Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Vancouver and Scranton, PA

For one person, living is cheaper in Scranton, PA: $2,109 a month against $2,626 in Vancouver, rent and utilities included – about $6,200 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Vancouver
🇨🇦 Canada
$2,626
/mo nomad
Scranton, PA
🇺🇸 United States
$2,109
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Vancouver and in Scranton, PA

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Vancouver and in Scranton, PA actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $2,626 per month in Vancouver vs $2,109 in Scranton, PA, rent included.

  • Vancouver $2,626
  • Scranton, PA $2,109

A couple spends around $3,841 per month in Vancouver vs $3,000 in Scranton, PA, rent included.

  • Vancouver $3,841
  • Scranton, PA $3,000

A family of three spends $5,056 per month in Vancouver vs $3,891 in Scranton, PA, rent included.

  • Vancouver $5,056
  • Scranton, PA $3,891

Vancouver costs about 25% more than Scranton, PA, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Vancouver and Scranton, PA sit above the global median – Vancouver by 95%, Scranton, PA by 56%.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Vancouver
Scranton, PA
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$17.19 CA$24.30
$12.08 $12.08
42.30%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$69.1 CA$97.6
$77.1 $77.1
-10.38%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$10.61 CA$15.00
$5.96 $5.96
78.02%
Cappuccino
$3.83 CA$5.42
$4.48 $4.48
-14.51%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.04 CA$2.88
$1.53 $1.53
33.33%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.65 CA$2.34
$0.99 $0.99
66.67%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$5.54 CA$7.83
$6.93 $6.93
-20.06%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$6.20 CA$8.77
$7.66 $7.66
-19.06%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Vancouver
Scranton, PA
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$2.14 CA$3.02
$0.73 $0.73
193.15%
White Bread (500g)
$2.51 CA$3.54
$1.46 $1.46
71.92%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$4.49 CA$6.35
$2.22 $2.22
102.25%
Eggs
$4.09 CA$5.78
$3.34 $3.34
22.46%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$11.73 CA$16.58
$11.12 $11.12
5.49%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$13.11 CA$18.54
$8.81 $8.81
48.81%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$19.50 CA$27.57
$11.18 $11.18
74.42%
Apples (1kg)
$4.00 CA$5.65
$3.61 $3.61
10.80%
Banana (1kg)
$1.38 CA$1.94
$1.31 $1.31
5.34%
Oranges (1kg)
$3.88 CA$5.48
$3.32 $3.32
16.87%
Tomato (1kg)
$3.95 CA$5.58
$4.26 $4.26
-7.28%
Potato (1kg)
$2.72 CA$3.85
$2.90 $2.90
-6.21%
Onion (1kg)
$2.86 CA$4.05
$3.32 $3.32
-13.86%
Lettuce (1 head)
$2.46 CA$3.48
$1.94 $1.94
26.80%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.56 CA$2.21
$1.01 $1.01
54.46%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$15.48 CA$21.88
$6.59 $6.59
134.90%
Wine (Bottle)
$13.75 CA$19.44
$12.19 $12.19
12.80%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$2.63 CA$3.72
$3.04 $3.04
-13.49%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.89 CA$4.09
$4.79 $4.79
-39.67%
🚌 Getting Around
Vancouver
Scranton, PA
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$2.48 CA$3.51
$1.73 $1.73
43.35%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$83.0 CA$117
$61.1 $61.1
35.85%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$2.72 CA$3.85
$3.16 $3.16
-13.92%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.58 CA$2.24
$2.00 $2.00
-21.00%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$31.05 CA$43.89
$25.03 $25.03
24.05%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.37 CA$1.94
$1.11 $1.11
23.42%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$27.7K CA$39.1K
$35.3K $35.3K
-21.75%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$19.6K CA$27.8K
$25.7K $25.7K
-23.57%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Vancouver
Scranton, PA
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$82.5 CA$117
$232 $232
-64.43%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$37.26 CA$52.7
$40.27 $40.27
-7.47%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$51.7 CA$73.1
$49.27 $49.27
4.99%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Vancouver
Scranton, PA
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$42.87 CA$60.6
$29.52 $29.52
45.22%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$12.40 CA$17.53
$16.03 $16.03
-22.65%
Cinema Ticket
$12.13 CA$17.15
$12.53 $12.53
-3.19%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Vancouver
Scranton, PA
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$1,102 CA$1,557
$770 $770
43.14%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$19.8K CA$28.0K
$17.6K $17.6K
12.52%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Vancouver
Scranton, PA
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$56.4 CA$79.7
$45.23 $45.23
24.72%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$33.43 CA$47.26
$30.25 $30.25
10.51%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$93.9 CA$133
$72.9 $72.9
28.78%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$93.8 CA$133
$82.9 $82.9
13.10%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Vancouver
Scranton, PA
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,775 CA$2,509
$1,269 $1,269
39.84%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,497 CA$2,116
$1,019 $1,019
46.81%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$3,082 CA$4,357
$1,554 $1,554
98.25%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$2,416 CA$3,416
$1,481 $1,481
63.14%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$8,069 CA$11.4K
$1,594 $1,594
406.29%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$6,449 CA$9,118
$1,538 $1,538
319.29%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Vancouver
Scranton, PA
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$3,776 CA$5,339
$3,361 $3,361
12.36%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
4.28
6.67
-35.83%

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

Last update for Vancouver: October 10, 2026

Last update for Scranton, PA: October 10, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Vancouver
$1.5K
Scranton, PA
$1K 31.9% $477
Groceries & Markets
Vancouver
$392
Scranton, PA
$300 23.6% $93
Eating Out
Vancouver
$270
Scranton, PA
$228 15.5% $42
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Vancouver
$171
Scranton, PA
$321 87.4% $150
Clothing & Footwear
Vancouver
$125
Scranton, PA
$104 16.6% $21
Getting Around
Vancouver
$104
Scranton, PA
$81 21.6% $22
Sport & Entertainment
Vancouver
$67
Scranton, PA
$55 18.7% $13

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,775 in Vancouver versus $1,269 in Scranton, PA. 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 $69.0 in Vancouver versus $77.0 in Scranton, PA. Groceries tell a different story – $392 in Vancouver vs $300 in Scranton, PA – so Scranton, PA wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know
🇨🇦 Vancouver
🇺🇸 Scranton, PA
🕒 Local time
14:06 2:06 PM
17:06 5:06 PM
3 h ahead of Vancouver
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
631,486
72,861
Exchange rates and currency converter

USD, EUR to CAD – Canadian Dollar Converter

Canadian Dollar exchange rates as of October 17, 2026: 1 USD = 1.41 CAD (1 CAD = 0.707 USD). 1 EUR = 1.59 CAD (1 CAD = 0.629 EUR).

United States Dollar exchange rates as of October 17, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.89 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Vancouver Scranton, PA 3,750 km ≈ 5 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Vancouver
  • Scranton, PA

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 Scranton, PA: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Scranton, PA cheaper than Vancouver?
Yes – Vancouver is pricier by about 25%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in groceries.
What income do you need for each city?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,939 per month in Vancouver and $3,163 in Scranton, PA. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Which city has lower housing costs?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Scranton, PA, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.
Which city has cheaper public transport?
Public transport costs about 36% less in Scranton, PA. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.
Which city has cheaper kindergarten?
Kindergarten costs $1,102 per month in Vancouver and $770 in Scranton, PA. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.
Is $2,500 a realistic budget for living in Vancouver or in Scranton, PA?
A $2,500 monthly budget goes further in Scranton, PA, where all-in costs run around $2,109, than in Vancouver at $2,626. In Scranton, PA it covers expenses comfortably, while in Vancouver it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Is Vancouver or Scranton, PA more family-friendly?
Families tend to lean toward Scranton, PA – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.
Which city is the better choice to relocate to?
If budget matters most, go with Scranton, PA. 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.

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