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: $2,873 in Vancouver versus $2,557 in Oshawa.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,180 in Vancouver versus $3,795 in Oshawa.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,486 in Vancouver versus $5,032 in Oshawa.

Living in Vancouver is roughly 12% more expensive than Oshawa, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Vancouver 115% above, Oshawa 91% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.57 CA$25.44

$18.21 CA$24.95

1.98%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$78.8 CA$108

$72.8 CA$99.7

8.24%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.25 CA$15.41

$10.45 CA$14.32

7.66%

Cappuccino

$3.89 CA$5.33

$3.83 CA$5.24

1.57%

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

$2.16 CA$2.96

$1.88 CA$2.57

14.89%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.78 CA$2.44

$1.55 CA$2.13

14.84%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.85 CA$8.01

$5.29 CA$7.24

10.59%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.44 CA$10.20

$6.14 CA$8.41

21.17%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.28 CA$3.12

$2.68 CA$3.67

-14.93%

White Bread (500g)

$3.21 CA$4.40

$2.59 CA$3.55

23.94%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.75 CA$5.14

$3.66 CA$5.01

2.46%

Eggs

$4.53 CA$6.21

$3.40 CA$4.66

33.24%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.80 CA$17.54

$12.26 CA$16.79

4.40%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.09 CA$19.30

$11.44 CA$15.67

23.16%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.87 CA$21.74

$16.29 CA$22.31

-2.58%

Apples (1kg)

$4.18 CA$5.73

$3.59 CA$4.92

16.43%

Banana (1kg)

$1.53 CA$2.10

$1.16 CA$1.59

31.90%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.90 CA$5.34

$3.86 CA$5.29

1.04%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.99 CA$6.84

$5.07 CA$6.94

-1.58%

Potato (1kg)

$3.02 CA$4.13

$4.55 CA$6.23

-33.63%

Onion (1kg)

$3.00 CA$4.11

$3.30 CA$4.52

-9.09%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.71 CA$3.71

$3.02 CA$4.14

-10.26%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.80 CA$2.47

$1.34 CA$1.83

34.33%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$15.30 CA$20.97

$15.01 CA$20.57

1.93%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.38 CA$21.07

$12.89 CA$17.66

19.32%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.10 CA$4.24

$3.07 CA$4.20

0.98%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.74 CA$5.13

$3.00 CA$4.11

24.67%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.38 CA$3.26

$2.73 CA$3.74

-12.82%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$85.7 CA$117

$87.9 CA$120

-2.45%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.74 CA$5.13

$3.60 CA$4.93

3.89%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.44 CA$1.97

$2.20 CA$3.02

-34.55%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$27.52 CA$37.70

$22.25 CA$30.48

23.69%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.30 CA$1.78

$1.10 CA$1.51

18.18%

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

$25.7K CA$35.2K

$25.1K CA$34.4K

2.20%

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

$20.4K CA$28.0K

$20.6K CA$28.2K

-0.94%

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

$90.1 CA$123

$236 CA$323

-61.78%

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

$40.47 CA$55.4

$57.9 CA$79.4

-30.15%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$60.4 CA$82.7

$74.9 CA$103

-19.45%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.45 CA$60.9

$41.84 CA$57.3

6.24%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$15.43 CA$21.13

$37.03 CA$50.7

-58.33%

Cinema Ticket

$12.38 CA$16.96

$12.34 CA$16.90

0.32%

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

$1,153 CA$1,580

$1,346 CA$1,845

-14.36%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$18.5K CA$25.4K

$12.0K CA$16.4K

54.88%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$63.5 CA$87.0

$59.0 CA$80.9

7.50%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$41.83 CA$57.3

$57.6 CA$79.0

-27.40%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$97.5 CA$134

$117 CA$160

-16.53%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$116 CA$159

$158 CA$217

-26.53%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,972 CA$2,702

$1,303 CA$1,785

51.35%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,619 CA$2,218

$1,186 CA$1,625

36.46%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,531 CA$4,838

$1,991 CA$2,727

77.39%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,748 CA$3,765

$1,941 CA$2,659

41.56%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$9,040 CA$12.4K

$5,248 CA$7,189

72.28%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$7,298 CA$9,998

$10.6K CA$14.5K

-31.04%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,619 CA$4,959

$3,106 CA$4,255

16.54%

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: April 26, 2026

Last update for Oshawa: April 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,972 in Vancouver and $1,303 in Oshawa. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Vancouver pays 17% 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: $79.0 in Vancouver vs $73.0 in Oshawa for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $416 vs $385 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 12% 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.

Vancouver pays 17% 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: $1,972 in Vancouver versus $1,303 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 $73.0 versus $79.0 in Vancouver. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $2,873 per month in Vancouver versus $2,557 in Oshawa – a 12% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $2,557 in Oshawa versus $2,873 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 12% less than in Vancouver. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.