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: $2,845 in Vancouver versus $2,562 in Vaughan.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,183 in Vancouver versus $3,721 in Vaughan.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,520 in Vancouver versus $4,881 in Vaughan.

Living in Vancouver is roughly 11% more expensive than Vaughan, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Vancouver 111% above, Vaughan 90% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.26 CA$25.01

$14.91 CA$20.43

22.47%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$78.8 CA$108

$76.3 CA$105

3.28%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.17 CA$15.30

$10.46 CA$14.33

6.79%

Cappuccino

$3.92 CA$5.37

$3.60 CA$4.94

8.89%

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

$2.23 CA$3.05

$2.07 CA$2.84

7.73%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.83 CA$2.51

$1.74 CA$2.38

5.17%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.85 CA$8.02

$6.07 CA$8.32

-3.62%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.17 CA$9.82

$5.22 CA$7.15

37.36%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.20 CA$3.02

$1.73 CA$2.37

27.17%

White Bread (500g)

$3.22 CA$4.41

$2.22 CA$3.04

45.05%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.75 CA$5.13

$3.67 CA$5.02

2.18%

Eggs

$4.36 CA$5.98

$3.27 CA$4.48

33.33%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.71 CA$17.41

$8.90 CA$12.20

42.81%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.90 CA$19.04

$11.08 CA$15.18

25.45%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.66 CA$21.45

$6.45 CA$8.83

142.79%

Apples (1kg)

$4.24 CA$5.81

$2.92 CA$4.00

45.21%

Banana (1kg)

$1.54 CA$2.11

$1.61 CA$2.20

-4.35%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.87 CA$5.30

$2.83 CA$3.87

36.75%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.08 CA$6.96

$3.54 CA$4.85

43.50%

Potato (1kg)

$3.20 CA$4.38

$1.97 CA$2.70

62.44%

Onion (1kg)

$2.93 CA$4.02

$2.03 CA$2.78

44.33%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.63 CA$3.60

$1.81 CA$2.47

45.30%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.86 CA$2.55

$1.70 CA$2.33

9.41%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$15.36 CA$21.04

$13.28 CA$18.19

15.66%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.48 CA$21.20

$11.83 CA$16.21

30.85%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.10 CA$4.25

$2.16 CA$2.96

43.52%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.74 CA$5.12

$2.15 CA$2.94

73.95%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.38 CA$3.27

$2.82 CA$3.86

-15.60%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$84.0 CA$115

$109 CA$149

-22.96%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.66 CA$5.01

$3.08 CA$4.21

18.83%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.48 CA$2.03

$1.36 CA$1.87

8.82%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$26.98 CA$36.96

$22.68 CA$31.07

18.96%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.28 CA$1.76

$1.13 CA$1.55

13.27%

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

$25.6K CA$35.0K

$25.0K CA$34.2K

2.27%

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

$20.8K CA$28.6K

$19.9K CA$27.2K

4.89%

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

$91.0 CA$125

$132 CA$181

-31.28%

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

$40.15 CA$55.0

$33.96 CA$46.52

18.23%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$60.8 CA$83.3

$50.5 CA$69.2

20.41%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$46.05 CA$63.1

$33.25 CA$45.55

38.50%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$15.77 CA$21.61

$22.19 CA$30.40

-28.93%

Cinema Ticket

$12.25 CA$16.79

$10.80 CA$14.80

13.43%

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

$1,165 CA$1,596

$820 CA$1,123

42.06%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$18.4K CA$25.2K

0.07%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$62.6 CA$85.7

$44.30 CA$60.7

41.22%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.30 CA$58.0

$36.90 CA$50.6

14.63%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$98.1 CA$134

$60.7 CA$83.1

61.78%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$114 CA$156

$102 CA$140

11.74%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,988 CA$2,724

$1,755 CA$2,405

13.27%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,669 CA$2,287

$1,539 CA$2,109

8.42%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,580 CA$4,904

$3,048 CA$4,175

17.46%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,728 CA$3,738

$2,564 CA$3,513

6.41%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$9,014 CA$12.3K

$8,901 CA$12.2K

1.27%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$7,085 CA$9,707

$6,357 CA$8,709

11.45%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,588 CA$4,916

$3,027 CA$4,147

18.54%

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: April 12, 2026

Last update for Vaughan: April 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,988 in Vancouver and $1,755 in Vaughan. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Vancouver pays 19% 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: $79 in Vancouver vs $76 in Vaughan for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $415 vs $298 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 11% in total monthly costs ($2,845 vs $2,562 including rent). Vaughan is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Vancouver pays 19% 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: $1,988 in Vancouver versus $1,755 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 $76.0 versus $79.0 in Vancouver. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $2,845 per month in Vancouver versus $2,562 in Vaughan – a 11% 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 11% less than in Vancouver. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.