66.0 in North Vancouver for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $409 vs $390 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 ($2,735 vs $2,769 including rent). Vancouver is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 18% 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: $1,843 in Vancouver versus $1,832 in North Vancouver. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Vancouver – a meal for two runs $72.0 versus $66.0 in North Vancouver. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $2,735 per month in Vancouver versus $2,769 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. 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 Vancouver gentler on the wallet – expenses run 1% less than in North Vancouver. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.