Cost of Living Comparison Between Vancouver and Sarnia Cost of Living Comparison Between Vancouver and Sarnia

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,906 per month in Vancouver vs $1,978 in Sarnia, rent included.

A couple spends around $4,209 per month in Vancouver vs $2,881 in Sarnia, rent included.

A family of three spends $5,513 per month in Vancouver vs $3,783 in Sarnia, rent included.

Vancouver costs about 47% more than Sarnia, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Vancouver and Sarnia sit above the global median – Vancouver by 118%, Sarnia by 48%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.62 CA$26.20

$14.66 CA$20.63

27.01%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$77.9 CA$110

$47.75 CA$67.2

63.12%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.84 CA$15.26

$9.69 CA$13.63

11.87%

Cappuccino

$3.93 CA$5.53

$2.56 CA$3.60

53.52%

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

$2.24 CA$3.16

$1.49 CA$2.09

50.34%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.75 CA$2.46

$1.56 CA$2.20

12.18%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.05 CA$8.51

$4.76 CA$6.70

27.10%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.30 CA$10.27

$6.08 CA$8.56

20.07%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.30 CA$3.24

$2.24 CA$3.15

2.68%

White Bread (500g)

$3.07 CA$4.32

$2.23 CA$3.14

37.67%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.77 CA$5.30

$2.55 CA$3.59

47.84%

Eggs

$4.32 CA$6.08

$3.11 CA$4.38

38.91%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.57 CA$17.69

$8.23 CA$11.59

52.73%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.74 CA$19.34

$14.05 CA$19.77

-2.21%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.99 CA$22.49

$13.81 CA$19.44

15.79%

Apples (1kg)

$4.26 CA$6.00

$3.98 CA$5.61

7.04%

Banana (1kg)

$1.52 CA$2.14

$1.18 CA$1.65

28.81%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.92 CA$5.52

$3.21 CA$4.52

22.12%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.08 CA$7.15

$3.73 CA$5.25

36.19%

Potato (1kg)

$3.20 CA$4.50

$2.39 CA$3.36

33.89%

Onion (1kg)

$3.09 CA$4.34

$2.74 CA$3.86

12.77%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.60 CA$3.65

$2.01 CA$2.83

29.35%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.88 CA$2.65

$1.26 CA$1.77

49.21%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$15.45 CA$21.74

$11.11 CA$15.63

39.06%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.89 CA$20.95

$9.60 CA$13.51

55.10%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.12 CA$4.39

$2.44 CA$3.43

27.87%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.80 CA$5.35

$3.04 CA$4.28

25.00%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.42 CA$3.40

$2.27 CA$3.20

6.61%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$83.0 CA$117

$54.1 CA$76.2

53.25%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.76 CA$5.28

$2.60 CA$3.65

44.62%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.48 CA$2.09

$1.76 CA$2.47

-15.91%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$26.97 CA$37.95

$28.87 CA$40.62

-6.58%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.30 CA$1.82

$1.14 CA$1.60

14.04%

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

$25.2K CA$35.4K

$25.1K CA$35.4K

0.22%

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

$20.6K CA$28.9K

$19.9K CA$28.0K

3.15%

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

$91.8 CA$129

$142 CA$200

-35.30%

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

$39.34 CA$55.4

$36.03 CA$50.7

9.19%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$60.6 CA$85.3

$55.6 CA$78.2

9.09%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.58 CA$62.7

$21.87 CA$30.77

103.84%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$15.88 CA$22.35

$18.53 CA$26.07

-14.30%

Cinema Ticket

$12.18 CA$17.13

$11.84 CA$16.65

2.87%

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

$1,185 CA$1,667

$293 CA$412

305.00%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$18.5K CA$26.1K

$10.4K CA$14.6K

78.77%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$62.5 CA$87.9

$52.7 CA$74.2

18.53%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.38 CA$59.6

$25.46 CA$35.82

66.46%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$95.0 CA$134

$70.1 CA$98.6

35.53%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$115 CA$162

$88.1 CA$124

30.40%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,979 CA$2,785

$1,272 CA$1,790

55.55%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,644 CA$2,313

$975 CA$1,371

68.63%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,577 CA$5,033

$2,361 CA$3,323

51.48%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,782 CA$3,915

$1,473 CA$2,072

88.96%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$8,754 CA$12.3K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$7,087 CA$9,972

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,380 CA$4,756

$3,013 CA$4,239

12.20%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.61

6.33

-11.37%

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

Last update for Vancouver: July 14, 2026

Last update for Sarnia: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,979 in Vancouver versus $1,272 in Sarnia. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 12% higher in Vancouver, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $78.0 in Vancouver versus $48.00 in Sarnia. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $414 vs $335 – making Sarnia 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 Sarnia: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $2,906 in Vancouver, $1,978 in Sarnia – roughly 47% apart. Vancouver costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,359 per month in Vancouver and $2,967 in Sarnia. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

A mid-range dinner for two costs $78.0 in Vancouver and $48.00 in Sarnia. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $2,906 in Vancouver and $1,978 in Sarnia. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $3,000 monthly budget goes further in Sarnia, where all-in costs run around $1,978, than in Vancouver at $2,906. In Sarnia it covers expenses comfortably, while in Vancouver it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Sarnia – 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 Sarnia. 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.