Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Vancouver and Vaughan

For one person, living is cheaper in Vaughan: $2,476 a month against $2,725 in Vancouver, rent and utilities included – about $3,000 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Vancouver, Canada
Vaughan, Canada
Vancouver
🇨🇦 Canada
$2,725
/mo nomad
Vaughan
🇨🇦 Canada
$2,476
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Vancouver and in Vaughan

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Vancouver and in Vaughan actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,725 in Vancouver versus $2,476 in Vaughan.

  • Vancouver $2,725
  • Vaughan $2,476

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,039 in Vancouver versus $3,872 in Vaughan.

  • Vancouver $4,039
  • Vaughan $3,872

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,352 in Vancouver versus $5,267 in Vaughan.

  • Vancouver $5,352
  • Vaughan $5,267

Living in Vancouver is roughly 10% more expensive than in Vaughan, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Vancouver 100% above, Vaughan 82% above.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Vancouver
Vaughan
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$17.65 CA$24.66
$17.09 CA$23.88
3.28%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$72.4 CA$101
$71.7 CA$100
0.95%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$10.84 CA$15.14
$9.90 CA$13.84
9.49%
Cappuccino
$3.91 CA$5.47
$3.80 CA$5.32
2.89%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.10 CA$2.94
$2.16 CA$3.01
-2.78%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.64 CA$2.29
$1.71 CA$2.39
-4.09%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$5.74 CA$8.02
$5.70 CA$7.96
0.70%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$6.36 CA$8.89
$6.44 CA$9.00
-1.24%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Vancouver
Vaughan
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$2.21 CA$3.09
$1.98 CA$2.76
11.62%
White Bread (500g)
$2.64 CA$3.69
$2.22 CA$3.10
18.92%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$4.68 CA$6.54
$2.70 CA$3.78
73.33%
Eggs
$4.24 CA$5.92
$3.04 CA$4.25
39.47%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$11.92 CA$16.66
$9.65 CA$13.48
23.52%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$13.12 CA$18.34
$12.11 CA$16.92
8.34%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$20.40 CA$28.51
$14.05 CA$19.64
45.20%
Apples (1kg)
$4.10 CA$5.73
$3.45 CA$4.83
18.84%
Banana (1kg)
$1.38 CA$1.92
$1.34 CA$1.87
2.99%
Oranges (1kg)
$3.83 CA$5.35
$3.16 CA$4.41
21.20%
Tomato (1kg)
$3.92 CA$5.47
$3.44 CA$4.80
13.95%
Potato (1kg)
$2.77 CA$3.88
$1.68 CA$2.34
64.88%
Onion (1kg)
$2.84 CA$3.96
$1.90 CA$2.66
49.47%
Lettuce (1 head)
$2.60 CA$3.63
$2.28 CA$3.19
14.04%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.59 CA$2.23
$1.26 CA$1.76
26.19%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$15.87 CA$22.17
$12.69 CA$17.73
25.06%
Wine (Bottle)
$14.00 CA$19.56
$13.30 CA$18.58
5.26%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$2.57 CA$3.59
$1.99 CA$2.78
29.15%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.01 CA$4.21
$1.41 CA$1.97
113.48%
🚌 Getting Around
Vancouver
Vaughan
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$2.55 CA$3.57
$2.95 CA$4.12
-13.56%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$84.1 CA$118
$113 CA$158
-25.45%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$2.67 CA$3.73
$3.05 CA$4.26
-12.46%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.58 CA$2.21
$1.21 CA$1.69
30.58%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$32.19 CA$44.98
$22.31 CA$31.17
44.29%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.45 CA$2.03
$1.18 CA$1.65
22.88%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$27.5K CA$38.4K
$28.7K CA$40.1K
-4.11%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$21.3K CA$29.8K
$20.2K CA$28.2K
5.65%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Vancouver
Vaughan
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$82.5 CA$115
$113 CA$157
-26.71%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$37.46 CA$52.3
$29.62 CA$41.39
26.47%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$51.7 CA$72.2
$49.75 CA$69.5
3.90%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Vancouver
Vaughan
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$40.52 CA$56.6
$30.89 CA$43.16
31.18%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$12.69 CA$17.73
$21.55 CA$30.11
-41.11%
Cinema Ticket
$12.66 CA$17.69
$10.36 CA$14.47
22.20%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Vancouver
Vaughan
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$1,080 CA$1,509
$722 CA$1,008
49.61%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$20.1K CA$28.1K
$16.7K CA$23.4K
20.34%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Vancouver
Vaughan
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$58.5 CA$81.7
$43.33 CA$60.6
34.89%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$34.10 CA$47.65
$44.36 CA$62.0
-23.13%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$96.9 CA$135
$106 CA$149
-8.96%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$97.4 CA$136
$107 CA$149
-8.89%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Vancouver
Vaughan
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,813 CA$2,534
$1,794 CA$2,506
1.09%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,576 CA$2,202
$1,370 CA$1,915
14.98%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$3,217 CA$4,494
$3,421 CA$4,780
-5.97%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$2,651 CA$3,705
$2,701 CA$3,774
-1.83%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$8,590 CA$12.0K
$7,654 CA$10.7K
12.22%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$6,649 CA$9,291
$5,523 CA$7,717
20.39%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Vancouver
Vaughan
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$3,733 CA$5,216
$3,084 CA$4,310
21.02%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
4.28
5.26
-18.63%

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

Last update for Vancouver: October 27, 2026

Last update for Vaughan: October 25, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Vancouver
$1.6K
Vaughan
$1.4K 13% $205
Groceries & Markets
Vancouver
$401
Vaughan
$324 19.2% $77
Eating Out
Vancouver
$277
Vaughan
$269 2.9% $8.1
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Vancouver
$172
Vaughan
$192 11.8% $20
Clothing & Footwear
Vancouver
$129
Vaughan
$135 4.9% $6.4
Getting Around
Vancouver
$105
Vaughan
$134 27.5% $29
Sport & Entertainment
Vancouver
$66
Vaughan
$52 21.6% $14

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,813 in Vancouver and $1,794 in Vaughan. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Vancouver pays 21% more on average. How far that income stretches comes down to housing choices and lifestyle.

Dining out: $72 in Vancouver vs $72 in Vaughan. Groceries flip the comparison at $401 vs $324, with Vaughan cheaper for home cooking.

Good to know
🇨🇦 Vancouver
🇨🇦 Vaughan
🕒 Local time
18:43 6:43 PM
20:43 8:43 PM
2 h ahead of Vancouver
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
631,486
323,103
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

USD, EUR to CAD – Canadian Dollar Converter

Canadian Dollar exchange rates as of November 2, 2026: 1 USD = 1.4 CAD (1 CAD = 0.716 USD). 1 EUR = 1.56 CAD (1 CAD = 0.641 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Vancouver Vaughan 3,340 km ≈ 4 h 45 min nonstop flight
From you
  • Vancouver
  • Vaughan

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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
What is the total cost difference between living in Vancouver and in Vaughan?
Total monthly costs including rent come to $2,725 in Vancouver and $2,476 in Vaughan, so Vaughan is about 9% cheaper – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.
Which city pays better: Vancouver or Vaughan?
Average pay runs 21% higher in Vancouver, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.
How do apartment prices compare in Vancouver and in Vaughan?
Rent for a central apartment: $1,813 in Vancouver versus $1,794 in Vaughan. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Which city has cheaper grocery shopping?
Supermarket bills run roughly 24% higher in Vancouver. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.
Which city is more expensive overall: Vancouver or Vaughan?
All in, you’ll spend $2,725 per month in Vancouver versus $2,476 in Vaughan – Vaughan is about 9% cheaper, which adds up to real savings over time.
How do I decide between Vancouver and Vaughan?
It comes down to priorities – Vaughan wins on affordability, Vancouver on earning potential. Factor in climate, language, visa rules, and proximity to places that matter to you before deciding.

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