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: $2,783 in Vancouver versus $2,207 in Saskatoon.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,030 in Vancouver versus $3,252 in Saskatoon.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,278 in Vancouver versus $4,297 in Saskatoon.

Living in Vancouver is roughly 26% more expensive than in Saskatoon, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Vancouver 102% above, Saskatoon 60% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.99 CA$24.95

$18.40 CA$25.53

-2.23%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$72.9 CA$101

$74.5 CA$103

-2.14%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.76 CA$14.92

$9.58 CA$13.29

12.32%

Cappuccino

$4.17 CA$5.79

$3.73 CA$5.17

11.80%

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

$2.20 CA$3.05

$2.02 CA$2.81

8.91%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.71 CA$2.37

$1.88 CA$2.61

-9.04%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.91 CA$8.19

$4.24 CA$5.88

39.39%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.66 CA$9.24

$6.33 CA$8.78

5.21%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.19 CA$3.04

$3.11 CA$4.31

-29.58%

White Bread (500g)

$2.66 CA$3.69

$2.18 CA$3.03

22.02%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.43 CA$6.14

$5.01 CA$6.94

-11.58%

Eggs

$4.20 CA$5.83

$3.63 CA$5.03

15.70%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.88 CA$16.47

$10.14 CA$14.07

17.16%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.66 CA$18.95

$12.04 CA$16.70

13.46%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$20.32 CA$28.18

$16.47 CA$22.85

23.38%

Apples (1kg)

$4.24 CA$5.88

$4.23 CA$5.87

0.24%

Banana (1kg)

$1.38 CA$1.92

$1.46 CA$2.02

-5.48%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.05 CA$5.61

$4.41 CA$6.11

-8.16%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.03 CA$5.58

$3.21 CA$4.45

25.55%

Potato (1kg)

$2.87 CA$3.97

$2.93 CA$4.07

-2.05%

Onion (1kg)

$2.99 CA$4.15

$2.21 CA$3.06

35.29%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.64 CA$3.66

$2.80 CA$3.88

-5.71%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.65 CA$2.29

$1.53 CA$2.13

7.84%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$15.92 CA$22.07

$15.26 CA$21.16

4.33%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.63 CA$20.29

$14.37 CA$19.94

1.81%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.78 CA$3.86

$2.78 CA$3.85

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.06 CA$4.25

$3.41 CA$4.73

-10.26%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.57 CA$3.56

$2.14 CA$2.97

20.09%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$83.2 CA$115

$59.5 CA$82.5

39.89%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.70 CA$3.74

$4.53 CA$6.28

-40.40%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.63 CA$2.26

$0.76 CA$1.06

114.47%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$32.68 CA$45.33

$14.62 CA$20.28

123.53%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.44 CA$2.00

$1.15 CA$1.59

25.22%

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

$28.4K CA$39.4K

$29.1K CA$40.4K

-2.52%

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

$19.5K CA$27.1K

$21.3K CA$29.5K

-8.25%

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

$79.2 CA$110

$210 CA$291

-62.28%

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

$36.21 CA$50.2

$49.85 CA$69.1

-27.36%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$51.3 CA$71.2

$62.6 CA$86.9

-18.06%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$43.58 CA$60.4

$44.84 CA$62.2

-2.81%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$13.16 CA$18.25

$11.35 CA$15.75

15.95%

Cinema Ticket

$11.85 CA$16.44

$11.55 CA$16.02

2.60%

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

$1,131 CA$1,568

$514 CA$712

120.09%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$19.7K CA$27.3K

$14.9K CA$20.7K

32.02%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$60.0 CA$83.2

$64.8 CA$89.8

-7.43%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.84 CA$48.32

$45.29 CA$62.8

-23.07%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$90.5 CA$125

$87.8 CA$122

3.02%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$93.5 CA$130

$110 CA$153

-15.05%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,806 CA$2,505

$1,035 CA$1,435

74.54%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,581 CA$2,193

$920 CA$1,276

71.85%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,182 CA$4,413

$1,804 CA$2,502

76.42%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,465 CA$3,418

$1,412 CA$1,958

74.61%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$8,841 CA$12.3K

$2,927 CA$4,059

202.06%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,963 CA$9,657

$2,795 CA$3,877

149.09%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,738 CA$5,184

$2,775 CA$3,848

34.70%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.21

4.8

-12.29%

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

Last update for Vancouver: September 7, 2026

Last update for Saskatoon: September 5, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,806 in Vancouver and $1,035 in Saskatoon. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Vancouver pays 35% 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: $73.0 in Vancouver vs $74.0 in Saskatoon. Groceries flip the comparison at $408 vs $383, 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 26% 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.

Average pay runs 35% 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: $1,806 in Vancouver versus $1,035 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 40% less than in Vancouver. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $1,131 in Vancouver versus $514 in Saskatoon. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $2,207 in Saskatoon versus $2,783 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 26% less than in Vancouver. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.