Cost of Living Comparison Between Vancouver and Thompson Cost of Living Comparison Between Vancouver and Thompson

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,818 per month in Vancouver vs $1,825 in Thompson, rent included.

A couple spends around $4,226 per month in Vancouver vs $2,799 in Thompson, rent included.

A family of three spends $5,634 per month in Vancouver vs $3,773 in Thompson, rent included.

Vancouver costs about 54% more than Thompson, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Vancouver and Thompson sit above the global median – Vancouver by 112%, Thompson by 37%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.73 CA$26.28

$17.18 CA$24.11

9.02%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$78.5 CA$110

$70.9 CA$99.6

10.62%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.85 CA$15.23

$11.13 CA$15.63

-2.52%

Cappuccino

$4.10 CA$5.76

$3.87 CA$5.43

5.94%

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

$2.13 CA$2.99

$2.06 CA$2.89

3.40%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.76 CA$2.48

$1.73 CA$2.43

1.73%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.76 CA$8.09

$5.53 CA$7.76

4.16%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.23 CA$10.14

$5.72 CA$8.02

26.40%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.29 CA$3.21

$2.10 CA$2.95

9.05%

White Bread (500g)

$3.22 CA$4.51

$2.67 CA$3.75

20.60%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.70 CA$5.19

$3.50 CA$4.91

5.71%

Eggs

$4.36 CA$6.11

$3.52 CA$4.94

23.86%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.86 CA$18.05

$11.34 CA$15.91

13.40%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.24 CA$19.99

$11.84 CA$16.62

20.27%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.74 CA$22.09

$14.42 CA$20.24

9.15%

Apples (1kg)

$4.30 CA$6.04

$4.03 CA$5.66

6.70%

Banana (1kg)

$1.52 CA$2.13

$1.38 CA$1.94

10.14%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.99 CA$5.60

$3.64 CA$5.11

9.62%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.13 CA$7.20

$3.84 CA$5.39

33.59%

Potato (1kg)

$3.06 CA$4.29

$2.38 CA$3.35

28.57%

Onion (1kg)

$3.05 CA$4.28

$2.56 CA$3.60

19.14%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.63 CA$3.68

$2.50 CA$3.50

5.20%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.87 CA$2.62

$1.79 CA$2.52

4.47%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$15.70 CA$22.03

$13.85 CA$19.45

13.36%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.59 CA$20.47

$12.45 CA$17.47

17.19%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.21 CA$4.51

$2.81 CA$3.95

14.23%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.59 CA$5.04

$3.00 CA$4.21

19.67%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.44 CA$3.43

$2.33 CA$3.27

4.72%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$83.2 CA$117

$62.6 CA$87.9

32.94%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.70 CA$5.19

$3.25 CA$4.56

13.85%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.49 CA$2.09

$1.45 CA$2.03

2.76%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$27.37 CA$38.42

$25.62 CA$35.95

6.83%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.33 CA$1.87

$1.13 CA$1.58

17.70%

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

$25.1K CA$35.3K

0.04%

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

$20.7K CA$29.1K

$20.4K CA$28.6K

1.85%

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

$90.0 CA$126

$143 CA$200

-36.97%

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

$40.83 CA$57.3

$43.01 CA$60.4

-5.07%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$61.1 CA$85.8

$61.9 CA$86.8

-1.21%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$45.73 CA$64.2

$41.37 CA$58.1

10.54%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$15.45 CA$21.68

Cinema Ticket

$12.01 CA$16.86

$11.43 CA$16.04

5.07%

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

$1,162 CA$1,630

$742 CA$1,041

56.55%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$18.1K CA$25.3K

$11.7K CA$16.4K

54.61%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$63.6 CA$89.3

$54.8 CA$77.0

15.98%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.32 CA$59.4

$39.99 CA$56.1

5.83%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$96.8 CA$136

$87.2 CA$122

11.02%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$116 CA$162

$106 CA$149

8.95%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,024 CA$2,841

$700 CA$983

189.10%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,614 CA$2,265

$699 CA$981

131.00%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,464 CA$4,862

$1,149 CA$1,612

201.62%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,743 CA$3,850

$1,145 CA$1,607

139.49%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$8,872 CA$12.5K

$4,532 CA$6,361

95.77%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$7,046 CA$9,890

$3,120 CA$4,379

125.88%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,312 CA$4,649

$1,552 CA$2,179

113.36%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.61

6.46

-13.16%

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

Last update for Vancouver: July 25, 2026

Last update for Thompson: July 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,024 in Vancouver versus $700 in Thompson. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 113% 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 $78.0 in Vancouver versus $71.0 in Thompson. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $417 vs $363 – making Thompson 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 Thompson: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Vancouver costs about 54% more than Thompson, 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 $4,226 per month in Vancouver and $2,737 in Thompson. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Thompson, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $78.0 in Vancouver and $71.0 in Thompson. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $2,818 in Vancouver and $1,825 in Thompson. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Thompson, where all-in costs run around $1,825, than in Vancouver at $2,818. In Thompson it covers expenses comfortably, while in Vancouver it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Thompson – 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 Thompson. 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.