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: $2,831 in Vancouver versus $2,389 in Windsor.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,231 in Vancouver versus $3,392 in Windsor.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,630 in Vancouver versus $4,395 in Windsor.

Living in Vancouver is roughly 18% more expensive than Windsor, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Vancouver 111% above, Windsor 78% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.26 CA$25.28

$11.23 CA$15.55

62.60%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$77.8 CA$108

$74.2 CA$103

4.89%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.85 CA$15.02

$11.18 CA$15.48

-2.95%

Cappuccino

$3.98 CA$5.51

$4.17 CA$5.77

-4.56%

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

$2.12 CA$2.93

$2.09 CA$2.89

1.44%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.78 CA$2.46

$1.88 CA$2.60

-5.32%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.77 CA$7.99

$5.11 CA$7.08

12.92%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.56 CA$10.46

$6.28 CA$8.69

20.38%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.32 CA$3.21

$1.85 CA$2.56

25.41%

White Bread (500g)

$3.10 CA$4.29

$2.17 CA$3.00

42.86%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.89 CA$5.38

$3.95 CA$5.47

-1.52%

Eggs

$4.53 CA$6.27

$3.18 CA$4.40

42.45%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.92 CA$17.88

$10.73 CA$14.85

20.41%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.14 CA$19.58

$10.86 CA$15.04

30.20%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.74 CA$21.80

$13.88 CA$19.22

13.40%

Apples (1kg)

$4.26 CA$5.89

$3.93 CA$5.44

8.40%

Banana (1kg)

$1.47 CA$2.03

$1.03 CA$1.43

42.72%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.02 CA$5.57

$3.34 CA$4.62

20.36%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.06 CA$7.01

$3.84 CA$5.31

31.77%

Potato (1kg)

$3.02 CA$4.18

$1.95 CA$2.69

54.87%

Onion (1kg)

$2.95 CA$4.09

$2.05 CA$2.83

43.90%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.60 CA$3.60

$2.34 CA$3.24

11.11%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.88 CA$2.60

$1.51 CA$2.09

24.50%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$15.20 CA$21.04

$13.11 CA$18.15

15.94%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.30 CA$19.80

$11.66 CA$16.14

22.64%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.07 CA$4.26

$2.90 CA$4.02

5.86%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.74 CA$5.18

$2.83 CA$3.92

32.16%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.44 CA$3.37

$2.74 CA$3.79

-10.95%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$84.9 CA$118

$90.8 CA$126

-6.48%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.74 CA$5.18

$3.34 CA$4.63

11.98%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.50 CA$2.08

$1.39 CA$1.93

7.91%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$27.43 CA$37.98

$22.27 CA$30.84

23.17%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.34 CA$1.86

$1.10 CA$1.52

21.82%

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

$25.1K CA$34.8K

$24.9K CA$34.5K

0.82%

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

$20.7K CA$28.7K

$24.7K CA$34.2K

-16.18%

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

$91.8 CA$127

$202 CA$279

-54.51%

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

$39.42 CA$54.6

$54.2 CA$75.1

-27.30%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$61.1 CA$84.6

$60.8 CA$84.1

0.53%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.89 CA$62.2

$45.96 CA$63.6

-2.33%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$15.68 CA$21.71

$26.00 CA$36.00

-39.69%

Cinema Ticket

$12.37 CA$17.12

$10.06 CA$13.93

22.96%

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

$1,180 CA$1,634

$512 CA$709

130.46%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$18.8K CA$26.0K

$4,450 CA$6,161

321.59%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$62.7 CA$86.8

$37.34 CA$51.7

67.84%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.13 CA$59.7

$35.19 CA$48.72

22.56%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.7 CA$131

$82.5 CA$114

14.89%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$118 CA$164

$79.5 CA$110

48.92%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,995 CA$2,762

$1,228 CA$1,700

62.46%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,629 CA$2,256

$1,270 CA$1,759

28.27%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,589 CA$4,969

$1,742 CA$2,413

105.97%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,769 CA$3,834

$1,858 CA$2,572

49.06%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$9,246 CA$12.8K

$3,012 CA$4,170

207.02%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$7,086 CA$9,811

$3,085 CA$4,271

129.72%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,474 CA$4,810

$3,047 CA$4,219

14.00%

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: June 2, 2026

Last update for Windsor: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,995 in Vancouver and $1,228 in Windsor. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Vancouver pays 14% 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 $74.0 in Windsor for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $415 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 18% in total monthly costs ($2,831 vs $2,389 including rent). Windsor is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Vancouver pays 14% 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: $1,995 in Vancouver versus $1,228 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 $74.0 versus $78.0 in Vancouver. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $2,831 per month in Vancouver versus $2,389 in Windsor – a 18% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $2,389 in Windsor versus $2,831 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 18% less than in Vancouver. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.