Cost of Living Comparison Between Vancouver and Saint Andrews Cost of Living Comparison Between Vancouver and Saint Andrews

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,845 per month in Vancouver vs $2,365 in Saint Andrews, rent included.

A couple spends around $4,183 per month in Vancouver vs $3,397 in Saint Andrews, rent included.

A family of three spends $5,520 per month in Vancouver vs $4,429 in Saint Andrews, rent included.

Vancouver costs about 20% more than Saint Andrews, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Vancouver and Saint Andrews sit above the global median – Vancouver by 111%, Saint Andrews by 76%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.26 CA$25.01

$16.87 CA$23.11

8.24%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$78.8 CA$108

$71.2 CA$97.6

10.67%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.17 CA$15.30

$10.94 CA$14.98

2.10%

Cappuccino

$3.92 CA$5.37

$3.86 CA$5.28

1.55%

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

$2.23 CA$3.05

$1.99 CA$2.73

12.06%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.83 CA$2.51

$1.64 CA$2.25

11.59%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.85 CA$8.02

$5.64 CA$7.73

3.72%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.17 CA$9.82

$6.01 CA$8.24

19.30%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.20 CA$3.02

$2.13 CA$2.92

3.29%

White Bread (500g)

$3.22 CA$4.41

$2.69 CA$3.69

19.70%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.75 CA$5.13

$3.51 CA$4.81

6.84%

Eggs

$4.36 CA$5.98

$3.37 CA$4.62

29.38%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.71 CA$17.41

$11.11 CA$15.22

14.40%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.90 CA$19.04

$11.64 CA$15.95

19.42%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.66 CA$21.45

$14.99 CA$20.54

4.47%

Apples (1kg)

$4.24 CA$5.81

$4.13 CA$5.66

2.66%

Banana (1kg)

$1.54 CA$2.11

$1.35 CA$1.86

14.07%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.87 CA$5.30

$3.77 CA$5.17

2.65%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.08 CA$6.96

$3.82 CA$5.23

32.98%

Potato (1kg)

$3.20 CA$4.38

$2.47 CA$3.38

29.55%

Onion (1kg)

$2.93 CA$4.02

$2.47 CA$3.39

18.62%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.63 CA$3.60

$2.54 CA$3.48

3.54%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.86 CA$2.55

$1.74 CA$2.38

6.90%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$15.36 CA$21.04

$13.79 CA$18.90

11.39%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.48 CA$21.20

$12.45 CA$17.05

24.34%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.10 CA$4.25

$2.80 CA$3.84

10.71%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.74 CA$5.12

$3.18 CA$4.35

17.61%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.38 CA$3.27

$2.34 CA$3.21

1.71%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$84.0 CA$115

$63.1 CA$86.5

33.14%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.66 CA$5.01

$3.11 CA$4.27

17.68%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.48 CA$2.03

$1.44 CA$1.97

2.78%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$26.98 CA$36.96

$25.45 CA$34.86

6.01%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.28 CA$1.76

$1.11 CA$1.53

15.32%

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

$25.6K CA$35.0K

$24.7K CA$33.9K

3.32%

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

$20.8K CA$28.6K

$21.0K CA$28.7K

-0.50%

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

$91.0 CA$125

$144 CA$198

-36.97%

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

$40.15 CA$55.0

$43.53 CA$59.6

-7.76%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$60.8 CA$83.3

$63.7 CA$87.2

-4.52%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$46.05 CA$63.1

$41.16 CA$56.4

11.88%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$15.77 CA$21.61

Cinema Ticket

$12.25 CA$16.79

$11.50 CA$15.76

6.52%

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

$1,165 CA$1,596

$728 CA$997

60.11%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$18.4K CA$25.2K

$11.8K CA$16.2K

55.09%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$62.6 CA$85.7

$55.3 CA$75.8

13.15%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.30 CA$58.0

$39.74 CA$54.5

6.44%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$98.1 CA$134

$84.9 CA$116

15.64%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$114 CA$156

$107 CA$146

7.12%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,988 CA$2,724

$1,334 CA$1,828

49.02%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,669 CA$2,287

$1,198 CA$1,641

39.35%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,580 CA$4,904

$2,030 CA$2,781

76.36%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,728 CA$3,738

$1,836 CA$2,515

48.65%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$9,014 CA$12.3K

$5,008 CA$6,860

80.01%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$7,085 CA$9,707

$3,778 CA$5,176

87.54%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,588 CA$4,916

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: April 12, 2026

Last update for Saint Andrews: April 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,988 in Vancouver versus $1,334 in Saint Andrews. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $79 in Vancouver versus $71 in Saint Andrews. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $415 vs $364 – making Saint Andrews the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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 Saint Andrews: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $2,845 in Vancouver, $2,365 in Saint Andrews – roughly 20% apart. Vancouver costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,268 per month in Vancouver and $3,547 in Saint Andrews. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Saint Andrews, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $2,845 in Vancouver and $2,365 in Saint Andrews. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 33% less in Saint Andrews. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $3,000 monthly budget goes further in Saint Andrews, where all-in costs run around $2,365, than in Vancouver at $2,845. In Saint Andrews it covers expenses comfortably, while in Vancouver it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Saint Andrews – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

If budget matters most, go with Saint Andrews. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Vancouver makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.