Cost of Living Comparison Between Vancouver and Vaughan Cost of Living Comparison Between Vancouver and Vaughan

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,906 in Vancouver versus $2,570 in Vaughan.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,209 in Vancouver versus $3,765 in Vaughan.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,513 in Vancouver versus $4,960 in Vaughan.

Living in Vancouver is roughly 13% more expensive than in Vaughan, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Vancouver 118% above, Vaughan 92% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.62 CA$26.20

$14.98 CA$21.08

24.30%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$77.9 CA$110

$77.2 CA$109

0.96%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.84 CA$15.26

$10.13 CA$14.25

7.01%

Cappuccino

$3.93 CA$5.53

$3.48 CA$4.90

12.93%

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

$2.24 CA$3.16

$2.12 CA$2.98

5.66%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.75 CA$2.46

$1.74 CA$2.44

0.57%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.05 CA$8.51

$6.32 CA$8.90

-4.27%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.30 CA$10.27

$5.23 CA$7.35

39.58%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.30 CA$3.24

$1.76 CA$2.47

30.68%

White Bread (500g)

$3.07 CA$4.32

$2.13 CA$3.00

44.13%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.77 CA$5.30

$3.67 CA$5.17

2.72%

Eggs

$4.32 CA$6.08

$3.38 CA$4.76

27.81%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.57 CA$17.69

$8.64 CA$12.16

45.49%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.74 CA$19.34

$11.08 CA$15.59

24.01%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.99 CA$22.49

$6.29 CA$8.85

154.21%

Apples (1kg)

$4.26 CA$6.00

$2.94 CA$4.14

44.90%

Banana (1kg)

$1.52 CA$2.14

$1.60 CA$2.25

-5.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.92 CA$5.52

$2.93 CA$4.12

33.79%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.08 CA$7.15

$3.41 CA$4.79

48.97%

Potato (1kg)

$3.20 CA$4.50

$1.90 CA$2.67

68.42%

Onion (1kg)

$3.09 CA$4.34

$2.00 CA$2.81

54.50%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.60 CA$3.65

$1.84 CA$2.60

41.30%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.88 CA$2.65

$1.76 CA$2.47

6.82%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$15.45 CA$21.74

$12.99 CA$18.27

18.94%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.89 CA$20.95

$11.55 CA$16.26

28.92%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.12 CA$4.39

$2.14 CA$3.01

45.79%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.80 CA$5.35

$2.11 CA$2.97

80.09%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.42 CA$3.40

$2.83 CA$3.99

-14.49%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$83.0 CA$117

$111 CA$156

-25.04%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.76 CA$5.28

$3.09 CA$4.34

21.68%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.48 CA$2.09

$1.42 CA$1.99

4.23%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$26.97 CA$37.95

$22.39 CA$31.50

20.46%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.30 CA$1.82

$1.09 CA$1.53

19.27%

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

$25.2K CA$35.4K

$25.3K CA$35.5K

-0.26%

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

$20.6K CA$28.9K

$20.1K CA$28.2K

2.46%

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

$91.8 CA$129

$133 CA$188

-31.11%

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

$39.34 CA$55.4

$33.44 CA$47.06

17.64%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$60.6 CA$85.3

$49.61 CA$69.8

22.17%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.58 CA$62.7

$33.30 CA$46.85

33.87%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$15.88 CA$22.35

$21.88 CA$30.79

-27.42%

Cinema Ticket

$12.18 CA$17.13

$11.00 CA$15.48

10.73%

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

$1,185 CA$1,667

$820 CA$1,153

44.54%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$18.5K CA$26.1K

$18.4K CA$25.9K

0.57%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$62.5 CA$87.9

$43.70 CA$61.5

43.00%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.38 CA$59.6

$36.61 CA$51.5

15.76%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$95.0 CA$134

$60.6 CA$85.3

56.70%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$115 CA$162

$104 CA$146

10.34%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,979 CA$2,785

$1,744 CA$2,454

13.49%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,644 CA$2,313

$1,558 CA$2,192

5.51%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,577 CA$5,033

$3,034 CA$4,269

17.88%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,782 CA$3,915

$2,553 CA$3,593

8.98%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$8,754 CA$12.3K

$8,654 CA$12.2K

1.16%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$7,087 CA$9,972

$6,311 CA$8,881

12.28%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,380 CA$4,756

$3,014 CA$4,240

12.16%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.61

6.73

-16.64%

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

Last update for Vancouver: July 14, 2026

Last update for Vaughan: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,979 in Vancouver and $1,744 in Vaughan. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Vancouver pays 12% 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 $77.0 in Vaughan for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $414 vs $297 per month, with Vaughan 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 Vaughan: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Vancouver and Vaughan differ by about 13% in total monthly costs ($2,906 vs $2,570 including rent). Vaughan is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 12% 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: $1,979 in Vancouver versus $1,744 in Vaughan. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Vaughan – a meal for two runs $77.0 versus $78.0 in Vancouver. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $2,906 per month in Vancouver versus $2,570 in Vaughan – a 13% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

Both cities are expensive relative to $2,500. Vaughan is the more realistic option, but even there you'll need to be disciplined with housing, food, and fun money.

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 Vaughan gentler on the wallet – expenses run 13% less than in Vancouver. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.