Cost of Living Comparison Between Vancouver and Saskatoon Cost of Living Comparison Between Vancouver and Saskatoon

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,831 in Vancouver versus $2,173 in Saskatoon.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,231 in Vancouver versus $3,352 in Saskatoon.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,630 in Vancouver versus $4,531 in Saskatoon.

Living in Vancouver is roughly 30% more expensive than Saskatoon, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Vancouver 111% above, Saskatoon 62% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.26 CA$25.37

$21.73 CA$30.19

-15.97%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$77.8 CA$108

$87.1 CA$121

-10.69%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.85 CA$15.08

$10.23 CA$14.22

6.06%

Cappuccino

$3.98 CA$5.53

$3.67 CA$5.10

8.45%

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

$2.12 CA$2.94

$2.50 CA$3.48

-15.20%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.78 CA$2.47

$1.94 CA$2.69

-8.25%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.77 CA$8.02

$5.79 CA$8.04

-0.35%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.56 CA$10.50

$7.35 CA$10.22

2.86%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.32 CA$3.23

$3.09 CA$4.30

-24.92%

White Bread (500g)

$3.10 CA$4.30

$2.79 CA$3.87

11.11%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.89 CA$5.40

$5.28 CA$7.33

-26.33%

Eggs

$4.53 CA$6.29

$3.71 CA$5.16

22.10%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.92 CA$17.95

$9.67 CA$13.44

33.61%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.14 CA$19.65

$12.08 CA$16.79

17.05%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.74 CA$21.87

$16.37 CA$22.75

-3.85%

Apples (1kg)

$4.26 CA$5.91

$4.40 CA$6.11

-3.18%

Banana (1kg)

$1.47 CA$2.04

$1.73 CA$2.41

-15.03%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.02 CA$5.59

$4.84 CA$6.72

-16.94%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.06 CA$7.03

$3.14 CA$4.37

61.15%

Potato (1kg)

$3.02 CA$4.20

$2.87 CA$3.98

5.23%

Onion (1kg)

$2.95 CA$4.10

$2.25 CA$3.13

31.11%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.60 CA$3.61

$2.73 CA$3.79

-4.76%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.88 CA$2.61

$1.27 CA$1.77

48.03%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$15.20 CA$21.12

$14.38 CA$19.99

5.70%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.30 CA$19.86

$13.84 CA$19.23

3.32%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.07 CA$4.27

$3.36 CA$4.66

-8.63%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.74 CA$5.20

$3.45 CA$4.79

8.41%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.44 CA$3.39

$2.25 CA$3.13

8.44%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$84.9 CA$118

$63.2 CA$87.9

34.22%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.74 CA$5.19

$3.49 CA$4.85

7.16%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.50 CA$2.09

$1.22 CA$1.69

22.95%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$27.43 CA$38.11

$14.90 CA$20.71

84.09%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.34 CA$1.86

$1.16 CA$1.61

15.52%

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

$25.1K CA$34.9K

$24.7K CA$34.3K

1.71%

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

$20.7K CA$28.8K

$20.8K CA$28.9K

-0.42%

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

$91.8 CA$128

$213 CA$296

-56.90%

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

$39.42 CA$54.8

$59.4 CA$82.6

-33.68%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$61.1 CA$84.9

$72.4 CA$101

-15.63%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.89 CA$62.4

$42.00 CA$58.4

6.88%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$15.68 CA$21.79

$17.22 CA$23.92

-8.94%

Cinema Ticket

$12.37 CA$17.18

$14.44 CA$20.06

-14.34%

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

$1,180 CA$1,640

$529 CA$735

123.00%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$18.8K CA$26.1K

$14.9K CA$20.7K

25.79%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$62.7 CA$87.1

$76.4 CA$106

-17.98%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.13 CA$59.9

$58.6 CA$81.4

-26.35%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.7 CA$132

$94.1 CA$131

0.68%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$118 CA$164

$112 CA$156

5.64%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,995 CA$2,771

$1,003 CA$1,393

98.92%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,629 CA$2,264

$869 CA$1,208

87.39%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,589 CA$4,986

$1,780 CA$2,473

101.66%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,769 CA$3,848

$1,440 CA$2,000

92.38%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$9,246 CA$12.8K

$2,944 CA$4,090

214.07%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$7,086 CA$9,845

$2,835 CA$3,939

149.96%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,474 CA$4,827

$2,624 CA$3,646

32.38%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.61

6.65

-15.64%

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

Last update for Vancouver: June 2, 2026

Last update for Saskatoon: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,995 in Vancouver and $1,003 in Saskatoon. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Vancouver pays 32% 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 $87.0 in Saskatoon. Groceries flip the comparison at $415 vs $391, with Saskatoon cheaper for home cooking.

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 Saskatoon: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Saskatoon wins on cost – living expenses run 30% lower than in Vancouver. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Saskatoon the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Vancouver pays 32% more on average, 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: $1,995 in Vancouver versus $1,003 in Saskatoon. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Saskatoon runs roughly 34% less than in Vancouver. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $1,180 in Vancouver versus $529 in Saskatoon. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $2,173 in Saskatoon versus $2,831 in Vancouver, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Saskatoon but tight or insufficient in Vancouver. The gap between the two cities makes Saskatoon 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 Saskatoon gentler on the wallet – expenses run 30% less than in Vancouver. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.