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: $2,818 in Vancouver versus $2,599 in Oshawa.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,226 in Vancouver versus $3,728 in Oshawa.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,634 in Vancouver versus $4,858 in Oshawa.

Living in Vancouver is roughly 8% more expensive than in Oshawa, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Vancouver 112% above, Oshawa 95% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.73 CA$26.30

$18.23 CA$25.61

2.74%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$78.5 CA$110

$74.5 CA$105

5.36%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.85 CA$15.24

$10.26 CA$14.42

5.75%

Cappuccino

$4.10 CA$5.76

$3.82 CA$5.36

7.33%

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

$2.13 CA$2.99

$1.97 CA$2.77

8.12%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.76 CA$2.48

$1.61 CA$2.26

9.32%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.76 CA$8.10

$5.27 CA$7.40

9.30%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.23 CA$10.15

$6.08 CA$8.54

18.91%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.29 CA$3.21

$2.68 CA$3.76

-14.55%

White Bread (500g)

$3.22 CA$4.52

$2.73 CA$3.83

17.95%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.70 CA$5.19

$3.75 CA$5.26

-1.33%

Eggs

$4.36 CA$6.12

$3.55 CA$4.99

22.82%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.86 CA$18.07

$12.08 CA$16.96

6.46%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.24 CA$20.01

$11.16 CA$15.68

27.60%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.74 CA$22.11

$16.02 CA$22.50

-1.75%

Apples (1kg)

$4.30 CA$6.04

$3.45 CA$4.85

24.64%

Banana (1kg)

$1.52 CA$2.13

$1.21 CA$1.69

25.62%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.99 CA$5.60

$3.93 CA$5.52

1.53%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.13 CA$7.21

$4.99 CA$7.00

2.81%

Potato (1kg)

$3.06 CA$4.30

$4.76 CA$6.69

-35.71%

Onion (1kg)

$3.05 CA$4.28

$3.34 CA$4.69

-8.68%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.63 CA$3.69

$2.91 CA$4.09

-9.62%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.87 CA$2.63

$1.33 CA$1.87

40.60%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$15.70 CA$22.05

$14.79 CA$20.77

6.15%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.59 CA$20.49

$12.57 CA$17.66

16.07%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.21 CA$4.51

$3.17 CA$4.45

1.26%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.59 CA$5.04

$2.99 CA$4.20

20.07%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.44 CA$3.43

$2.70 CA$3.80

-9.63%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$83.2 CA$117

$87.5 CA$123

-4.85%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.70 CA$5.20

$3.60 CA$5.06

2.78%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.49 CA$2.09

$2.09 CA$2.94

-28.71%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$27.37 CA$38.45

$21.74 CA$30.53

25.90%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.33 CA$1.87

$1.14 CA$1.60

16.67%

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

$25.1K CA$35.3K

$24.6K CA$34.6K

1.95%

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

$20.7K CA$29.1K

$20.5K CA$28.8K

1.28%

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

$90.0 CA$126

$233 CA$327

-61.38%

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

$40.83 CA$57.3

$58.8 CA$82.5

-30.50%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$61.1 CA$85.8

$74.7 CA$105

-18.15%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$45.73 CA$64.2

$41.59 CA$58.4

9.95%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$15.45 CA$21.70

$36.70 CA$51.6

-57.90%

Cinema Ticket

$12.01 CA$16.87

$12.38 CA$17.39

-2.99%

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

$1,162 CA$1,631

$1,305 CA$1,833

-10.99%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$18.1K CA$25.4K

$12.0K CA$16.8K

51.03%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$63.6 CA$89.3

$60.5 CA$85.0

5.04%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.32 CA$59.5

$59.1 CA$83.1

-28.44%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$96.8 CA$136

$118 CA$165

-17.78%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$116 CA$162

$158 CA$221

-26.66%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,024 CA$2,843

$1,272 CA$1,787

59.11%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,614 CA$2,267

$1,188 CA$1,668

35.88%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,464 CA$4,866

$2,015 CA$2,831

71.89%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,743 CA$3,852

$1,889 CA$2,654

45.18%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$8,872 CA$12.5K

$5,145 CA$7,227

72.42%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$7,046 CA$9,897

$10.4K CA$14.6K

-32.07%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,312 CA$4,652

$2,997 CA$4,210

10.50%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.61

6.21

-9.66%

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

Last update for Vancouver: July 25, 2026

Last update for Oshawa: July 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $2,024 in Vancouver and $1,272 in Oshawa. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Vancouver pays 10% 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 $74.0 in Oshawa for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $417 vs $384 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 8% 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 10% 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: $2,024 in Vancouver versus $1,272 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 $74.0 versus $78.0 in Vancouver. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $2,818 per month in Vancouver versus $2,599 in Oshawa – a 8% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $2,599 in Oshawa versus $2,818 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 8% less than in Vancouver. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.