Cost of Living Comparison Between Vancouver and Quesnel Cost of Living Comparison Between Vancouver and Quesnel

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,731 in Vancouver versus $2,440 in Quesnel.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,956 in Vancouver versus $3,444 in Quesnel.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,181 in Vancouver versus $4,447 in Quesnel.

Living in Vancouver is roughly 12% more expensive than in Quesnel, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Vancouver 99% above, Quesnel 78% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.36 CA$25.32

$16.70 CA$23.02

9.94%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$72.9 CA$101

$46.70 CA$64.4

56.06%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.88 CA$15.00

$11.19 CA$15.43

-2.77%

Cappuccino

$4.25 CA$5.86

$4.32 CA$5.95

-1.62%

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

$2.12 CA$2.92

$2.56 CA$3.53

-17.19%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.69 CA$2.33

$2.12 CA$2.93

-20.28%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.75 CA$7.92

$4.78 CA$6.60

20.29%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.65 CA$9.17

$5.68 CA$7.84

17.08%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.14 CA$2.96

$2.35 CA$3.24

-8.94%

White Bread (500g)

$2.55 CA$3.52

$2.45 CA$3.38

4.08%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.41 CA$6.09

$4.27 CA$5.89

3.28%

Eggs

$4.24 CA$5.85

$5.03 CA$6.94

-15.71%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.14 CA$16.74

$12.49 CA$17.23

-2.80%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.66 CA$18.84

$16.98 CA$23.42

-19.55%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$20.78 CA$28.66

$17.22 CA$23.74

20.67%

Apples (1kg)

$4.31 CA$5.94

$4.19 CA$5.77

2.86%

Banana (1kg)

$1.39 CA$1.92

$1.32 CA$1.82

5.30%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.00 CA$5.51

$4.71 CA$6.49

-15.07%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.06 CA$5.61

$4.34 CA$5.98

-6.45%

Potato (1kg)

$2.82 CA$3.89

$3.23 CA$4.46

-12.69%

Onion (1kg)

$2.95 CA$4.06

$3.71 CA$5.11

-20.49%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.77 CA$3.82

$2.59 CA$3.57

6.95%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.63 CA$2.24

$1.76 CA$2.43

-7.39%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$16.06 CA$22.15

$11.94 CA$16.47

34.51%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.54 CA$20.04

$10.67 CA$14.72

36.27%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.73 CA$3.76

$2.66 CA$3.67

2.63%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.07 CA$4.23

$3.45 CA$4.76

-11.01%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.55 CA$3.51

$2.39 CA$3.30

6.69%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$85.1 CA$117

$58.5 CA$80.6

45.49%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.71 CA$3.73

$2.55 CA$3.52

6.27%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.64 CA$2.26

$2.21 CA$3.05

-25.79%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$31.75 CA$43.78

$43.38 CA$59.8

-26.81%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.43 CA$1.97

$1.20 CA$1.65

19.17%

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

$28.9K CA$39.9K

$29.3K CA$40.5K

-1.47%

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

$19.7K CA$27.1K

$23.4K CA$32.3K

-16.01%

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

$77.6 CA$107

$179 CA$247

-56.66%

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

$35.35 CA$48.74

$39.51 CA$54.5

-10.53%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$51.6 CA$71.2

$73.4 CA$101

-29.62%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$46.26 CA$63.8

$41.02 CA$56.6

12.77%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$13.37 CA$18.44

$18.43 CA$25.42

-27.46%

Cinema Ticket

$11.55 CA$15.93

$7.71 CA$10.63

49.81%

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

$1,137 CA$1,568

$783 CA$1,080

45.15%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$21.2K CA$29.2K

$14.3K CA$19.7K

48.21%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.3 CA$81.7

$37.51 CA$51.7

57.96%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.02 CA$48.29

$46.80 CA$64.5

-25.17%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$90.1 CA$124

$79.3 CA$109

13.67%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$96.3 CA$133

$106 CA$147

-9.41%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,845 CA$2,544

$800 CA$1,104

130.55%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,595 CA$2,199

$1,155 CA$1,593

38.05%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,271 CA$4,511

$1,999 CA$2,756

63.67%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,499 CA$3,447

$1,744 CA$2,405

43.33%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$9,039 CA$12.5K

$4,846 CA$6,683

86.52%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,985 CA$9,633

$3,186 CA$4,393

119.27%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,659 CA$5,045

$2,490 CA$3,433

46.94%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.23

5.35

-20.93%

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

Last update for Vancouver: August 30, 2026

Last update for Quesnel: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,845 in Vancouver and $800 in Quesnel. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Vancouver pays 47% 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: $73.0 in Vancouver vs $47.00 in Quesnel. Groceries flip the comparison at $409 vs $419, with Vancouver 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 Quesnel: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Quesnel wins on cost – living expenses run 12% lower than in Vancouver. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Quesnel the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Average pay runs 47% 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: $1,845 in Vancouver versus $800 in Quesnel. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Shoppers in Vancouver pay roughly 2% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

Dining out is cheaper in Quesnel – a meal for two runs $47.00 versus $73.0 in Vancouver. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $2,440 in Quesnel versus $2,731 in Vancouver, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Quesnel but tight or insufficient in Vancouver. The gap between the two cities makes Quesnel 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 Quesnel gentler on the wallet – expenses run 12% less than in Vancouver. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.