Cost of Living Comparison Between Vancouver and Quebec City Cost of Living Comparison Between Vancouver and Quebec City

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,906 in Vancouver versus $1,992 in Quebec City.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,209 in Vancouver versus $2,880 in Quebec City.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,513 in Vancouver versus $3,769 in Quebec City.

Living in Vancouver is roughly 46% more expensive than in Quebec City, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Vancouver 118% above, Quebec City 49% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.62 CA$26.10

$16.88 CA$23.67

10.31%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$77.9 CA$109

$65.8 CA$92.2

18.43%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.84 CA$15.20

$11.01 CA$15.44

-1.54%

Cappuccino

$3.93 CA$5.51

$3.78 CA$5.30

3.97%

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

$2.24 CA$3.15

$2.05 CA$2.87

9.27%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.75 CA$2.45

$1.45 CA$2.04

20.69%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.05 CA$8.48

$6.05 CA$8.49

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.30 CA$10.23

$6.17 CA$8.65

18.31%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.30 CA$3.23

$2.12 CA$2.97

8.49%

White Bread (500g)

$3.07 CA$4.31

$3.25 CA$4.56

-5.54%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.77 CA$5.28

$4.48 CA$6.28

-15.85%

Eggs

$4.32 CA$6.06

$3.06 CA$4.29

41.18%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.57 CA$17.63

$12.95 CA$18.16

-2.93%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.74 CA$19.27

$10.90 CA$15.28

26.06%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.99 CA$22.41

$14.15 CA$19.84

13.00%

Apples (1kg)

$4.26 CA$5.98

$3.94 CA$5.53

8.12%

Banana (1kg)

$1.52 CA$2.13

$1.68 CA$2.36

-9.52%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.92 CA$5.50

$4.23 CA$5.93

-7.33%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.08 CA$7.13

$4.10 CA$5.75

23.90%

Potato (1kg)

$3.20 CA$4.48

$1.88 CA$2.64

70.21%

Onion (1kg)

$3.09 CA$4.33

$2.43 CA$3.41

27.16%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.60 CA$3.64

$2.69 CA$3.77

-3.35%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.88 CA$2.64

$1.59 CA$2.24

18.24%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$15.45 CA$21.66

$12.92 CA$18.12

19.58%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.89 CA$20.88

$11.46 CA$16.07

29.93%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.12 CA$4.37

$3.18 CA$4.46

-1.89%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.80 CA$5.33

$3.94 CA$5.53

-3.55%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.42 CA$3.39

$2.68 CA$3.76

-9.70%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$83.0 CA$116

$68.4 CA$95.9

21.37%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.76 CA$5.27

$3.79 CA$5.31

-0.79%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.48 CA$2.08

$2.27 CA$3.18

-34.80%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$26.97 CA$37.81

$30.73 CA$43.08

-12.24%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.30 CA$1.82

$1.20 CA$1.69

8.33%

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

$25.2K CA$35.3K

$24.8K CA$34.8K

1.53%

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

$20.6K CA$28.8K

$20.0K CA$28.0K

2.85%

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

$91.8 CA$129

$87.5 CA$123

4.95%

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

$39.34 CA$55.2

$38.52 CA$54.0

2.13%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$60.6 CA$85.0

$44.83 CA$62.8

35.20%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.58 CA$62.5

$42.10 CA$59.0

5.89%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$15.88 CA$22.27

$14.71 CA$20.62

7.95%

Cinema Ticket

$12.18 CA$17.07

$11.00 CA$15.42

10.73%

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

$1,185 CA$1,661

$821 CA$1,151

44.29%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$18.5K CA$26.0K

$6,164 CA$8,641

200.63%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$62.5 CA$87.6

$60.5 CA$84.8

3.37%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.38 CA$59.4

$53.9 CA$75.6

-21.37%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$95.0 CA$133

$113 CA$158

-15.95%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$115 CA$161

$127 CA$178

-9.43%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,979 CA$2,775

$900 CA$1,261

119.98%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,644 CA$2,304

$823 CA$1,154

99.63%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,577 CA$5,015

$1,496 CA$2,098

139.05%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,782 CA$3,901

$1,193 CA$1,673

133.24%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$8,754 CA$12.3K

$5,673 CA$7,954

54.30%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$7,087 CA$9,936

$2,809 CA$3,938

152.33%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,380 CA$4,739

$2,803 CA$3,929

20.61%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.61

6.87

-18.34%

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

Last update for Vancouver: July 14, 2026

Last update for Quebec City: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,979 in Vancouver and $900 in Quebec City. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Vancouver pays 21% 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 $66.0 in Quebec City for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $414 vs $374 per month, with Quebec City 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 Quebec City: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Quebec City wins on cost – living expenses run 46% lower than in Vancouver. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Quebec City the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Average pay runs 21% 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 $900 in Quebec City. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $2,906 per month in Vancouver versus $1,992 in Quebec City – a 46% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Quebec City runs roughly 21% less than in Vancouver. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,992 in Quebec City versus $2,906 in Vancouver, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Quebec City but tight or insufficient in Vancouver. The gap between the two cities makes Quebec City 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 Quebec City gentler on the wallet – expenses run 46% less than in Vancouver. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.