Cost of Living Comparison Between Vancouver and Oshawa Cost of Living Comparison Between Vancouver and Oshawa

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,735 in Vancouver versus $2,357 in Oshawa.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,984 in Vancouver versus $3,382 in Oshawa.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,234 in Vancouver versus $4,407 in Oshawa.

Living in Vancouver is roughly 16% more expensive than in Oshawa, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Vancouver 100% above, Oshawa 72% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.82 CA$24.94

$14.23 CA$19.90

25.23%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$72.4 CA$101

$64.1 CA$89.7

12.98%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.93 CA$15.30

$8.44 CA$11.81

29.50%

Cappuccino

$4.19 CA$5.86

$3.50 CA$4.90

19.71%

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

$2.22 CA$3.11

$1.73 CA$2.42

28.32%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.64 CA$2.30

$1.43 CA$2.00

14.69%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.89 CA$8.23

$5.17 CA$7.23

13.93%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.51 CA$9.11

$6.14 CA$8.59

6.03%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.12 CA$2.96

$2.91 CA$4.08

-27.15%

White Bread (500g)

$2.64 CA$3.69

$2.89 CA$4.04

-8.65%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.44 CA$6.21

$4.09 CA$5.72

8.56%

Eggs

$4.21 CA$5.90

$3.01 CA$4.20

39.87%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.04 CA$16.85

$9.96 CA$13.94

20.88%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.91 CA$19.46

$14.31 CA$20.02

-2.80%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$20.62 CA$28.85

$16.65 CA$23.29

23.84%

Apples (1kg)

$4.29 CA$6.00

$4.33 CA$6.06

-0.92%

Banana (1kg)

$1.34 CA$1.88

$1.20 CA$1.68

11.67%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.88 CA$5.43

$2.82 CA$3.95

37.59%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.08 CA$5.70

$3.84 CA$5.37

6.25%

Potato (1kg)

$2.88 CA$4.03

$3.53 CA$4.94

-18.41%

Onion (1kg)

$2.93 CA$4.09

$2.62 CA$3.66

11.83%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.63 CA$3.68

$2.36 CA$3.31

11.44%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.70 CA$2.38

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$15.66 CA$21.91

$14.46 CA$20.24

8.30%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.23 CA$19.91

$12.63 CA$17.67

12.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.78 CA$3.89

$3.55 CA$4.96

-21.69%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.05 CA$4.27

$3.59 CA$5.02

-15.04%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.53 CA$3.54

$2.57 CA$3.60

-1.56%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$85.5 CA$120

$69.3 CA$97.0

23.38%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.67 CA$3.73

$3.50 CA$4.90

-23.71%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.61 CA$2.25

$0.70 CA$0.97

130.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$32.34 CA$45.25

$18.03 CA$25.23

79.37%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.40 CA$1.96

$1.12 CA$1.56

25.00%

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

$28.6K CA$40.0K

$28.2K CA$39.5K

1.24%

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

$19.8K CA$27.7K

$20.1K CA$28.2K

-1.60%

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

$78.8 CA$110

$138 CA$193

-42.81%

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

$35.70 CA$49.95

$38.91 CA$54.4

-8.25%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$51.1 CA$71.5

$53.0 CA$74.1

-3.53%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.37 CA$59.3

$29.31 CA$41.01

44.56%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$13.04 CA$18.25

$28.67 CA$40.11

-54.52%

Cinema Ticket

$11.68 CA$16.34

$10.99 CA$15.37

6.28%

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

$1,108 CA$1,550

$1,202 CA$1,682

-7.85%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$19.9K CA$27.8K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.0 CA$79.7

$56.5 CA$79.0

0.90%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.01 CA$48.99

$56.8 CA$79.4

-38.31%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$88.0 CA$123

$105 CA$147

-16.53%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$91.2 CA$128

$133 CA$185

-31.19%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,843 CA$2,579

$1,379 CA$1,929

33.68%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,530 CA$2,141

$1,238 CA$1,732

23.59%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,156 CA$4,415

$1,970 CA$2,757

60.17%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,476 CA$3,465

$1,822 CA$2,549

35.93%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$8,675 CA$12.1K

$5,258 CA$7,357

64.98%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,528 CA$9,134

$10.4K CA$14.6K

-37.29%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,726 CA$5,213

$3,044 CA$4,259

22.40%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.21

4.53

-7.06%

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

Last update for Vancouver: September 13, 2026

Last update for Oshawa: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,843 in Vancouver and $1,379 in Oshawa. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Vancouver pays 22% 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: $72.0 in Vancouver vs $64.0 in Oshawa for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $409 vs $393 per month, with Oshawa 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 Oshawa: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Oshawa wins on cost – living expenses run 16% lower than in Vancouver. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Oshawa the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Average pay runs 22% 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 $1,379 in Oshawa. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Oshawa – a meal for two runs $64.0 versus $72.0 in 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 $2,357 in Oshawa – a 16% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $2,357 in Oshawa versus $2,735 in Vancouver, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Oshawa but tight or insufficient in Vancouver. The gap between the two cities makes Oshawa the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

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.

Expats usually find Oshawa gentler on the wallet – expenses run 16% less than in Vancouver. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.