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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,353 in Windsor versus $2,731 in Vancouver.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,159 in Windsor versus $3,956 in Vancouver.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,964 in Windsor versus $5,181 in Vancouver.

Living in Windsor costs roughly 14% less than in Vancouver, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Windsor 71% above, Vancouver 99% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$14.34 CA$19.77

$18.36 CA$25.32

-21.90%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$66.2 CA$91.3

$72.9 CA$101

-9.12%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.64 CA$14.68

$10.88 CA$15.00

-2.21%

Cappuccino

$3.69 CA$5.09

$4.25 CA$5.86

-13.18%

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

$2.62 CA$3.61

$2.12 CA$2.92

23.58%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.85 CA$2.55

$1.69 CA$2.33

9.47%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.98 CA$6.87

$5.75 CA$7.92

-13.39%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.96 CA$8.22

$6.65 CA$9.17

-10.38%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.84 CA$2.54

$2.14 CA$2.96

-14.02%

White Bread (500g)

$2.14 CA$2.95

$2.55 CA$3.52

-16.08%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.11 CA$4.29

$4.41 CA$6.09

-29.48%

Eggs

$3.02 CA$4.16

$4.24 CA$5.85

-28.77%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.21 CA$14.09

$12.14 CA$16.74

-15.90%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.45 CA$14.41

$13.66 CA$18.84

-23.50%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.28 CA$19.70

$20.78 CA$28.66

-31.28%

Apples (1kg)

$4.03 CA$5.56

$4.31 CA$5.94

-6.50%

Banana (1kg)

$1.00 CA$1.38

$1.39 CA$1.92

-28.06%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.11 CA$4.29

$4.00 CA$5.51

-22.25%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.67 CA$5.06

$4.06 CA$5.61

-9.61%

Potato (1kg)

$1.96 CA$2.70

$2.82 CA$3.89

-30.50%

Onion (1kg)

$2.15 CA$2.97

$2.95 CA$4.06

-27.12%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.25 CA$3.11

$2.77 CA$3.82

-18.77%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.33 CA$1.84

$1.63 CA$2.24

-18.40%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.23 CA$18.25

$16.06 CA$22.15

-17.62%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.88 CA$16.39

$14.54 CA$20.04

-18.29%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.89 CA$2.60

$2.73 CA$3.76

-30.77%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.34 CA$4.60

$3.07 CA$4.23

8.79%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.70 CA$3.72

$2.55 CA$3.51

5.88%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$89.2 CA$123

$85.1 CA$117

4.80%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.41 CA$3.32

$2.71 CA$3.73

-11.07%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.03 CA$1.41

$1.64 CA$2.26

-37.20%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.64 CA$20.18

$31.75 CA$43.78

-53.89%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.23 CA$1.70

$1.43 CA$1.97

-13.99%

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

$28.3K CA$39.0K

$28.9K CA$39.9K

-2.04%

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

$19.2K CA$26.5K

$19.7K CA$27.1K

-2.23%

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

$186 CA$256

$77.6 CA$107

139.19%

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

$39.67 CA$54.7

$35.35 CA$48.74

12.22%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$57.2 CA$78.9

$51.6 CA$71.2

10.82%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$45.19 CA$62.3

$46.26 CA$63.8

-2.31%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$28.71 CA$39.59

$13.37 CA$18.44

114.73%

Cinema Ticket

$10.89 CA$15.01

$11.55 CA$15.93

-5.71%

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

$511 CA$705

$1,137 CA$1,568

-55.04%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,298 CA$5,926

$21.2K CA$29.2K

-79.73%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$44.44 CA$61.3

$59.3 CA$81.7

-25.00%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.29 CA$47.29

$35.02 CA$48.29

-2.08%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$81.0 CA$112

$90.1 CA$124

-10.10%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$83.9 CA$116

$96.3 CA$133

-12.87%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,182 CA$1,630

$1,845 CA$2,544

-35.91%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,207 CA$1,664

$1,595 CA$2,199

-24.31%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,791 CA$2,470

$3,271 CA$4,511

-45.24%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,544 CA$2,129

$2,499 CA$3,447

-38.22%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,021 CA$4,166

$9,039 CA$12.5K

-66.58%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,018 CA$4,162

$6,985 CA$9,633

-56.79%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,078 CA$4,244

$3,659 CA$5,045

-15.88%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.71

4.23

11.35%

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

Last update for Windsor: August 31, 2026

Last update for Vancouver: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,182 in Windsor and $1,845 in Vancouver. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Vancouver pays 19% 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: $66.0 in Windsor vs $73.0 in Vancouver for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $322 vs $409 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

Windsor vs Vancouver: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Windsor and Vancouver differ by about 16% in total monthly costs ($2,353 vs $2,731 including rent). Windsor is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 19% lower in Vancouver. 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: $1,182 in Windsor versus $1,845 in Vancouver. 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 $66.0 versus $73.0 in Vancouver. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $2,353 per month in Windsor versus $2,731 in Vancouver – a 16% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $2,353 in Windsor versus $2,731 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 16% less than in Vancouver. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.