Cost of Living Comparison Between Vancouver and Saguenay Cost of Living Comparison Between Vancouver and Saguenay

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,906 in Vancouver versus $1,332 in Saguenay.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,209 in Vancouver versus $2,353 in Saguenay.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,513 in Vancouver versus $3,374 in Saguenay.

Living in Vancouver is roughly 118% more expensive than in Saguenay, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Vancouver 118% above, Saguenay 0% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.62 CA$26.20

$13.01 CA$18.31

43.12%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$77.9 CA$110

$44.95 CA$63.3

73.28%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.84 CA$15.26

$11.22 CA$15.79

-3.39%

Cappuccino

$3.93 CA$5.53

$3.91 CA$5.50

0.51%

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

$2.24 CA$3.16

$1.52 CA$2.13

47.37%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.75 CA$2.46

$1.27 CA$1.79

37.80%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.05 CA$8.51

$5.59 CA$7.86

8.23%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.30 CA$10.27

$5.09 CA$7.16

43.42%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.30 CA$3.24

$2.18 CA$3.07

5.50%

White Bread (500g)

$3.07 CA$4.32

$2.98 CA$4.19

3.02%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.77 CA$5.30

$4.45 CA$6.27

-15.28%

Eggs

$4.32 CA$6.08

$2.60 CA$3.66

66.15%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.57 CA$17.69

$12.81 CA$18.02

-1.87%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.74 CA$19.34

$8.59 CA$12.08

59.95%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.99 CA$22.49

$13.73 CA$19.32

16.46%

Apples (1kg)

$4.26 CA$6.00

$3.99 CA$5.61

6.77%

Banana (1kg)

$1.52 CA$2.14

$1.25 CA$1.76

21.60%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.92 CA$5.52

$3.95 CA$5.56

-0.76%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.08 CA$7.15

$3.96 CA$5.57

28.28%

Potato (1kg)

$3.20 CA$4.50

$1.96 CA$2.75

63.27%

Onion (1kg)

$3.09 CA$4.34

$1.59 CA$2.24

94.34%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.60 CA$3.65

$2.59 CA$3.64

0.39%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.88 CA$2.65

$0.82 CA$1.16

129.27%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$15.45 CA$21.74

$11.92 CA$16.77

29.61%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.89 CA$20.95

$11.24 CA$15.82

32.47%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.12 CA$4.39

$3.07 CA$4.32

1.63%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.80 CA$5.35

$2.00 CA$2.81

90.00%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.42 CA$3.40

$2.82 CA$3.97

-14.18%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$83.0 CA$117

$56.8 CA$79.9

46.20%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.76 CA$5.28

$3.66 CA$5.15

2.73%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.48 CA$2.09

$1.95 CA$2.75

-24.10%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$26.97 CA$37.95

$31.28 CA$44.02

-13.78%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.30 CA$1.82

$1.15 CA$1.62

13.04%

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

$25.2K CA$35.4K

$25.0K CA$35.2K

0.57%

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

$20.6K CA$28.9K

$20.3K CA$28.6K

1.24%

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

$91.8 CA$129

$87.2 CA$123

5.29%

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

$39.34 CA$55.4

$38.88 CA$54.7

1.18%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$60.6 CA$85.3

$43.25 CA$60.9

40.14%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.58 CA$62.7

$33.57 CA$47.24

32.80%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$15.88 CA$22.35

$14.11 CA$19.85

12.54%

Cinema Ticket

$12.18 CA$17.13

$9.74 CA$13.70

25.05%

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

$1,185 CA$1,667

$613 CA$863

93.15%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$18.5K CA$26.1K

$6,342 CA$8,923

192.19%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$62.5 CA$87.9

$60.2 CA$84.6

3.89%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.38 CA$59.6

$53.1 CA$74.8

-20.25%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$95.0 CA$134

$96.1 CA$135

-1.14%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$115 CA$162

$128 CA$180

-10.14%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,979 CA$2,785

$613 CA$862

222.92%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,644 CA$2,313

$300 CA$422

447.45%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,577 CA$5,033

$1,299 CA$1,827

175.45%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,782 CA$3,915

$1,065 CA$1,498

161.36%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$8,754 CA$12.3K

$5,707 CA$8,031

53.38%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$7,087 CA$9,972

$3,425 CA$4,820

106.90%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,380 CA$4,756

$2,588 CA$3,642

30.60%

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 Saguenay: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,979 in Vancouver and $613 in Saguenay. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Vancouver pays 31% 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 $45.00 in Saguenay for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $414 vs $337 per month, with Saguenay 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 Saguenay: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Vancouver and Saguenay differ by about 118% in total monthly costs ($2,906 vs $1,332 including rent). Saguenay is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 31% 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 $613 in Saguenay. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $1,185 in Vancouver versus $613 in Saguenay. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 23% higher in Vancouver. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $1,332 in Saguenay versus $2,906 in Vancouver, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Saguenay but tight or insufficient in Vancouver. The gap between the two cities makes Saguenay 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 Saguenay gentler on the wallet – expenses run 118% less than in Vancouver. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.