Cost of Living Comparison Between Vancouver and Stratford, ON Cost of Living Comparison Between Vancouver and Stratford, ON

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,873 in Vancouver versus $2,023 in Stratford, ON.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,180 in Vancouver versus $3,213 in Stratford, ON.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,486 in Vancouver versus $4,404 in Stratford, ON.

Living in Vancouver is roughly 42% more expensive than Stratford, ON, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Vancouver 115% above, Stratford, ON 51% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.57 CA$25.44

$15.61 CA$21.38

18.96%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$78.8 CA$108

$73.1 CA$100

7.80%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.25 CA$15.41

$11.89 CA$16.30

-5.38%

Cappuccino

$3.89 CA$5.33

$3.79 CA$5.20

2.64%

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

$2.16 CA$2.96

$1.77 CA$2.43

22.03%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.78 CA$2.44

$1.46 CA$1.99

21.92%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.85 CA$8.01

$5.02 CA$6.87

16.53%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.44 CA$10.20

$3.00 CA$4.11

148.00%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.28 CA$3.12

$1.87 CA$2.56

21.93%

White Bread (500g)

$3.21 CA$4.40

$1.81 CA$2.48

77.35%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.75 CA$5.14

$3.33 CA$4.56

12.61%

Eggs

$4.53 CA$6.21

$2.07 CA$2.83

118.84%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.80 CA$17.54

$5.29 CA$7.25

141.97%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.09 CA$19.30

$7.39 CA$10.12

90.66%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.87 CA$21.74

$26.33 CA$36.07

-39.73%

Apples (1kg)

$4.18 CA$5.73

$4.16 CA$5.71

0.48%

Banana (1kg)

$1.53 CA$2.10

$0.92 CA$1.26

66.30%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.90 CA$5.34

$3.15 CA$4.32

23.81%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.99 CA$6.84

$2.26 CA$3.10

120.80%

Potato (1kg)

$3.02 CA$4.13

$2.88 CA$3.95

4.86%

Onion (1kg)

$3.00 CA$4.11

$2.57 CA$3.52

16.73%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.71 CA$3.71

$2.38 CA$3.27

13.87%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.80 CA$2.47

$1.47 CA$2.02

22.45%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$15.30 CA$20.97

$11.18 CA$15.31

36.85%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.38 CA$21.07

$11.22 CA$15.37

37.08%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.10 CA$4.24

$2.64 CA$3.62

17.42%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.74 CA$5.13

$2.84 CA$3.89

31.69%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.38 CA$3.26

$2.22 CA$3.04

7.21%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$85.7 CA$117

$50.7 CA$69.5

68.99%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.74 CA$5.13

$2.29 CA$3.14

63.32%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.44 CA$1.97

$1.78 CA$2.44

-19.10%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$27.52 CA$37.70

$33.20 CA$45.49

-17.11%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.30 CA$1.78

$1.10 CA$1.51

18.18%

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

$25.7K CA$35.2K

$24.9K CA$34.2K

3.05%

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

$20.4K CA$28.0K

$21.4K CA$29.3K

-4.67%

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

$90.1 CA$123

$135 CA$184

-33.07%

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

$40.47 CA$55.4

$54.9 CA$75.2

-26.30%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$60.4 CA$82.7

$57.5 CA$78.8

4.88%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.45 CA$60.9

$44.27 CA$60.7

0.41%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$15.43 CA$21.13

$20.30 CA$27.80

-23.99%

Cinema Ticket

$12.38 CA$16.96

$10.50 CA$14.39

17.90%

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

$1,153 CA$1,580

$949 CA$1,300

21.49%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$18.5K CA$25.4K

$10.8K CA$14.9K

71.00%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$63.5 CA$87.0

$48.50 CA$66.5

30.87%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$41.83 CA$57.3

$38.82 CA$53.2

7.75%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$97.5 CA$134

$83.7 CA$115

16.55%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$116 CA$159

$127 CA$174

-8.56%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,972 CA$2,702

$1,343 CA$1,840

46.79%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,619 CA$2,218

$956 CA$1,310

69.26%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,531 CA$4,838

$2,205 CA$3,021

60.16%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,748 CA$3,765

$1,918 CA$2,628

43.26%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$9,040 CA$12.4K

$3,913 CA$5,361

131.04%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$7,298 CA$9,998

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,619 CA$4,959

$2,799 CA$3,835

29.29%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.61

6.55

-14.35%

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

Last update for Vancouver: April 26, 2026

Last update for Stratford, ON: April 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,972 in Vancouver and $1,343 in Stratford, ON. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Vancouver pays 29% 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: $79.0 in Vancouver vs $73.0 in Stratford, ON for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $416 vs $323 per month, with Stratford, ON 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 Stratford, ON: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Vancouver and Stratford, ON differ by about 42% in total monthly costs ($2,873 vs $2,023 including rent). Stratford, ON is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Vancouver pays 29% 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: $1,972 in Vancouver versus $1,343 in Stratford, ON. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $2,873 per month in Vancouver versus $2,023 in Stratford, ON – a 42% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Stratford, ON runs roughly 69% less than in Vancouver. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $2,023 in Stratford, ON versus $2,873 in Vancouver, a $3,000 budget is realistic in Stratford, ON but tight or insufficient in Vancouver. The gap between the two cities makes Stratford, ON 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 Stratford, ON gentler on the wallet – expenses run 42% less than in Vancouver. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.