Cost of Living Comparison Between Vancouver and Pickering, ON Cost of Living Comparison Between Vancouver and Pickering, ON

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,783 per month in Vancouver vs $2,684 in Pickering, ON, rent included.

A couple spends around $4,030 per month in Vancouver vs $3,738 in Pickering, ON, rent included.

A family of three spends $5,278 per month in Vancouver vs $4,792 in Pickering, ON, rent included.

Vancouver costs about 4% more than Pickering, ON, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Vancouver and Pickering, ON sit above the global median – Vancouver by 102%, Pickering, ON by 95%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.99 CA$24.95

$14.65 CA$20.32

22.80%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$72.9 CA$101

$57.0 CA$79.1

27.73%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.76 CA$14.92

$10.74 CA$14.90

0.19%

Cappuccino

$4.17 CA$5.79

$2.09 CA$2.90

99.52%

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

$2.20 CA$3.05

$1.83 CA$2.54

20.22%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.71 CA$2.37

$1.46 CA$2.02

17.12%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.91 CA$8.19

$4.94 CA$6.85

19.64%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.66 CA$9.24

$4.61 CA$6.39

44.47%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.19 CA$3.04

$2.23 CA$3.09

-1.79%

White Bread (500g)

$2.66 CA$3.69

$2.22 CA$3.08

19.82%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.43 CA$6.14

$4.64 CA$6.43

-4.53%

Eggs

$4.20 CA$5.83

$3.52 CA$4.89

19.32%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.88 CA$16.47

$9.92 CA$13.75

19.76%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.66 CA$18.95

$11.42 CA$15.84

19.61%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$20.32 CA$28.18

$14.27 CA$19.79

42.40%

Apples (1kg)

$4.24 CA$5.88

$3.07 CA$4.26

38.11%

Banana (1kg)

$1.38 CA$1.92

$0.60 CA$0.83

130.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.05 CA$5.61

$2.59 CA$3.59

56.37%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.03 CA$5.58

$2.12 CA$2.94

90.09%

Potato (1kg)

$2.87 CA$3.97

$2.22 CA$3.08

29.28%

Onion (1kg)

$2.99 CA$4.15

$2.69 CA$3.73

11.15%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.64 CA$3.66

$2.75 CA$3.81

-4.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.65 CA$2.29

$1.29 CA$1.78

27.91%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$15.92 CA$22.07

$13.49 CA$18.71

18.01%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.63 CA$20.29

$13.18 CA$18.27

11.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.78 CA$3.86

$1.76 CA$2.44

57.95%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.06 CA$4.25

$2.39 CA$3.32

28.03%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.57 CA$3.56

$2.82 CA$3.91

-8.87%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$83.2 CA$115

$163 CA$227

-49.09%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.70 CA$3.74

$2.81 CA$3.89

-3.91%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.63 CA$2.26

$2.37 CA$3.29

-31.22%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$32.68 CA$45.33

$22.81 CA$31.63

43.27%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.44 CA$2.00

$1.12 CA$1.55

28.57%

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

$28.4K CA$39.4K

$24.9K CA$34.5K

14.13%

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

$19.5K CA$27.1K

$20.5K CA$28.5K

-4.88%

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

$79.2 CA$110

$107 CA$149

-26.06%

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

$36.21 CA$50.2

$31.04 CA$43.05

16.66%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$51.3 CA$71.2

$51.9 CA$71.9

-1.04%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$43.58 CA$60.4

$60.9 CA$84.5

-28.43%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$13.16 CA$18.25

$27.07 CA$37.54

-51.39%

Cinema Ticket

$11.85 CA$16.44

$11.61 CA$16.10

2.07%

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

$1,131 CA$1,568

$511 CA$708

121.44%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$19.7K CA$27.3K

$28.8K CA$39.9K

-31.53%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$60.0 CA$83.2

$74.1 CA$103

-19.10%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.84 CA$48.32

$54.6 CA$75.7

-36.14%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$90.5 CA$125

$84.0 CA$117

7.63%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$93.5 CA$130

$80.6 CA$112

15.98%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,806 CA$2,505

$1,710 CA$2,371

5.65%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,581 CA$2,193

$1,525 CA$2,114

3.69%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,182 CA$4,413

$2,495 CA$3,460

27.57%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,465 CA$3,418

$2,218 CA$3,076

11.12%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$8,841 CA$12.3K

$4,329 CA$6,004

104.21%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,963 CA$9,657

$4,054 CA$5,622

71.78%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,738 CA$5,184

$3,103 CA$4,304

20.45%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.21

4.22

-0.24%

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

Last update for Vancouver: September 7, 2026

Last update for Pickering, ON: September 5, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,806 in Vancouver versus $1,710 in Pickering, ON. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 20% higher in Vancouver, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $73.0 in Vancouver versus $57.0 in Pickering, ON. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $408 vs $325 – making Pickering, ON the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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 Pickering, ON: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $2,783 in Vancouver, $2,684 in Pickering, ON – roughly 4% apart. Vancouver costs more across the board, with Getting Around showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,174 per month in Vancouver and $4,026 in Pickering, ON. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Pickering, ON, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $2,783 in Vancouver and $2,684 in Pickering, ON. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 96% less in Pickering, ON. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

$3,000 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $2,783 in Vancouver and $2,684 in Pickering, ON. You'll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

Families tend to lean toward Pickering, ON – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Pickering, ON. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Vancouver makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.