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: $2,735 in Vancouver versus $2,277 in Peterborough.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,984 in Vancouver versus $3,258 in Peterborough.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,234 in Vancouver versus $4,238 in Peterborough.

Living in Vancouver is roughly 20% more expensive than in Peterborough, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Vancouver 100% above, Peterborough 66% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.82 CA$24.93

$13.41 CA$18.76

32.89%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$72.4 CA$101

0.07%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.93 CA$15.30

$10.69 CA$14.95

2.25%

Cappuccino

$4.19 CA$5.86

$3.71 CA$5.18

12.94%

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

$2.22 CA$3.11

$1.80 CA$2.52

23.33%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.64 CA$2.29

$1.46 CA$2.04

12.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.89 CA$8.23

$5.88 CA$8.23

0.17%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.51 CA$9.11

$5.69 CA$7.95

14.41%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.12 CA$2.96

$2.58 CA$3.61

-17.83%

White Bread (500g)

$2.64 CA$3.69

$2.39 CA$3.34

10.46%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.44 CA$6.21

$2.48 CA$3.46

79.03%

Eggs

$4.21 CA$5.89

$3.24 CA$4.53

29.94%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.04 CA$16.85

$11.36 CA$15.90

5.99%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.91 CA$19.46

$11.43 CA$15.99

21.70%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$20.62 CA$28.85

$13.85 CA$19.38

48.88%

Apples (1kg)

$4.29 CA$6.00

$3.35 CA$4.69

28.06%

Banana (1kg)

$1.34 CA$1.88

$1.46 CA$2.04

-8.22%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.88 CA$5.43

$3.39 CA$4.75

14.45%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.08 CA$5.70

$4.12 CA$5.76

-0.97%

Potato (1kg)

$2.88 CA$4.03

$1.89 CA$2.64

52.38%

Onion (1kg)

$2.93 CA$4.09

$2.30 CA$3.21

27.39%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.63 CA$3.68

$2.29 CA$3.20

14.85%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.70 CA$2.38

$1.50 CA$2.10

13.33%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$15.66 CA$21.91

$11.43 CA$15.99

37.01%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.23 CA$19.91

$13.13 CA$18.37

8.38%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.78 CA$3.89

$2.34 CA$3.27

18.80%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.05 CA$4.27

$1.58 CA$2.20

93.04%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.53 CA$3.54

$2.40 CA$3.36

5.42%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$85.5 CA$120

$46.75 CA$65.4

82.95%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.67 CA$3.73

$3.11 CA$4.35

-14.15%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.61 CA$2.25

$1.25 CA$1.75

28.80%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$32.34 CA$45.24

$21.52 CA$30.11

50.28%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.40 CA$1.96

$1.13 CA$1.58

23.89%

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

$28.6K CA$40.0K

-0.05%

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

$19.8K CA$27.7K

$19.7K CA$27.5K

0.81%

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

$78.8 CA$110

$144 CA$201

-45.08%

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

$35.70 CA$49.94

$35.09 CA$49.09

1.74%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$51.1 CA$71.5

$46.90 CA$65.6

8.96%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.37 CA$59.3

$45.78 CA$64.1

-7.45%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$13.04 CA$18.24

$14.43 CA$20.18

-9.63%

Cinema Ticket

$11.68 CA$16.34

$11.64 CA$16.29

0.34%

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

$1,108 CA$1,549

$354 CA$495

212.81%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$19.9K CA$27.8K

$10.7K CA$15.0K

85.15%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.0 CA$79.7

$42.75 CA$59.8

33.24%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.01 CA$48.98

$39.24 CA$54.9

-10.78%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$88.0 CA$123

$86.7 CA$121

1.41%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$91.2 CA$128

$74.6 CA$104

22.33%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,843 CA$2,579

$1,414 CA$1,977

30.41%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,530 CA$2,140

$1,235 CA$1,727

23.92%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,156 CA$4,415

$2,085 CA$2,916

51.37%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,476 CA$3,464

$1,833 CA$2,564

35.10%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$8,675 CA$12.1K

$6,705 CA$9,379

29.39%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,528 CA$9,132

$6,380 CA$8,924

2.33%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,726 CA$5,213

$2,990 CA$4,183

24.61%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.21

4.51

-6.65%

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

Last update for Vancouver: September 13, 2026

Last update for Peterborough: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,843 in Vancouver and $1,414 in Peterborough. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Vancouver pays 25% 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 $72.0 in Peterborough. Groceries flip the comparison at $409 vs $344, with Peterborough cheaper for home cooking.

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 20% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 25% 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 $1,414 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 83% less than in Vancouver. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $1,108 in Vancouver versus $354 in Peterborough. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $2,277 in Peterborough versus $2,735 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 20% less than in Vancouver. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.