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: $2,860 in Vancouver versus $2,329 in Vernon, BC.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,199 in Vancouver versus $3,131 in Vernon, BC.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,538 in Vancouver versus $3,933 in Vernon, BC.

Living in Vancouver is roughly 23% more expensive than Vernon, BC, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Vancouver 113% above, Vernon, BC 73% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.50 CA$25.84

$14.83 CA$20.71

24.75%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$79.5 CA$111

$68.8 CA$96.1

15.60%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.11 CA$15.52

$10.94 CA$15.27

1.55%

Cappuccino

$4.11 CA$5.74

$3.66 CA$5.11

12.30%

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

$2.21 CA$3.08

$1.92 CA$2.68

15.10%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.75 CA$2.45

$1.57 CA$2.20

11.46%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.77 CA$8.06

$5.87 CA$8.20

-1.70%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.45 CA$10.40

$6.45 CA$9.01

15.50%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.20 CA$3.07

$2.22 CA$3.10

-0.90%

White Bread (500g)

$3.22 CA$4.49

$2.81 CA$3.92

14.59%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.68 CA$5.14

$3.31 CA$4.63

11.18%

Eggs

$4.39 CA$6.13

$3.73 CA$5.21

17.69%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.82 CA$17.90

$10.03 CA$14.01

27.82%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.20 CA$19.82

$10.40 CA$14.53

36.54%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.04 CA$22.40

$13.25 CA$18.50

21.06%

Apples (1kg)

$4.38 CA$6.12

$3.99 CA$5.57

9.77%

Banana (1kg)

$1.53 CA$2.13

$1.77 CA$2.47

-13.56%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.07 CA$5.68

$4.11 CA$5.74

-0.97%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.18 CA$7.23

$5.30 CA$7.40

-2.26%

Potato (1kg)

$3.05 CA$4.25

$3.01 CA$4.20

1.33%

Onion (1kg)

$2.96 CA$4.14

$3.00 CA$4.19

-1.33%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.73 CA$3.81

$2.92 CA$4.08

-6.51%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.87 CA$2.61

$1.82 CA$2.54

2.75%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$15.40 CA$21.51

$13.88 CA$19.38

10.95%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.32 CA$20.00

$17.16 CA$23.97

-16.55%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.11 CA$4.35

$3.41 CA$4.77

-8.80%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.66 CA$5.12

$3.79 CA$5.30

-3.43%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.41 CA$3.37

$1.86 CA$2.60

29.57%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$82.6 CA$115

$39.83 CA$55.6

107.41%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.65 CA$5.10

$2.41 CA$3.37

51.45%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.49 CA$2.08

$1.55 CA$2.16

-3.87%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$26.94 CA$37.63

$28.95 CA$40.43

-6.94%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.28 CA$1.78

$1.28 CA$1.79

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

$24.9K CA$34.8K

$24.8K CA$34.7K

0.36%

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

$21.0K CA$29.3K

$19.8K CA$27.7K

5.78%

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

$92.2 CA$129

$159 CA$222

-41.94%

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

$40.43 CA$56.5

$45.46 CA$63.5

-11.06%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$62.0 CA$86.6

$63.0 CA$87.9

-1.56%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.57 CA$62.2

$31.68 CA$44.25

40.69%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$15.75 CA$21.99

$15.47 CA$21.60

1.81%

Cinema Ticket

$12.19 CA$17.02

$10.51 CA$14.68

15.98%

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

$1,164 CA$1,625

$440 CA$614

164.63%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$18.1K CA$25.3K

$5,874 CA$8,203

208.24%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$62.9 CA$87.9

$60.4 CA$84.3

4.19%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.23 CA$59.0

$40.18 CA$56.1

5.10%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$98.0 CA$137

$88.5 CA$124

10.74%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$118 CA$165

$79.5 CA$111

48.45%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,977 CA$2,761

$1,088 CA$1,520

81.65%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,665 CA$2,325

$1,212 CA$1,692

37.41%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,579 CA$4,997

$1,575 CA$2,199

127.26%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,798 CA$3,907

$1,449 CA$2,023

93.11%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$8,881 CA$12.4K

$7,037 CA$9,827

26.21%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,873 CA$9,598

$4,836 CA$6,753

42.14%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,432 CA$4,792

$3,061 CA$4,275

12.11%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.61

6.36

-11.79%

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

Last update for Vancouver: June 7, 2026

Last update for Vernon, BC: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,977 in Vancouver and $1,088 in Vernon, BC. 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: $80.0 in Vancouver vs $69.0 in Vernon, BC for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $417 vs $381 per month, with Vernon, BC 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 Vernon, BC: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Vancouver and Vernon, BC differ by about 23% in total monthly costs ($2,860 vs $2,329 including rent). Vernon, BC is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Vancouver pays 12% 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: $1,977 in Vancouver versus $1,088 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 $69.0 versus $80.0 in Vancouver. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $2,860 per month in Vancouver versus $2,329 in Vernon, BC – a 23% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $2,329 in Vernon, BC versus $2,860 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 23% less than in Vancouver. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.