Cost of Living Comparison Between Vancouver and Windsor Cost of Living Comparison Between Vancouver and Windsor

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,906 in Vancouver versus $2,423 in Windsor.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,209 in Vancouver versus $3,467 in Windsor.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,513 in Vancouver versus $4,511 in Windsor.

Living in Vancouver is roughly 20% more expensive than in Windsor, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Vancouver 118% above, Windsor 81% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.62 CA$26.20

$11.12 CA$15.65

67.45%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$77.9 CA$110

$73.4 CA$103

6.07%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.84 CA$15.26

$11.19 CA$15.75

-3.13%

Cappuccino

$3.93 CA$5.53

$4.00 CA$5.62

-1.75%

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

$2.24 CA$3.16

$2.07 CA$2.92

8.21%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.75 CA$2.46

$1.89 CA$2.67

-7.41%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.05 CA$8.51

$5.00 CA$7.03

21.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.30 CA$10.27

$6.04 CA$8.51

20.86%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.30 CA$3.24

$1.86 CA$2.61

23.66%

White Bread (500g)

$3.07 CA$4.32

$2.19 CA$3.08

40.18%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.77 CA$5.30

$3.86 CA$5.43

-2.33%

Eggs

$4.32 CA$6.08

$3.18 CA$4.47

35.85%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.57 CA$17.69

$10.62 CA$14.95

18.36%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.74 CA$19.34

$10.95 CA$15.41

25.48%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.99 CA$22.49

$13.89 CA$19.54

15.12%

Apples (1kg)

$4.26 CA$6.00

$4.08 CA$5.74

4.41%

Banana (1kg)

$1.52 CA$2.14

$1.03 CA$1.45

47.57%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.92 CA$5.52

$3.37 CA$4.75

16.32%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.08 CA$7.15

$3.78 CA$5.32

34.39%

Potato (1kg)

$3.20 CA$4.50

$1.94 CA$2.73

64.95%

Onion (1kg)

$3.09 CA$4.34

$2.03 CA$2.85

52.22%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.60 CA$3.65

$2.27 CA$3.19

14.54%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.88 CA$2.65

$1.50 CA$2.11

25.33%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$15.45 CA$21.74

$13.43 CA$18.90

15.04%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.89 CA$20.95

$11.68 CA$16.44

27.48%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.12 CA$4.39

$2.79 CA$3.92

11.83%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.80 CA$5.35

$2.88 CA$4.05

31.94%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.42 CA$3.40

$2.83 CA$3.98

-14.49%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$83.0 CA$117

$92.7 CA$130

-10.45%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.76 CA$5.28

$3.34 CA$4.70

12.57%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.48 CA$2.09

$1.35 CA$1.90

9.63%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$26.97 CA$37.95

$21.68 CA$30.50

24.40%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.30 CA$1.82

$1.11 CA$1.56

17.12%

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

$25.2K CA$35.4K

$25.3K CA$35.6K

-0.32%

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

$20.6K CA$28.9K

$24.5K CA$34.5K

-16.23%

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

$91.8 CA$129

$202 CA$284

-54.43%

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

$39.34 CA$55.4

$55.9 CA$78.6

-29.61%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$60.6 CA$85.3

$61.4 CA$86.4

-1.24%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.58 CA$62.7

$45.76 CA$64.4

-2.58%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$15.88 CA$22.35

$25.46 CA$35.83

-37.63%

Cinema Ticket

$12.18 CA$17.13

$9.70 CA$13.65

25.57%

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

$1,185 CA$1,667

$505 CA$711

134.43%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$18.5K CA$26.1K

$4,360 CA$6,135

324.97%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$62.5 CA$87.9

$37.40 CA$52.6

67.09%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.38 CA$59.6

$35.00 CA$49.24

21.09%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$95.0 CA$134

$81.4 CA$115

16.66%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$115 CA$162

$78.9 CA$111

45.61%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,979 CA$2,785

$1,240 CA$1,745

59.61%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,644 CA$2,313

$1,250 CA$1,758

31.51%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,577 CA$5,033

$1,700 CA$2,393

110.35%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,782 CA$3,915

$1,894 CA$2,665

46.90%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$8,754 CA$12.3K

$3,029 CA$4,263

188.96%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$7,087 CA$9,972

$2,982 CA$4,196

137.66%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,380 CA$4,756

$3,024 CA$4,256

11.76%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.61

6.66

-15.77%

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

Last update for Vancouver: July 14, 2026

Last update for Windsor: July 11, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,979 in Vancouver and $1,240 in Windsor. 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: $78.0 in Vancouver vs $73.0 in Windsor for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $414 vs $336 per month, with Windsor 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 Windsor: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Vancouver and Windsor differ by about 20% in total monthly costs ($2,906 vs $2,423 including rent). Windsor is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 12% 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: $1,979 in Vancouver versus $1,240 in Windsor. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Windsor – a meal for two runs $73.0 versus $78.0 in Vancouver. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $2,906 per month in Vancouver versus $2,423 in Windsor – a 20% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $2,423 in Windsor versus $2,906 in Vancouver, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Windsor but tight or insufficient in Vancouver. The gap between the two cities makes Windsor 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 Windsor gentler on the wallet – expenses run 20% less than in Vancouver. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.