Cost of Living Comparison Between Vancouver and Squamish, BC Cost of Living Comparison Between Vancouver and Squamish, BC

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,735 in Vancouver versus $2,606 in Squamish, BC.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,984 in Vancouver versus $3,941 in Squamish, BC.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,234 in Vancouver versus $5,275 in Squamish, BC.

Living in Vancouver is roughly 5% more expensive than in Squamish, BC, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Vancouver 100% above, Squamish, BC 91% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.82 CA$24.93

$14.98 CA$20.96

18.96%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$72.4 CA$101

$56.5 CA$79.0

28.24%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.93 CA$15.30

$10.50 CA$14.69

4.10%

Cappuccino

$4.19 CA$5.86

$3.94 CA$5.51

6.35%

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

$2.22 CA$3.11

$1.87 CA$2.61

18.72%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.64 CA$2.29

$1.49 CA$2.08

10.07%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.89 CA$8.23

$5.86 CA$8.20

0.51%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.51 CA$9.11

$5.66 CA$7.92

15.02%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.12 CA$2.96

$1.70 CA$2.38

24.71%

White Bread (500g)

$2.64 CA$3.69

$2.25 CA$3.15

17.33%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.44 CA$6.21

$3.68 CA$5.15

20.65%

Eggs

$4.21 CA$5.89

$3.25 CA$4.54

29.54%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.04 CA$16.85

$12.91 CA$18.06

-6.74%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.91 CA$19.46

$15.12 CA$21.16

-8.00%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$20.62 CA$28.85

$19.92 CA$27.87

3.51%

Apples (1kg)

$4.29 CA$6.00

$5.66 CA$7.91

-24.20%

Banana (1kg)

$1.34 CA$1.88

$1.25 CA$1.74

7.20%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.88 CA$5.43

$3.76 CA$5.26

3.19%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.08 CA$5.70

$3.68 CA$5.15

10.87%

Potato (1kg)

$2.88 CA$4.03

$4.21 CA$5.89

-31.59%

Onion (1kg)

$2.93 CA$4.09

$2.55 CA$3.57

14.90%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.63 CA$3.68

$2.53 CA$3.53

3.95%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.70 CA$2.38

$1.85 CA$2.59

-8.11%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$15.66 CA$21.91

$16.11 CA$22.53

-2.79%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.23 CA$19.91

$10.81 CA$15.13

31.64%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.78 CA$3.89

$2.95 CA$4.12

-5.76%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.05 CA$4.27

$3.53 CA$4.94

-13.60%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.53 CA$3.54

$1.41 CA$1.97

79.43%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$85.5 CA$120

$30.81 CA$43.10

177.60%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.67 CA$3.73

$3.51 CA$4.91

-23.93%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.61 CA$2.25

$1.48 CA$2.07

8.78%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$32.34 CA$45.24

$25.51 CA$35.68

26.77%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.40 CA$1.96

$1.15 CA$1.60

21.74%

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

$28.6K CA$40.0K

$27.0K CA$37.7K

5.92%

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

$19.8K CA$27.7K

$19.1K CA$26.7K

3.98%

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

$78.8 CA$110

$118 CA$166

-33.38%

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

$35.70 CA$49.94

$44.30 CA$62.0

-19.41%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$51.1 CA$71.5

$66.0 CA$92.3

-22.59%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.37 CA$59.3

$51.4 CA$72.0

-17.62%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$13.04 CA$18.24

Cinema Ticket

$11.68 CA$16.34

$11.33 CA$15.85

3.09%

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

$1,108 CA$1,549

$373 CA$522

196.88%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$19.9K CA$27.8K

$7,899 CA$11.1K

151.61%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.0 CA$79.7

$53.5 CA$74.8

6.53%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.01 CA$48.98

$35.05 CA$49.03

-0.11%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$88.0 CA$123

$81.5 CA$114

7.89%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$91.2 CA$128

$101 CA$141

-9.27%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,843 CA$2,579

$1,629 CA$2,278

13.17%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,530 CA$2,140

$1,538 CA$2,152

-0.53%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,156 CA$4,415

$3,202 CA$4,479

-1.44%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,476 CA$3,464

$2,882 CA$4,032

-14.08%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$8,675 CA$12.1K

$6,057 CA$8,473

43.23%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,528 CA$9,132

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,726 CA$5,213

$3,093 CA$4,327

20.48%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.21

4.72

-10.81%

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

Last update for Vancouver: September 13, 2026

Last update for Squamish, BC: September 15, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,843 in Vancouver and $1,629 in Squamish, BC. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Vancouver pays 20% 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: $72.0 in Vancouver vs $56.0 in Squamish, BC for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $409 vs $404 per month, with Squamish, BC cheaper across the board.

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 Squamish, BC: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Squamish, BC wins on cost – living expenses run 5% lower than in Vancouver. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Squamish, BC the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Average pay runs 20% 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: $1,843 in Vancouver versus $1,629 in Squamish, BC. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $1,108 in Vancouver versus $373 in Squamish, BC. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 1% higher in Vancouver. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Both cities are expensive relative to $2,000. Squamish, BC is the more realistic option, but even there you'll need to be disciplined with housing, food, and fun money.

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 Squamish, BC gentler on the wallet – expenses run 5% less than in Vancouver. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.