Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Vancouver and Wilkes-Barre, PA

For one person, living is cheaper in Wilkes-Barre, PA: $2,190 a month against $2,662 in Vancouver, rent and utilities included – about $5,700 less a year. Higher rent and utilities in Vancouver outweigh lower spending on other living expenses.

129

Cost of Living Index in Vancouver
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Vancouver Living Index
106

Cost of Living Index in Wilkes-Barre, PA
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Wilkes-Barre, PA Living Index

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Vancouver

🇨🇦 Canada

$2,662

/mo nomad

Wilkes-Barre, PA

🇺🇸 United States

$2,190

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Vancouver and in Wilkes-Barre, PA

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 Wilkes-Barre, PA actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,662 in Vancouver versus $2,190 in Wilkes-Barre, PA.

Vancouver $2,662
Wilkes-Barre, PA $2,190

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,916 in Vancouver versus $3,358 in Wilkes-Barre, PA.

Vancouver $3,916
Wilkes-Barre, PA $3,358

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,170 in Vancouver versus $4,526 in Wilkes-Barre, PA.

Vancouver $5,170
Wilkes-Barre, PA $4,526

Living in Vancouver is roughly 22% more expensive than in Wilkes-Barre, PA, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in transport.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Vancouver 96% above, Wilkes-Barre, PA 62% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.01 CA$25.46

$18.15 $18.15

-0.77%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$71.0 CA$100

$49.37 $49.37

43.85%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.83 CA$15.31

$10.40 $10.40

4.13%

Cappuccino

$3.94 CA$5.56

$3.91 $3.91

0.77%

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

$2.13 CA$3.01

$0.99 $0.99

115.15%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.66 CA$2.34

$1.99 $1.99

-16.58%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.73 CA$8.10

$6.85 $6.85

-16.35%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.40 CA$9.04

$7.31 $7.31

-12.45%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.15 CA$3.04

$0.90 $0.90

138.89%

White Bread (500g)

$2.55 CA$3.61

$3.25 $3.25

-21.54%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.56 CA$6.45

$4.38 $4.38

4.11%

Eggs

$4.06 CA$5.74

$4.02 $4.02

1.00%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.14 CA$17.17

$10.82 $10.82

12.20%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.23 CA$18.71

$13.33 $13.33

-0.75%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$20.24 CA$28.62

$17.75 $17.75

14.03%

Apples (1kg)

$4.05 CA$5.73

$6.42 $6.42

-36.92%

Banana (1kg)

$1.42 CA$2.00

$1.39 $1.39

2.16%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.97 CA$5.62

$5.39 $5.39

-26.35%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.91 CA$5.53

$6.79 $6.79

-42.42%

Potato (1kg)

$2.64 CA$3.74

$2.90 $2.90

-8.97%

Onion (1kg)

$2.82 CA$3.98

$3.77 $3.77

-25.20%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.48 CA$3.51

$2.97 $2.97

-16.50%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.59 CA$2.24

$2.74 $2.74

-41.97%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$15.30 CA$21.64

$15.11 $15.11

1.26%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.32 CA$20.24

$14.83 $14.83

-3.44%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.57 CA$3.63

$3.06 $3.06

-16.01%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.91 CA$4.12

$4.70 $4.70

-38.09%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.55 CA$3.60

$1.47 $1.47

73.47%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$84.6 CA$120

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.64 CA$3.73

$3.83 $3.83

-31.07%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.63 CA$2.31

$2.19 $2.19

-25.57%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$31.77 CA$44.91

$29.91 $29.91

6.22%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.42 CA$2.01

$1.10 $1.10

29.09%

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

$27.1K CA$38.3K

$30.9K $30.9K

-12.40%

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

$21.6K CA$30.5K

$26.8K $26.8K

-19.54%

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

$81.3 CA$115

$238 $238

-65.82%

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

$37.20 CA$52.6

$57.5 $57.5

-35.25%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$52.6 CA$74.4

$74.2 $74.2

-29.12%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.34 CA$62.7

$49.49 $49.49

-10.41%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$12.37 CA$17.49

Cinema Ticket

$12.62 CA$17.85

$14.75 $14.75

-14.44%

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

$1,093 CA$1,544

$1,732 $1,732

-36.93%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$20.0K CA$28.2K

$17.7K $17.7K

13.08%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.5 CA$82.7

$54.5 $54.5

7.21%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$33.35 CA$47.14

$48.05 $48.05

-30.59%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$96.3 CA$136

$96.1 $96.1

0.21%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$95.6 CA$135

$124 $124

-22.84%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,765 CA$2,495

$1,253 $1,253

40.88%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,508 CA$2,132

$852 $852

76.97%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,122 CA$4,414

$1,736 $1,736

79.91%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,469 CA$3,490

$1,752 $1,752

40.93%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$8,173 CA$11.6K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,354 CA$8,982

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,592 CA$5,078

$4,296 $4,296

-16.38%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.28

6.67

-35.83%

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

Last update for Vancouver: October 17, 2026

Last update for Wilkes-Barre, PA: October 20, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Vancouver

$1.5K 56.7%

Wilkes-Barre, PA

$852 38.9% 43.5% $656

Groceries & Markets

Vancouver

$399 15%

Wilkes-Barre, PA

$439 20% 10% $40

Eating Out

Vancouver

$280 10.5%

Wilkes-Barre, PA

$284 13% 1.3% $3.7

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Vancouver

$171 6.4%

Wilkes-Barre, PA

$370 16.9% 116% $199

Clothing & Footwear

Vancouver

$128 4.8%

Wilkes-Barre, PA

$145 6.6% 13.7% $17

Getting Around

Vancouver

$106 4%

Wilkes-Barre, PA

$21 * 0.9% 80.4% $85

Sport & Entertainment

Vancouver

$70 2.6%

Wilkes-Barre, PA

$79 3.6% 13.5% $9.4

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,765 in Vancouver and $1,253 in Wilkes-Barre, PA. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Wilkes-Barre, PA pays 20% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $71.0 in Vancouver vs $49.00 in Wilkes-Barre, PA. Groceries flip the comparison at $399 vs $439, with Vancouver cheaper for home cooking.

Good to know

🇨🇦 Vancouver

🇺🇸 Wilkes-Barre, PA

🕒 Local time

15:44 3:44 PM

18:44 6:44 PM

3 h ahead of Vancouver

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

631,486

41,288

💱 Currency

Canadian Dollar CAD $

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 CAD = 0.707 USD

1 CAD = 0.629 EUR

1 USD = 0.89 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

USD, EUR to CAD – Canadian Dollar Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇨🇦 Canadian Dollar ($)

Canadian Dollar exchange rates as of October 20, 2026: 1 USD = 1.41 CAD (1 CAD = 0.707 USD). 1 EUR = 1.59 CAD (1 CAD = 0.629 EUR).

United States Dollar exchange rates as of October 20, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.89 EUR).

USD to CAD in detail →

On the map

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Between locations

Vancouver Wilkes-Barre, PA 3,740 km ≈ 5 h nonstop flight

From you

Vancouver
Wilkes-Barre, PA

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 Wilkes-Barre, PA: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Vancouver and Wilkes-Barre, PA differ by about 22% in total monthly costs ($2,662 vs $2,190 including rent). Wilkes-Barre, PA is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 20% lower in Wilkes-Barre, PA. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,765 in Vancouver versus $1,253 in Wilkes-Barre, PA. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Shoppers in Vancouver pay roughly 10% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

All in, you'll spend $2,662 per month in Vancouver versus $2,190 in Wilkes-Barre, PA – a 22% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $2,190 in Wilkes-Barre, PA versus $2,662 in Vancouver, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Wilkes-Barre, PA but tight or insufficient in Vancouver. The gap between the two cities makes Wilkes-Barre, PA 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 Wilkes-Barre, PA gentler on the wallet – expenses run 22% less than in Vancouver. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.