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: $2,860 in Vancouver versus $2,038 in Stratford, ON.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,199 in Vancouver versus $3,255 in Stratford, ON.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,538 in Vancouver versus $4,472 in Stratford, ON.

Living in Vancouver is roughly 40% more expensive than Stratford, ON, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Vancouver 113% above, Stratford, ON 52% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.50 CA$25.84

$15.45 CA$21.57

19.74%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$79.5 CA$111

$71.5 CA$99.8

11.28%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.11 CA$15.52

$11.58 CA$16.17

-4.06%

Cappuccino

$4.11 CA$5.74

$3.71 CA$5.18

10.78%

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

$2.21 CA$3.08

$1.85 CA$2.58

19.46%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.75 CA$2.45

$1.51 CA$2.11

15.89%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.77 CA$8.06

$5.11 CA$7.14

12.92%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.45 CA$10.40

$3.02 CA$4.22

146.69%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.20 CA$3.07

$1.79 CA$2.50

22.91%

White Bread (500g)

$3.22 CA$4.49

$1.85 CA$2.58

74.05%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.68 CA$5.14

$3.22 CA$4.50

14.29%

Eggs

$4.39 CA$6.13

$2.09 CA$2.92

110.05%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.82 CA$17.90

$5.18 CA$7.23

147.49%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.20 CA$19.82

$7.46 CA$10.42

90.35%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.04 CA$22.40

$25.72 CA$35.92

-37.64%

Apples (1kg)

$4.38 CA$6.12

$4.05 CA$5.65

8.15%

Banana (1kg)

$1.53 CA$2.13

$0.85 CA$1.18

80.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.07 CA$5.68

$3.16 CA$4.41

28.80%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.18 CA$7.23

$2.27 CA$3.17

128.19%

Potato (1kg)

$3.05 CA$4.25

$2.96 CA$4.14

3.04%

Onion (1kg)

$2.96 CA$4.14

$2.55 CA$3.57

16.08%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.73 CA$3.81

$2.33 CA$3.25

17.17%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.87 CA$2.61

$1.45 CA$2.02

28.97%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$15.40 CA$21.51

$10.79 CA$15.06

42.72%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.32 CA$20.00

$11.03 CA$15.41

29.83%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.11 CA$4.35

$2.71 CA$3.78

14.76%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.66 CA$5.12

$2.69 CA$3.76

36.06%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.41 CA$3.37

$2.19 CA$3.06

10.05%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$82.6 CA$115

$51.6 CA$72.1

60.13%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.65 CA$5.10

$2.31 CA$3.23

58.01%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.49 CA$2.08

$1.75 CA$2.44

-14.86%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$26.94 CA$37.63

$32.56 CA$45.48

-17.26%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.28 CA$1.78

$1.10 CA$1.53

16.36%

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

$24.9K CA$34.8K

$25.3K CA$35.4K

-1.58%

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

$21.0K CA$29.3K

$21.5K CA$30.0K

-2.22%

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

$92.2 CA$129

$132 CA$185

-30.21%

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

$40.43 CA$56.5

$53.3 CA$74.5

-24.17%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$62.0 CA$86.6

$58.1 CA$81.1

6.71%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.57 CA$62.2

$44.00 CA$61.5

1.30%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$15.75 CA$21.99

$20.09 CA$28.05

-21.60%

Cinema Ticket

$12.19 CA$17.02

$10.51 CA$14.68

15.98%

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

$1,164 CA$1,625

$946 CA$1,321

23.02%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$18.1K CA$25.3K

$10.9K CA$15.2K

66.78%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$62.9 CA$87.9

$48.22 CA$67.3

30.49%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.23 CA$59.0

$38.09 CA$53.2

10.87%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$98.0 CA$137

$83.6 CA$117

17.24%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$118 CA$165

$126 CA$176

-6.16%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,977 CA$2,761

$1,354 CA$1,891

46.01%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,665 CA$2,325

$949 CA$1,325

75.53%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,579 CA$4,997

$2,240 CA$3,128

59.74%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,798 CA$3,907

$1,947 CA$2,718

43.73%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$8,881 CA$12.4K

$3,758 CA$5,248

136.33%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,873 CA$9,598

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,432 CA$4,792

$2,768 CA$3,865

23.99%

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: June 7, 2026

Last update for Stratford, ON: June 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,977 in Vancouver and $1,354 in Stratford, ON. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Vancouver pays 24% 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: $80.0 in Vancouver vs $71.0 in Stratford, ON for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $417 vs $319 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 40% in total monthly costs ($2,860 vs $2,038 including rent). Stratford, ON is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Vancouver pays 24% 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: $1,977 in Vancouver versus $1,354 in Stratford, ON. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $2,860 per month in Vancouver versus $2,038 in Stratford, ON – a 40% 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 $2,038 in Stratford, ON versus $2,860 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 40% less than in Vancouver. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.