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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,345 in Windsor, NS versus $2,783 in Vancouver.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,357 in Windsor, NS versus $4,030 in Vancouver.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,369 in Windsor, NS versus $5,278 in Vancouver.

Living in Windsor, NS costs roughly 16% less than in Vancouver, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Windsor, NS 70% above, Vancouver 102% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.66 CA$25.88

$17.99 CA$24.95

3.72%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$36.19 CA$50.2

$72.9 CA$101

-50.33%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.87 CA$15.07

$10.76 CA$14.92

1.02%

Cappuccino

$3.65 CA$5.07

$4.17 CA$5.79

-12.47%

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

$2.01 CA$2.79

$2.20 CA$3.05

-8.64%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.95 CA$2.71

$1.71 CA$2.37

14.04%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.43 CA$6.14

$5.91 CA$8.19

-25.04%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.70 CA$7.91

$6.66 CA$9.24

-14.41%

Milk (1 liter)

$3.09 CA$4.28

$2.19 CA$3.04

41.10%

White Bread (500g)

$2.78 CA$3.86

$2.66 CA$3.69

4.51%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.40 CA$4.72

$4.43 CA$6.14

-23.25%

Eggs

$3.74 CA$5.19

$4.20 CA$5.83

-10.95%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.60 CA$18.87

$11.88 CA$16.47

14.48%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.12 CA$15.43

$13.66 CA$18.95

-18.59%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.21 CA$18.32

$20.32 CA$28.18

-34.99%

Apples (1kg)

$5.77 CA$8.00

$4.24 CA$5.88

36.08%

Banana (1kg)

$1.56 CA$2.17

$1.38 CA$1.92

13.04%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.88 CA$6.77

$4.05 CA$5.61

20.49%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.10 CA$8.46

$4.03 CA$5.58

51.36%

Potato (1kg)

$2.03 CA$2.82

$2.87 CA$3.97

-29.27%

Onion (1kg)

$2.13 CA$2.96

$2.99 CA$4.15

-28.76%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.55 CA$3.53

$2.64 CA$3.66

-3.41%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.14 CA$2.96

$1.65 CA$2.29

29.70%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.50 CA$20.11

$15.92 CA$22.07

-8.92%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.49 CA$20.10

$14.63 CA$20.29

-0.96%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.43 CA$4.75

$2.78 CA$3.86

23.38%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.20 CA$5.83

$3.06 CA$4.25

37.25%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.37 CA$3.28

$2.57 CA$3.56

-7.78%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$62.7 CA$86.9

$83.2 CA$115

-24.71%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.91 CA$4.03

$2.70 CA$3.74

7.78%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.36 CA$1.89

$1.63 CA$2.26

-16.56%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$21.40 CA$29.68

$32.68 CA$45.33

-34.52%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.20 CA$1.66

$1.44 CA$2.00

-16.67%

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

$28.5K CA$39.5K

$28.4K CA$39.4K

0.18%

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

$19.8K CA$27.5K

$19.5K CA$27.1K

1.51%

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

$127 CA$176

$79.2 CA$110

60.18%

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

$32.32 CA$44.82

$36.21 CA$50.2

-10.74%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$35.44 CA$49.16

$51.3 CA$71.2

-30.93%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.78 CA$58.0

$43.58 CA$60.4

-4.13%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.83 CA$26.11

$13.16 CA$18.25

43.09%

Cinema Ticket

$13.02 CA$18.06

$11.85 CA$16.44

9.87%

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

$378 CA$524

$1,131 CA$1,568

-66.57%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.6K CA$18.8K

$19.7K CA$27.3K

-31.09%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$61.9 CA$85.8

$60.0 CA$83.2

3.15%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.69 CA$49.50

$34.84 CA$48.32

2.44%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$107 CA$148

$90.5 CA$125

17.76%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$118 CA$164

$93.5 CA$130

26.07%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,286 CA$1,783

$1,806 CA$2,505

-28.83%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,163 CA$1,612

$1,581 CA$2,193

-26.46%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,001 CA$2,776

$3,182 CA$4,413

-37.11%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,763 CA$2,445

$2,465 CA$3,418

-28.46%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,310 CA$5,978

$8,841 CA$12.3K

-51.25%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,741 CA$5,189

$6,963 CA$9,657

-46.27%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$942 CA$1,306

$3,738 CA$5,184

-74.81%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.6

4.21

9.26%

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

Last update for Windsor, NS: September 6, 2026

Last update for Vancouver: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,286 in Windsor, NS and $1,806 in Vancouver. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Vancouver pays 297% 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: $36.00 in Windsor, NS vs $73.0 in Vancouver. Groceries flip the comparison at $412 vs $408, with Vancouver cheaper for home cooking.

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, NS vs Vancouver: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Windsor, NS and Vancouver differ by about 19% in total monthly costs ($2,345 vs $2,783 including rent). Windsor, NS is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 297% 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: $1,286 in Windsor, NS versus $1,806 in Vancouver. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Windsor, NS – a meal for two runs $36.00 versus $73.0 in Vancouver. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $2,345 per month in Windsor, NS versus $2,783 in Vancouver – a 19% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $2,345 in Windsor, NS versus $2,783 in Vancouver, a $3,000 budget is realistic in Windsor, NS but tight or insufficient in Vancouver. The gap between the two cities makes Windsor, NS 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, NS gentler on the wallet – expenses run 19% less than in Vancouver. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.