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: $2,906 in Vancouver versus $2,481 in Quesnel.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,209 in Vancouver versus $3,496 in Quesnel.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,513 in Vancouver versus $4,512 in Quesnel.

Living in Vancouver is roughly 17% more expensive than in Quesnel, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Vancouver 118% above, Quesnel 86% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.62 CA$26.10

$18.27 CA$25.61

1.92%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$77.9 CA$109

$47.12 CA$66.1

65.30%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.84 CA$15.20

$11.25 CA$15.77

-3.64%

Cappuccino

$3.93 CA$5.51

$4.21 CA$5.90

-6.65%

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

$2.24 CA$3.15

$2.13 CA$2.99

5.16%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.75 CA$2.45

$1.63 CA$2.28

7.36%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.05 CA$8.48

$4.53 CA$6.35

33.55%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.30 CA$10.23

$5.92 CA$8.30

23.31%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.30 CA$3.23

$2.98 CA$4.18

-22.82%

White Bread (500g)

$3.07 CA$4.31

$2.74 CA$3.85

12.04%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.77 CA$5.28

$5.05 CA$7.08

-25.35%

Eggs

$4.32 CA$6.06

$4.03 CA$5.65

7.20%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.57 CA$17.63

$6.88 CA$9.65

82.70%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.74 CA$19.27

$9.09 CA$12.74

51.16%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.99 CA$22.41

$11.20 CA$15.70

42.77%

Apples (1kg)

$4.26 CA$5.98

$4.73 CA$6.63

-9.94%

Banana (1kg)

$1.52 CA$2.13

$1.42 CA$1.98

7.04%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.92 CA$5.50

$4.63 CA$6.49

-15.33%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.08 CA$7.13

$3.99 CA$5.59

27.32%

Potato (1kg)

$3.20 CA$4.48

$4.39 CA$6.16

-27.11%

Onion (1kg)

$3.09 CA$4.33

$3.40 CA$4.77

-9.12%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.60 CA$3.64

$3.32 CA$4.66

-21.69%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.88 CA$2.64

$1.68 CA$2.35

11.90%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$15.45 CA$21.66

$12.38 CA$17.36

24.80%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.89 CA$20.88

$10.40 CA$14.59

43.17%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.12 CA$4.37

$2.79 CA$3.91

11.83%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.80 CA$5.33

$4.70 CA$6.59

-19.15%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.42 CA$3.39

$1.80 CA$2.52

34.44%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$83.0 CA$116

$63.4 CA$88.9

30.85%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.76 CA$5.27

$2.69 CA$3.77

39.78%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.48 CA$2.08

$2.09 CA$2.93

-29.19%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$26.97 CA$37.81

$43.73 CA$61.3

-38.33%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.30 CA$1.82

$1.20 CA$1.68

8.33%

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

$25.2K CA$35.3K

$25.4K CA$35.6K

-0.88%

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

$20.6K CA$28.8K

$18.2K CA$25.5K

13.01%

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

$91.8 CA$129

$220 CA$308

-58.23%

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

$39.34 CA$55.2

$44.12 CA$61.9

-10.83%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$60.6 CA$85.0

$67.6 CA$94.8

-10.37%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.58 CA$62.5

$74.4 CA$104

-40.08%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$15.88 CA$22.27

Cinema Ticket

$12.18 CA$17.07

$9.78 CA$13.71

24.54%

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

$1,185 CA$1,661

$558 CA$782

112.45%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$18.5K CA$26.0K

$11.9K CA$16.6K

56.03%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$62.5 CA$87.6

$37.91 CA$53.2

64.84%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.38 CA$59.4

$58.3 CA$81.7

-27.28%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$95.0 CA$133

$80.6 CA$113

17.86%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$115 CA$161

$110 CA$155

4.22%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,979 CA$2,775

$953 CA$1,336

107.75%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,644 CA$2,304

$1,196 CA$1,677

37.37%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,577 CA$5,015

$1,987 CA$2,786

80.00%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,782 CA$3,901

$1,798 CA$2,521

54.75%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$8,754 CA$12.3K

$4,466 CA$6,261

96.02%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$7,087 CA$9,936

$3,200 CA$4,486

121.49%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,380 CA$4,739

$2,446 CA$3,429

38.19%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.61

6.46

-13.16%

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

Last update for Vancouver: July 14, 2026

Last update for Quesnel: July 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,979 in Vancouver and $953 in Quesnel. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Vancouver pays 38% 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 $47.00 in Quesnel for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $414 vs $361 per month, with Quesnel 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 Quesnel: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Quesnel wins on cost – living expenses run 17% 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 38% 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 $953 in Quesnel. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 14% higher in Vancouver. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Dining out is cheaper in Quesnel – a meal for two runs $47.00 versus $78.0 in Vancouver. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $2,481 in Quesnel versus $2,906 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 17% less than in Vancouver. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.