Cost of Living Comparison Between Vancouver and Prince George Cost of Living Comparison Between Vancouver and Prince George

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,735 in Vancouver versus $2,157 in Prince George.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,984 in Vancouver versus $3,302 in Prince George.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,234 in Vancouver versus $4,447 in Prince George.

Living in Vancouver is roughly 27% more expensive than in Prince George, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Vancouver 100% above, Prince George 58% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.82 CA$24.92

$18.08 CA$25.28

-1.44%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$72.4 CA$101

$71.4 CA$99.8

1.53%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.93 CA$15.29

$8.71 CA$12.18

25.49%

Cappuccino

$4.19 CA$5.85

$4.04 CA$5.65

3.71%

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

$2.22 CA$3.10

$2.22 CA$3.11

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.64 CA$2.29

$2.40 CA$3.36

-31.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.89 CA$8.23

$5.90 CA$8.25

-0.17%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.51 CA$9.10

$7.28 CA$10.18

-10.58%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.12 CA$2.96

$1.98 CA$2.77

7.07%

White Bread (500g)

$2.64 CA$3.69

$2.83 CA$3.96

-6.71%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.44 CA$6.20

$4.65 CA$6.50

-4.52%

Eggs

$4.21 CA$5.89

$4.32 CA$6.04

-2.55%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.04 CA$16.84

$8.52 CA$11.92

41.31%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.91 CA$19.45

$13.97 CA$19.54

-0.43%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$20.62 CA$28.83

$14.54 CA$20.33

41.82%

Apples (1kg)

$4.29 CA$6.00

$4.18 CA$5.84

2.63%

Banana (1kg)

$1.34 CA$1.88

$2.76 CA$3.86

-51.45%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.88 CA$5.43

$5.37 CA$7.51

-27.75%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.08 CA$5.70

$5.20 CA$7.27

-21.54%

Potato (1kg)

$2.88 CA$4.02

$3.09 CA$4.31

-6.80%

Onion (1kg)

$2.93 CA$4.09

$2.21 CA$3.09

32.58%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.63 CA$3.68

$3.08 CA$4.30

-14.61%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.70 CA$2.38

$2.10 CA$2.94

-19.05%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$15.66 CA$21.90

$14.91 CA$20.85

5.03%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.23 CA$19.90

$10.60 CA$14.82

34.25%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.78 CA$3.89

$5.41 CA$7.56

-48.61%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.05 CA$4.27

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.53 CA$3.54

$1.76 CA$2.46

43.75%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$85.5 CA$120

$43.05 CA$60.2

98.68%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.67 CA$3.73

$3.00 CA$4.20

-11.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.61 CA$2.25

$1.72 CA$2.40

-6.40%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$32.34 CA$45.22

$33.94 CA$47.46

-4.71%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.40 CA$1.95

$1.29 CA$1.81

8.53%

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

$28.6K CA$39.9K

$28.1K CA$39.3K

1.63%

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

$19.8K CA$27.7K

-0.11%

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

$78.8 CA$110

$174 CA$243

-54.65%

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

$35.70 CA$49.92

$41.54 CA$58.1

-14.06%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$51.1 CA$71.5

$60.3 CA$84.3

-15.29%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.37 CA$59.3

$43.82 CA$61.3

-3.31%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$13.04 CA$18.24

$17.73 CA$24.79

-26.45%

Cinema Ticket

$11.68 CA$16.33

$9.24 CA$12.92

26.41%

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

$1,108 CA$1,549

$421 CA$589

162.84%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$19.9K CA$27.8K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.0 CA$79.6

$63.1 CA$88.2

-9.69%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.01 CA$48.95

$39.23 CA$54.9

-10.76%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$88.0 CA$123

$95.2 CA$133

-7.62%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$91.2 CA$128

$148 CA$207

-38.40%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,843 CA$2,577

$1,011 CA$1,414

82.33%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,530 CA$2,139

$873 CA$1,221

75.24%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,156 CA$4,412

$1,821 CA$2,546

73.33%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,476 CA$3,463

$1,762 CA$2,464

40.52%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$8,675 CA$12.1K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,528 CA$9,128

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,726 CA$5,210

$3,104 CA$4,340

20.06%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.21

4.96

-15.12%

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

Last update for Vancouver: September 13, 2026

Last update for Prince George: September 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,843 in Vancouver and $1,011 in Prince George. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Vancouver pays 20% 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 $71.0 in Prince George for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $409 vs $407 per month, with Prince George 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 Prince George: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Vancouver and Prince George differ by about 27% in total monthly costs ($2,735 vs $2,157 including rent). Prince George is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 20% 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 $1,011 in Prince George. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Prince George runs roughly 99% 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 $421 in Prince George. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $2,157 in Prince George versus $2,735 in Vancouver, a $3,000 budget is realistic in Prince George but tight or insufficient in Vancouver. The gap between the two cities makes Prince George 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 Prince George gentler on the wallet – expenses run 27% less than in Vancouver. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.