Cost of Living Comparison Between Virginia Beach, VA and Pickering, ON Cost of Living Comparison Between Virginia Beach, VA and Pickering, ON

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,798 per month in Virginia Beach, VA vs $2,684 in Pickering, ON, rent included.

A couple spends around $4,013 per month in Virginia Beach, VA vs $3,738 in Pickering, ON, rent included.

A family of three spends $5,229 per month in Virginia Beach, VA vs $4,792 in Pickering, ON, rent included.

Virginia Beach, VA costs about 4% more than Pickering, ON, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Virginia Beach, VA and Pickering, ON sit above the global median – Virginia Beach, VA by 103%, Pickering, ON by 95%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.34 $18.34

$14.65 CA$20.32

25.19%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$89.9 $89.9

$57.0 CA$79.1

57.61%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.05 $12.05

$10.74 CA$14.90

12.20%

Cappuccino

$6.08 $6.08

$2.09 CA$2.90

190.91%

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

$2.78 $2.78

$1.83 CA$2.54

51.91%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.10 $2.10

$1.46 CA$2.02

43.84%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.07 $6.07

$4.94 CA$6.85

22.87%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.18 $7.18

$4.61 CA$6.39

55.75%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.03 $1.03

$2.23 CA$3.09

-53.81%

White Bread (500g)

$3.05 $3.05

$2.22 CA$3.08

37.39%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.48 $5.48

$4.64 CA$6.43

18.10%

Eggs

$4.82 $4.82

$3.52 CA$4.89

36.93%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.22 $10.22

$9.92 CA$13.75

3.02%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.07 $10.07

$11.42 CA$15.84

-11.82%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.19 $18.19

$14.27 CA$19.79

27.47%

Apples (1kg)

$2.52 $2.52

$3.07 CA$4.26

-17.92%

Banana (1kg)

$1.54 $1.54

$0.60 CA$0.83

156.67%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.06 $5.06

$2.59 CA$3.59

95.37%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.87 $5.87

$2.12 CA$2.94

176.89%

Potato (1kg)

$2.26 $2.26

$2.22 CA$3.08

1.80%

Onion (1kg)

$4.56 $4.56

$2.69 CA$3.73

69.52%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.79 $1.79

$2.75 CA$3.81

-34.91%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.25 $2.25

$1.29 CA$1.78

74.42%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.29 $9.29

$13.49 CA$18.71

-31.13%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.20 $12.20

$13.18 CA$18.27

-7.44%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.83 $1.83

$1.76 CA$2.44

3.98%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.13 $2.13

$2.39 CA$3.32

-10.88%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.03 $2.03

$2.82 CA$3.91

-28.01%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$68.9 $68.9

$163 CA$227

-57.87%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.56 $4.56

$2.81 CA$3.89

62.28%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.28 $1.28

$2.37 CA$3.29

-45.99%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$20.17 $20.17

$22.81 CA$31.63

-11.57%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.95 $0.95

$1.12 CA$1.55

-15.18%

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

$35.7K $35.7K

$24.9K CA$34.5K

43.47%

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

$24.5K $24.5K

$20.5K CA$28.5K

19.40%

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

$206 $206

$107 CA$149

92.51%

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

$60.3 $60.3

$31.04 CA$43.05

94.33%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$65.4 $65.4

$51.9 CA$71.9

26.15%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$43.30 $43.30

$60.9 CA$84.5

-28.89%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$35.06 $35.06

$27.07 CA$37.54

29.52%

Cinema Ticket

$12.15 $12.15

$11.61 CA$16.10

4.65%

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

$1,590 $1,590

$511 CA$708

211.39%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.1K $16.1K

$28.8K CA$39.9K

-44.16%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$61.0 $61.0

$74.1 CA$103

-17.69%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$46.79 $46.79

$54.6 CA$75.7

-14.24%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$117 $117

$84.0 CA$117

39.59%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$113 $113

$80.6 CA$112

40.36%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,795 $1,795

$1,710 CA$2,371

5.01%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,412 $1,412

$1,525 CA$2,114

-7.38%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,829 $2,829

$2,495 CA$3,460

13.41%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,140 $2,140

$2,218 CA$3,076

-3.52%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,305 $2,305

$4,329 CA$6,004

-46.77%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,268 $2,268

$4,054 CA$5,622

-44.04%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,202 $4,202

$3,103 CA$4,304

35.42%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.03

4.22

42.89%

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

Last update for Virginia Beach, VA: September 5, 2026

Last update for Pickering, ON: September 5, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,795 in Virginia Beach, VA versus $1,710 in Pickering, ON. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 35% higher in Virginia Beach, VA, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $90.0 in Virginia Beach, VA versus $57.0 in Pickering, ON. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $377 vs $325 – making Pickering, ON the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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

Virginia Beach, VA vs Pickering, ON: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $2,798 in Virginia Beach, VA, $2,684 in Pickering, ON – roughly 4% apart. Virginia Beach, VA costs more across the board, with Getting Around showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,196 per month in Virginia Beach, VA and $4,026 in Pickering, ON. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Pickering, ON, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $2,798 in Virginia Beach, VA and $2,684 in Pickering, ON. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 137% less in Pickering, ON. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

$3,000 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $2,798 in Virginia Beach, VA and $2,684 in Pickering, ON. You'll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

Families tend to lean toward Pickering, ON – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Pickering, ON. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Virginia Beach, VA makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.