Cost of Living Comparison Between Vancouver and St. Albert, AB Cost of Living Comparison Between Vancouver and St. Albert, AB

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,731 per month in Vancouver vs $1,214 in St. Albert, AB, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,956 per month in Vancouver vs $2,538 in St. Albert, AB, rent included.

A family of three spends $5,181 per month in Vancouver vs $3,862 in St. Albert, AB, rent included.

Vancouver costs about 125% more than St. Albert, AB, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Vancouver sits 99% above the global median, while St. Albert, AB is 12% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.36 CA$25.32

$20.59 CA$28.40

-10.83%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$72.9 CA$101

$70.6 CA$97.3

3.30%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.88 CA$15.00

$10.06 CA$13.88

8.15%

Cappuccino

$4.25 CA$5.86

$3.93 CA$5.41

8.14%

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

$2.12 CA$2.92

$2.15 CA$2.97

-1.40%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.69 CA$2.33

$1.93 CA$2.66

-12.44%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.75 CA$7.92

$5.13 CA$7.08

12.09%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.65 CA$9.17

$5.62 CA$7.74

18.33%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.14 CA$2.96

$1.72 CA$2.37

24.42%

White Bread (500g)

$2.55 CA$3.52

$2.22 CA$3.07

14.86%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.41 CA$6.09

$3.16 CA$4.36

39.56%

Eggs

$4.24 CA$5.85

$3.60 CA$4.96

17.78%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.14 CA$16.74

$11.58 CA$15.97

4.84%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.66 CA$18.84

$11.61 CA$16.01

17.66%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$20.78 CA$28.66

$18.33 CA$25.27

13.37%

Apples (1kg)

$4.31 CA$5.94

$4.50 CA$6.21

-4.22%

Banana (1kg)

$1.39 CA$1.92

$1.35 CA$1.86

2.96%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.00 CA$5.51

$4.20 CA$5.80

-4.76%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.06 CA$5.61

$3.96 CA$5.46

2.53%

Potato (1kg)

$2.82 CA$3.89

$2.68 CA$3.69

5.22%

Onion (1kg)

$2.95 CA$4.06

$2.85 CA$3.93

3.51%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.77 CA$3.82

$2.65 CA$3.66

4.53%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.63 CA$2.24

$1.55 CA$2.14

5.16%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$16.06 CA$22.15

$14.46 CA$19.95

11.07%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.54 CA$20.04

$12.18 CA$16.79

19.38%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.73 CA$3.76

$2.64 CA$3.63

3.41%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.07 CA$4.23

$2.88 CA$3.98

6.60%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.55 CA$3.51

$2.20 CA$3.04

15.91%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$85.1 CA$117

$63.2 CA$87.1

34.65%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.71 CA$3.73

$2.90 CA$4.00

-6.55%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.64 CA$2.26

$1.35 CA$1.86

21.48%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$31.75 CA$43.78

$21.55 CA$29.71

47.33%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.43 CA$1.97

$1.19 CA$1.63

20.17%

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

$28.9K CA$39.9K

$28.1K CA$38.7K

2.94%

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

$19.7K CA$27.1K

$20.0K CA$27.5K

-1.41%

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

$77.6 CA$107

$184 CA$254

-57.86%

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

$35.35 CA$48.74

$38.58 CA$53.2

-8.37%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$51.6 CA$71.2

$56.3 CA$77.6

-8.23%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$46.26 CA$63.8

$41.61 CA$57.4

11.18%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$13.37 CA$18.44

Cinema Ticket

$11.55 CA$15.93

$13.34 CA$18.40

-13.42%

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

$1,137 CA$1,568

$783 CA$1,079

45.22%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$21.2K CA$29.2K

$9,897 CA$13.6K

114.19%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.3 CA$81.7

$56.8 CA$78.3

4.41%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.02 CA$48.29

$39.09 CA$53.9

-10.41%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$90.1 CA$124

$86.7 CA$120

4.00%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$96.3 CA$133

$114 CA$157

-15.36%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,845 CA$2,544

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,595 CA$2,199

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,271 CA$4,511

$1,348 CA$1,858

142.74%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,499 CA$3,447

$1,156 CA$1,595

116.14%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$9,039 CA$12.5K

$2,564 CA$3,536

252.54%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,985 CA$9,633

$2,578 CA$3,556

170.92%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,659 CA$5,045

$3,355 CA$4,627

9.03%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.23

4.4

-3.86%

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

Last update for Vancouver: August 30, 2026

Last update for St. Albert, AB: September 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Salaries run about 9% 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 $73.0 in Vancouver versus $71.0 in St. Albert, AB. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $409 vs $368 – making St. Albert, AB 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 St. Albert, AB: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Vancouver costs about 125% more than St. Albert, AB, with the gap driven mainly by Groceries & Markets. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,097 per month in Vancouver and $1,821 in St. Albert, AB. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $73.0 in Vancouver and $71.0 in St. Albert, AB. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $2,731 in Vancouver and $1,214 in St. Albert, AB. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in St. Albert, AB, where all-in costs run around $1,214, than in Vancouver at $2,731. In St. Albert, AB it covers expenses comfortably, while in Vancouver it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward St. Albert, AB – 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 St. Albert, AB. 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.