Cost of Living Comparison Between Vancouver and Vernon, BC Cost of Living Comparison Between Vancouver and Vernon, BC

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,735 in Vancouver versus $2,182 in Vernon, BC.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,984 in Vancouver versus $3,167 in Vernon, BC.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,234 in Vancouver versus $4,151 in Vernon, BC.

Living in Vancouver is roughly 25% more expensive than in Vernon, BC, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Vancouver 100% above, Vernon, BC 59% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.82 CA$24.93

$14.66 CA$20.50

21.56%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$72.4 CA$101

$61.4 CA$85.8

18.08%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.93 CA$15.30

$10.66 CA$14.91

2.53%

Cappuccino

$4.19 CA$5.86

$3.61 CA$5.04

16.07%

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

$2.22 CA$3.11

$1.83 CA$2.56

21.31%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.64 CA$2.29

$1.58 CA$2.21

3.80%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.89 CA$8.23

$5.64 CA$7.90

4.43%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.51 CA$9.11

$6.29 CA$8.80

3.50%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.12 CA$2.96

$2.71 CA$3.79

-21.77%

White Bread (500g)

$2.64 CA$3.69

$3.09 CA$4.33

-14.56%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.44 CA$6.21

$3.19 CA$4.46

39.18%

Eggs

$4.21 CA$5.89

$3.84 CA$5.37

9.64%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.04 CA$16.85

$9.70 CA$13.57

24.12%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.91 CA$19.46

$10.49 CA$14.67

32.60%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$20.62 CA$28.85

$22.18 CA$31.02

-7.03%

Apples (1kg)

$4.29 CA$6.00

$3.93 CA$5.49

9.16%

Banana (1kg)

$1.34 CA$1.88

$1.37 CA$1.91

-2.19%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.88 CA$5.43

$6.03 CA$8.43

-35.66%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.08 CA$5.70

$5.24 CA$7.33

-22.14%

Potato (1kg)

$2.88 CA$4.03

$2.66 CA$3.72

8.27%

Onion (1kg)

$2.93 CA$4.09

$2.85 CA$3.99

2.81%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.63 CA$3.68

$2.47 CA$3.45

6.48%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.70 CA$2.38

$1.40 CA$1.96

21.43%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$15.66 CA$21.91

$13.34 CA$18.66

17.39%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.23 CA$19.91

$17.22 CA$24.09

-17.36%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.78 CA$3.89

$3.19 CA$4.47

-12.85%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.05 CA$4.27

$4.29 CA$6.00

-28.90%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.53 CA$3.54

$1.82 CA$2.54

39.01%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$85.5 CA$120

$39.34 CA$55.0

117.41%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.67 CA$3.73

$2.12 CA$2.97

25.94%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.61 CA$2.25

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$32.34 CA$45.24

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.40 CA$1.96

$1.30 CA$1.81

7.69%

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

$28.6K CA$40.0K

$25.6K CA$35.8K

11.65%

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

$19.8K CA$27.7K

$19.2K CA$26.8K

3.49%

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

$78.8 CA$110

$134 CA$188

-41.35%

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

$35.70 CA$49.94

$28.72 CA$40.17

24.30%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$51.1 CA$71.5

$57.2 CA$80.0

-10.70%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.37 CA$59.3

$36.21 CA$50.7

17.01%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$13.04 CA$18.24

$15.24 CA$21.32

-14.44%

Cinema Ticket

$11.68 CA$16.34

$10.49 CA$14.67

11.34%

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

$1,108 CA$1,549

$144 CA$201

670.67%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$19.9K CA$27.8K

$8,957 CA$12.5K

121.90%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.0 CA$79.7

$59.2 CA$82.8

-3.78%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.01 CA$48.98

$39.16 CA$54.8

-10.60%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$88.0 CA$123

$88.6 CA$124

-0.70%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$91.2 CA$128

$76.5 CA$107

19.20%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,843 CA$2,579

$1,130 CA$1,581

63.12%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,530 CA$2,140

$1,114 CA$1,559

37.31%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,156 CA$4,415

$1,795 CA$2,511

75.80%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,476 CA$3,464

$1,701 CA$2,380

45.56%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$8,675 CA$12.1K

$6,040 CA$8,450

43.62%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,528 CA$9,132

$4,948 CA$6,922

31.93%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,726 CA$5,213

$3,068 CA$4,292

21.45%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.21

4.58

-8.08%

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

Last update for Vancouver: September 13, 2026

Last update for Vernon, BC: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,843 in Vancouver and $1,130 in Vernon, BC. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Vancouver pays 21% 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: $72.0 in Vancouver vs $61.0 in Vernon, BC. Groceries flip the comparison at $409 vs $412, with Vancouver cheaper for home cooking.

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 Vernon, BC: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Vancouver and Vernon, BC differ by about 25% in total monthly costs ($2,735 vs $2,182 including rent). Vernon, BC is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

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.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,843 in Vancouver versus $1,130 in Vernon, BC. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Vernon, BC – a meal for two runs $61.0 versus $72.0 in Vancouver. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $2,735 per month in Vancouver versus $2,182 in Vernon, BC – a 25% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $2,182 in Vernon, BC versus $2,735 in Vancouver, a $3,000 budget is realistic in Vernon, BC but tight or insufficient in Vancouver. The gap between the two cities makes Vernon, BC the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

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 Vernon, BC gentler on the wallet – expenses run 25% less than in Vancouver. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.