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 $2,831 per month in Vancouver vs $2,339 in Saint Andrews, rent included.

A couple spends around $4,231 per month in Vancouver vs $3,384 in Saint Andrews, rent included.

A family of three spends $5,630 per month in Vancouver vs $4,430 in Saint Andrews, rent included.

Vancouver costs about 21% 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 75%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.26 CA$25.39

$16.96 CA$23.59

7.67%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$77.8 CA$108

$71.1 CA$98.8

9.48%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.85 CA$15.09

$10.86 CA$15.10

-0.09%

Cappuccino

$3.98 CA$5.54

$3.86 CA$5.37

3.11%

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

$2.12 CA$2.95

$2.04 CA$2.84

3.92%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.78 CA$2.47

$1.71 CA$2.38

4.09%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.77 CA$8.02

$5.63 CA$7.82

2.49%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.56 CA$10.51

$5.82 CA$8.10

29.90%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.32 CA$3.23

$2.21 CA$3.07

4.98%

White Bread (500g)

$3.10 CA$4.31

$2.70 CA$3.75

14.81%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.89 CA$5.40

$3.53 CA$4.92

10.20%

Eggs

$4.53 CA$6.30

$3.50 CA$4.87

29.43%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.92 CA$17.96

$10.99 CA$15.29

17.56%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.14 CA$19.67

$11.61 CA$16.14

21.79%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.74 CA$21.89

$14.56 CA$20.25

8.10%

Apples (1kg)

$4.26 CA$5.92

$4.17 CA$5.80

2.16%

Banana (1kg)

$1.47 CA$2.04

$1.43 CA$1.99

2.80%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.02 CA$5.59

$3.65 CA$5.08

10.14%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.06 CA$7.04

$3.87 CA$5.38

30.75%

Potato (1kg)

$3.02 CA$4.20

$2.48 CA$3.44

21.77%

Onion (1kg)

$2.95 CA$4.10

$2.50 CA$3.48

18.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.60 CA$3.62

$2.50 CA$3.47

4.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.88 CA$2.62

$1.77 CA$2.46

6.21%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$15.20 CA$21.14

$13.75 CA$19.12

10.55%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.30 CA$19.88

$13.56 CA$18.86

5.46%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.07 CA$4.27

$2.86 CA$3.97

7.34%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.74 CA$5.20

$3.17 CA$4.41

17.98%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.44 CA$3.39

$2.41 CA$3.35

1.24%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$84.9 CA$118

$63.3 CA$88.0

34.18%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.74 CA$5.20

$3.08 CA$4.29

21.43%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.50 CA$2.09

$1.44 CA$2.00

4.17%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$27.43 CA$38.15

$25.98 CA$36.12

5.58%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.34 CA$1.86

$1.15 CA$1.60

16.52%

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

$25.1K CA$34.9K

0.07%

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

$20.7K CA$28.8K

$20.9K CA$29.1K

-0.99%

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

$91.8 CA$128

$140 CA$195

-34.63%

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

$39.42 CA$54.8

$44.27 CA$61.6

-10.96%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$61.1 CA$84.9

$62.0 CA$86.2

-1.50%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.89 CA$62.4

$42.38 CA$58.9

5.92%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$15.68 CA$21.81

Cinema Ticket

$12.37 CA$17.20

$11.25 CA$15.65

9.96%

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

$1,180 CA$1,641

$750 CA$1,043

57.30%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$18.8K CA$26.1K

$11.6K CA$16.2K

61.31%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$62.7 CA$87.2

$55.0 CA$76.5

13.92%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.13 CA$60.0

$39.25 CA$54.6

9.89%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.7 CA$132

$86.3 CA$120

9.77%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$118 CA$165

$106 CA$147

11.80%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,995 CA$2,774

$1,319 CA$1,834

51.23%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,629 CA$2,266

$1,193 CA$1,659

36.61%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,589 CA$4,991

$2,004 CA$2,786

79.12%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,769 CA$3,851

$1,789 CA$2,487

54.83%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$9,246 CA$12.9K

$4,939 CA$6,869

87.21%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$7,086 CA$9,854

$3,447 CA$4,793

105.58%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,474 CA$4,831

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: June 2, 2026

Last update for Saint Andrews: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,995 in Vancouver versus $1,319 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 $78.0 in Vancouver versus $71.0 in Saint Andrews. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $415 vs $367 – 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: $2,831 in Vancouver, $2,339 in Saint Andrews – roughly 21% apart. Vancouver costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,247 per month in Vancouver and $3,508 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 $2,831 in Vancouver and $2,339 in Saint Andrews. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 34% 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 $2,339, than in Vancouver at $2,831. 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.