Cost of Living Comparison Between Vancouver and Peterborough Cost of Living Comparison Between Vancouver and Peterborough

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,906 in Vancouver versus $2,360 in Peterborough.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,209 in Vancouver versus $3,270 in Peterborough.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,513 in Vancouver versus $4,180 in Peterborough.

Living in Vancouver is roughly 23% more expensive than in Peterborough, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Vancouver 118% above, Peterborough 77% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.62 CA$26.20

$14.88 CA$20.93

25.13%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$77.9 CA$110

$74.7 CA$105

4.30%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.84 CA$15.26

$11.22 CA$15.78

-3.39%

Cappuccino

$3.93 CA$5.53

$4.05 CA$5.69

-2.96%

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

$2.24 CA$3.16

$1.72 CA$2.42

30.23%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.75 CA$2.46

$1.45 CA$2.04

20.69%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.05 CA$8.51

$5.84 CA$8.22

3.60%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.30 CA$10.27

$6.02 CA$8.47

21.26%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.30 CA$3.24

$2.28 CA$3.21

0.88%

White Bread (500g)

$3.07 CA$4.32

$2.40 CA$3.37

27.92%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.77 CA$5.30

$2.66 CA$3.75

41.73%

Eggs

$4.32 CA$6.08

$3.17 CA$4.46

36.28%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.57 CA$17.69

$9.99 CA$14.06

25.83%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.74 CA$19.34

$11.32 CA$15.92

21.38%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.99 CA$22.49

$14.65 CA$20.62

9.15%

Apples (1kg)

$4.26 CA$6.00

$3.60 CA$5.06

18.33%

Banana (1kg)

$1.52 CA$2.14

$1.24 CA$1.75

22.58%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.92 CA$5.52

$2.88 CA$4.05

36.11%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.08 CA$7.15

$3.51 CA$4.93

44.73%

Potato (1kg)

$3.20 CA$4.50

$1.58 CA$2.23

102.53%

Onion (1kg)

$3.09 CA$4.34

$2.59 CA$3.64

19.31%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.60 CA$3.65

$1.91 CA$2.69

36.13%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.88 CA$2.65

$1.62 CA$2.28

16.05%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$15.45 CA$21.74

$12.26 CA$17.25

26.02%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.89 CA$20.95

$12.93 CA$18.20

15.16%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.12 CA$4.39

$2.56 CA$3.60

21.88%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.80 CA$5.35

$1.80 CA$2.53

111.11%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.42 CA$3.40

$1.96 CA$2.76

23.47%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$83.0 CA$117

$53.4 CA$75.2

55.32%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.76 CA$5.28

$3.17 CA$4.47

18.61%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.48 CA$2.09

$0.69 CA$0.97

114.49%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$26.97 CA$37.95

$21.88 CA$30.79

23.26%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.30 CA$1.82

$1.09 CA$1.54

19.27%

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

$25.2K CA$35.4K

$24.5K CA$34.5K

2.64%

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

$20.6K CA$28.9K

$21.1K CA$29.6K

-2.41%

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

$91.8 CA$129

$177 CA$248

-47.98%

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

$39.34 CA$55.4

$42.05 CA$59.2

-6.44%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$60.6 CA$85.3

$52.6 CA$74.0

15.23%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.58 CA$62.7

$46.96 CA$66.1

-5.07%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$15.88 CA$22.35

$14.48 CA$20.37

9.67%

Cinema Ticket

$12.18 CA$17.13

$14.22 CA$20.01

-14.35%

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

$1,185 CA$1,667

$426 CA$599

178.26%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$18.5K CA$26.1K

$11.0K CA$15.5K

67.91%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$62.5 CA$87.9

$46.29 CA$65.1

35.00%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.38 CA$59.6

$29.18 CA$41.06

45.24%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$95.0 CA$134

$82.5 CA$116

15.18%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$115 CA$162

$84.1 CA$118

36.62%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,979 CA$2,785

$1,396 CA$1,964

41.81%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,644 CA$2,313

$1,241 CA$1,746

32.46%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,577 CA$5,033

$1,680 CA$2,364

112.86%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,782 CA$3,915

$1,670 CA$2,350

66.63%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$8,754 CA$12.3K

$6,557 CA$9,226

33.50%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$7,087 CA$9,972

$6,244 CA$8,786

13.50%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,380 CA$4,756

$2,977 CA$4,189

13.54%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.61

6.08

-7.73%

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

Last update for Vancouver: July 14, 2026

Last update for Peterborough: July 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,979 in Vancouver and $1,396 in Peterborough. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Vancouver pays 14% 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 $75.0 in Peterborough for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $414 vs $334 per month, with Peterborough 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 Peterborough: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Peterborough is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Getting Around, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 23% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 14% 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: $1,979 in Vancouver versus $1,396 in Peterborough. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Peterborough runs roughly 55% less than in Vancouver. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $1,185 in Vancouver versus $426 in Peterborough. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $2,360 in Peterborough versus $2,906 in Vancouver, a $2,500 budget is realistic in Peterborough but tight or insufficient in Vancouver. The gap between the two cities makes Peterborough the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Peterborough is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Vancouver, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Expats usually find Peterborough gentler on the wallet – expenses run 23% less than in Vancouver. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.