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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,845 per month in Vancouver vs $1,847 in Thompson, rent included.

A couple spends around $4,183 per month in Vancouver vs $2,781 in Thompson, rent included.

A family of three spends $5,520 per month in Vancouver vs $3,716 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 111%, Thompson by 37%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.26 CA$25.01

$16.61 CA$22.76

9.93%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$78.8 CA$108

$71.3 CA$97.7

10.56%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.17 CA$15.30

$11.25 CA$15.42

-0.71%

Cappuccino

$3.92 CA$5.37

$3.88 CA$5.32

1.03%

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

$2.23 CA$3.05

$1.98 CA$2.71

12.63%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.83 CA$2.51

$1.71 CA$2.34

7.02%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.85 CA$8.02

$5.54 CA$7.60

5.60%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.17 CA$9.82

$6.04 CA$8.28

18.71%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.20 CA$3.02

$2.11 CA$2.89

4.27%

White Bread (500g)

$3.22 CA$4.41

$2.68 CA$3.67

20.15%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.75 CA$5.13

$3.54 CA$4.85

5.93%

Eggs

$4.36 CA$5.98

$3.36 CA$4.61

29.76%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.71 CA$17.41

$11.33 CA$15.52

12.18%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.90 CA$19.04

$11.96 CA$16.38

16.22%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.66 CA$21.45

$14.48 CA$19.84

8.15%

Apples (1kg)

$4.24 CA$5.81

$4.00 CA$5.48

6.00%

Banana (1kg)

$1.54 CA$2.11

$1.41 CA$1.93

9.22%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.87 CA$5.30

$3.58 CA$4.90

8.10%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.08 CA$6.96

$3.73 CA$5.12

36.19%

Potato (1kg)

$3.20 CA$4.38

$2.47 CA$3.39

29.55%

Onion (1kg)

$2.93 CA$4.02

$2.56 CA$3.51

14.45%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.63 CA$3.60

$2.60 CA$3.56

1.15%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.86 CA$2.55

$1.79 CA$2.45

3.91%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$15.36 CA$21.04

$13.86 CA$18.98

10.82%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.48 CA$21.20

$13.08 CA$17.92

18.35%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.10 CA$4.25

$2.90 CA$3.98

6.90%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.74 CA$5.12

$3.10 CA$4.25

20.65%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.38 CA$3.27

$2.44 CA$3.34

-2.46%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$84.0 CA$115

$62.9 CA$86.2

33.61%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.66 CA$5.01

$3.15 CA$4.31

16.19%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.48 CA$2.03

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$26.98 CA$36.96

$25.65 CA$35.13

5.19%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.28 CA$1.76

$1.18 CA$1.61

8.47%

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

$25.6K CA$35.0K

$24.8K CA$34.0K

2.88%

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

$20.8K CA$28.6K

$20.5K CA$28.0K

1.88%

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

$91.0 CA$125

$143 CA$196

-36.52%

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

$40.15 CA$55.0

$43.17 CA$59.1

-7.00%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$60.8 CA$83.3

$63.4 CA$86.8

-4.13%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$46.05 CA$63.1

$41.30 CA$56.6

11.50%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$15.77 CA$21.61

Cinema Ticket

$12.25 CA$16.79

$11.24 CA$15.39

8.99%

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

$1,165 CA$1,596

$749 CA$1,026

55.52%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$18.4K CA$25.2K

$11.7K CA$16.1K

56.51%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$62.6 CA$85.7

$55.0 CA$75.4

13.75%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.30 CA$58.0

$39.03 CA$53.5

8.38%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$98.1 CA$134

$85.4 CA$117

14.87%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$114 CA$156

$105 CA$144

8.25%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,988 CA$2,724

$695 CA$952

185.97%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,669 CA$2,287

$709 CA$971

135.53%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,580 CA$4,904

$1,160 CA$1,589

208.66%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,728 CA$3,738

$1,141 CA$1,563

139.23%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$9,014 CA$12.3K

$4,455 CA$6,103

102.34%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$7,085 CA$9,707

$3,442 CA$4,715

105.87%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,588 CA$4,916

$1,591 CA$2,180

125.52%

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: April 12, 2026

Last update for Thompson: April 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,988 in Vancouver versus $695 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 126% 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 $79 in Vancouver versus $71 in Thompson. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $415 vs $366 – 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 $4,268 per month in Vancouver and $2,770 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 $79.0 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 $2,845 in Vancouver and $1,847 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 $1,847, than in Vancouver at $2,845. 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.