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: $2,818 in Vancouver versus $2,078 in Stratford, ON.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,226 in Vancouver versus $3,231 in Stratford, ON.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,634 in Vancouver versus $4,384 in Stratford, ON.

Living in Vancouver is roughly 36% more expensive than in Stratford, ON, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Vancouver 112% above, Stratford, ON 56% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.73 CA$26.28

$15.32 CA$21.51

22.26%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$78.5 CA$110

$71.9 CA$101

9.14%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.85 CA$15.23

$11.56 CA$16.23

-6.14%

Cappuccino

$4.10 CA$5.76

$3.79 CA$5.33

8.18%

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

$2.13 CA$2.99

$1.76 CA$2.47

21.02%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.76 CA$2.48

$1.45 CA$2.03

21.38%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.76 CA$8.09

$5.22 CA$7.33

10.34%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.23 CA$10.14

$2.98 CA$4.18

142.62%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.29 CA$3.21

$1.80 CA$2.52

27.22%

White Bread (500g)

$3.22 CA$4.51

$1.89 CA$2.65

70.37%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.70 CA$5.19

$3.28 CA$4.60

12.80%

Eggs

$4.36 CA$6.11

$2.09 CA$2.94

108.61%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.86 CA$18.05

$5.28 CA$7.42

143.56%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.24 CA$19.99

$7.46 CA$10.47

90.88%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.74 CA$22.09

$25.52 CA$35.82

-38.32%

Apples (1kg)

$4.30 CA$6.04

$4.21 CA$5.91

2.14%

Banana (1kg)

$1.52 CA$2.13

$0.91 CA$1.27

67.03%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.99 CA$5.60

$3.29 CA$4.62

21.28%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.13 CA$7.20

$2.30 CA$3.23

123.04%

Potato (1kg)

$3.06 CA$4.29

$2.96 CA$4.16

3.38%

Onion (1kg)

$3.05 CA$4.28

$2.55 CA$3.58

19.61%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.63 CA$3.68

$2.42 CA$3.40

8.68%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.87 CA$2.62

$1.43 CA$2.01

30.77%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$15.70 CA$22.03

$10.90 CA$15.31

44.04%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.59 CA$20.47

$11.06 CA$15.52

31.92%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.21 CA$4.51

$2.67 CA$3.74

20.22%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.59 CA$5.04

$2.83 CA$3.97

26.86%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.44 CA$3.43

$2.23 CA$3.13

9.42%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$83.2 CA$117

$52.0 CA$72.9

60.19%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.70 CA$5.19

$2.38 CA$3.33

55.46%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.49 CA$2.09

$1.74 CA$2.44

-14.37%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$27.37 CA$38.42

$33.79 CA$47.43

-19.00%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.33 CA$1.87

$1.10 CA$1.55

20.91%

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

$25.1K CA$35.3K

$24.7K CA$34.7K

1.76%

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

$20.7K CA$29.1K

$21.3K CA$29.9K

-2.72%

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

$90.0 CA$126

$132 CA$185

-31.73%

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

$40.83 CA$57.3

$54.4 CA$76.3

-24.93%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$61.1 CA$85.8

$59.5 CA$83.5

2.65%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$45.73 CA$64.2

$44.24 CA$62.1

3.37%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$15.45 CA$21.68

$20.32 CA$28.52

-23.97%

Cinema Ticket

$12.01 CA$16.86

$10.77 CA$15.12

11.51%

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

$1,162 CA$1,630

$961 CA$1,349

20.88%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$18.1K CA$25.3K

$11.2K CA$15.7K

61.62%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$63.6 CA$89.3

$46.99 CA$66.0

35.33%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.32 CA$59.4

$39.21 CA$55.0

7.93%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$96.8 CA$136

$81.9 CA$115

18.18%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$116 CA$162

$128 CA$179

-9.51%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,024 CA$2,841

$1,389 CA$1,949

45.75%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,614 CA$2,265

$948 CA$1,331

70.21%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,464 CA$4,862

$2,166 CA$3,040

59.95%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,743 CA$3,850

$1,917 CA$2,691

43.05%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$8,872 CA$12.5K

$3,658 CA$5,134

142.53%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$7,046 CA$9,890

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,312 CA$4,649

$2,743 CA$3,850

20.74%

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: July 25, 2026

Last update for Stratford, ON: July 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $2,024 in Vancouver and $1,389 in Stratford, ON. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Vancouver pays 21% 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: $78.0 in Vancouver vs $72.0 in Stratford, ON for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $417 vs $321 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 36% in total monthly costs ($2,818 vs $2,078 including rent). Stratford, ON is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 21% 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: $2,024 in Vancouver versus $1,389 in Stratford, ON. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $2,818 per month in Vancouver versus $2,078 in Stratford, ON – a 36% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Stratford, ON runs roughly 60% less than in Vancouver. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $2,078 in Stratford, ON versus $2,818 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 36% less than in Vancouver. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.