Cost of Living Comparison Between Vaughan and Vancouver Cost of Living Comparison Between Vaughan and Vancouver

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,551 in Vaughan versus $2,831 in Vancouver.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,782 in Vaughan versus $4,231 in Vancouver.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,013 in Vaughan versus $5,630 in Vancouver.

Living in Vaughan costs roughly 10% less than in Vancouver, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Vaughan 90% above, Vancouver 111% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$14.57 CA$20.26

$18.26 CA$25.39

-20.21%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$75.7 CA$105

$77.8 CA$108

-2.70%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.41 CA$14.48

$10.85 CA$15.09

-4.06%

Cappuccino

$3.54 CA$4.92

$3.98 CA$5.54

-11.06%

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

$2.10 CA$2.92

$2.12 CA$2.95

-0.94%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.71 CA$2.37

$1.78 CA$2.47

-3.93%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.31 CA$8.77

$5.77 CA$8.02

9.36%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.16 CA$7.18

$7.56 CA$10.51

-31.75%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.76 CA$2.44

$2.32 CA$3.23

-24.14%

White Bread (500g)

$2.25 CA$3.13

$3.10 CA$4.31

-27.42%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.80 CA$5.29

$3.89 CA$5.40

-2.31%

Eggs

$3.41 CA$4.74

$4.53 CA$6.30

-24.72%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.66 CA$12.04

$12.92 CA$17.96

-32.97%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.81 CA$15.04

$14.14 CA$19.67

-23.55%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.60 CA$9.18

$15.74 CA$21.89

-58.07%

Apples (1kg)

$2.98 CA$4.14

$4.26 CA$5.92

-30.05%

Banana (1kg)

$1.54 CA$2.14

$1.47 CA$2.04

4.76%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.79 CA$3.88

$4.02 CA$5.59

-30.60%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.40 CA$4.72

$5.06 CA$7.04

-32.81%

Potato (1kg)

$1.94 CA$2.70

$3.02 CA$4.20

-35.76%

Onion (1kg)

$2.04 CA$2.84

$2.95 CA$4.10

-30.85%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.79 CA$2.50

$2.60 CA$3.62

-31.15%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.69 CA$2.36

$1.88 CA$2.62

-10.11%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$12.99 CA$18.07

$15.20 CA$21.14

-14.54%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.00 CA$16.69

$14.30 CA$19.88

-16.08%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.14 CA$2.98

$3.07 CA$4.27

-30.29%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.14 CA$2.97

$3.74 CA$5.20

-42.78%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.82 CA$3.92

$2.44 CA$3.39

15.57%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$111 CA$154

$84.9 CA$118

30.28%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.17 CA$4.40

$3.74 CA$5.20

-15.24%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.37 CA$1.90

$1.50 CA$2.09

-8.67%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$22.62 CA$31.46

$27.43 CA$38.15

-17.54%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.15 CA$1.60

$1.34 CA$1.86

-14.18%

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

$24.8K CA$34.5K

$25.1K CA$34.9K

-1.26%

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

$19.7K CA$27.4K

$20.7K CA$28.8K

-4.83%

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

$132 CA$184

$91.8 CA$128

44.34%

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

$33.47 CA$46.55

$39.42 CA$54.8

-15.09%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$51.1 CA$71.0

$61.1 CA$84.9

-16.39%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$32.59 CA$45.33

$44.89 CA$62.4

-27.40%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$21.71 CA$30.19

$15.68 CA$21.81

38.46%

Cinema Ticket

$10.72 CA$14.91

$12.37 CA$17.20

-13.34%

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

$815 CA$1,133

$1,180 CA$1,641

-30.98%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$18.6K CA$25.8K

$18.8K CA$26.1K

-0.96%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$43.55 CA$60.6

$62.7 CA$87.2

-30.51%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$37.06 CA$51.5

$43.13 CA$60.0

-14.07%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$60.1 CA$83.5

$94.7 CA$132

-36.59%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$105 CA$146

$118 CA$165

-11.38%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,712 CA$2,380

$1,995 CA$2,774

-14.19%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,513 CA$2,104

$1,629 CA$2,266

-7.16%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,092 CA$4,300

$3,589 CA$4,991

-13.85%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,483 CA$3,453

$2,769 CA$3,851

-10.34%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$8,784 CA$12.2K

$9,246 CA$12.9K

-5.00%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,361 CA$8,846

$7,086 CA$9,854

-10.23%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,036 CA$4,222

$3,474 CA$4,831

-12.62%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.73

5.61

19.96%

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

Last update for Vaughan: May 31, 2026

Last update for Vancouver: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,712 in Vaughan and $1,995 in Vancouver. 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: $76.0 in Vaughan vs $78.0 in Vancouver for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $297 vs $415 per month, with Vaughan 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

Vaughan vs Vancouver: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Vaughan and Vancouver differ by about 11% in total monthly costs ($2,551 vs $2,831 including rent). Vaughan is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, Vancouver earns 14% less. 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: $1,712 in Vaughan versus $1,995 in Vancouver. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Vaughan – a meal for two runs $76.0 versus $78.0 in Vancouver. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $2,551 per month in Vaughan versus $2,831 in Vancouver – a 11% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

Both cities are expensive relative to $2,500. Vaughan is the more realistic option, but even there you'll need to be disciplined with housing, food, and fun money.

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 Vaughan gentler on the wallet – expenses run 11% less than in Vancouver. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.