Vancouver vs San Diego Cost of Living
Vancouver (Canada) · Overall index 67.8 — San Diego (United States) · Overall index 80.0
Summary
- Overall, San Diego is 18% more expensive than Vancouver.
- Rent in San Diego is 29% more expensive than in Vancouver.
- Transport in San Diego is 27% more expensive than in Vancouver.
| Item | Vancouver | San Diego | Diff |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rent | +29% | ||
| 1-bedroom apartment, city centre (monthly) | $2,238 | $2,906 | +30% |
| 1-bedroom apartment, outside centre (monthly) | $1,452 | $1,560 | +7% |
| 3-bedroom apartment, city centre (monthly) | $3,668 | $5,348 | +46% |
| 3-bedroom apartment, outside centre (monthly) | $2,620 | $3,541 | +35% |
| Groceries | +15% | ||
| Milk (1L) | $1.13 | $1.29 | +14% |
| White bread (500g) | $3.03 | $3.77 | +24% |
| Rice (1kg) | $4.07 | $4.26 | +5% |
| Eggs (12) | $3.5 | $4.41 | +26% |
| Local cheese (1kg) | $12.4 | $14.8 | +19% |
| Chicken fillets (1kg) | $11.4 | $12.7 | +11% |
| Beef round (1kg) | $15.3 | $19.1 | +25% |
| Apples (1kg) | $4.33 | $5.14 | +19% |
| Bananas (1kg) | $1.87 | $1.82 | -3% |
| Oranges (1kg) | $3.85 | $3.98 | +3% |
| Tomatoes (1kg) | $4.99 | $5.15 | +3% |
| Potatoes (1kg) | $2.7 | $3.07 | +14% |
| Onions (1kg) | $2.44 | $2.92 | +20% |
| Lettuce (1 head) | $2.27 | $2.36 | +4% |
| Water (1.5L bottle) | $1.83 | $2.61 | +43% |
| Bottle of wine (mid-range) | $12.8 | $15.1 | +18% |
| Transport | +27% | ||
| Public transport, one-way ticket | $2.09 | $2.68 | +28% |
| Public transport, monthly pass | $103 | $122 | +18% |
| Taxi, base fare | $2.83 | $3.68 | +30% |
| Taxi, per km | $1.43 | $1.86 | +30% |
| Gasoline (1L) | $0.7 | $0.87 | +24% |
| New compact car (e.g., VW Golf) | $20,323 | $26,442 | +30% |
| Dining out | +17% | ||
| Meal, inexpensive restaurant | $18.3 | $22.6 | +23% |
| Meal for 2, mid-range restaurant (3 courses) | $96.1 | $107 | +11% |
| Fast food combo meal | $8.11 | $11.9 | +47% |
| Cappuccino | $4.64 | $5.18 | +12% |
| Coke/Pepsi (0.33L, restaurant) | $1.84 | $2.16 | +17% |
| Domestic beer (0.5L, restaurant) | $6.06 | $5.99 | -1% |
| Imported beer (0.33L, restaurant) | $6.37 | $7.37 | +16% |
| Water (0.33L, restaurant) | $1.63 | $1.87 | +15% |
| Telecom | +7% | ||
| Mobile plan, calls + 10GB+ data (monthly) | $47.5 | $63.4 | +33% |
| Broadband internet 60Mbps+ (monthly) | $62.1 | $55.3 | -11% |
| Prepaid mobile tariff (1 min) | $0.28 | $0.31 | +11% |
| Video streaming subscription (monthly) | $13.4 | $13.3 | -1% |
| Utilities & household | +10% | ||
| Basic utilities, 85m² apartment (monthly) | $156 | $153 | -2% |
| Electricity (1 kWh) | $0.19 | $0.2 | +5% |
| Tap water (1m³) | $4.27 | $4.02 | -6% |
| Natural gas (1m³) | $1.21 | $1.46 | +21% |
| Waste collection (monthly) | $18 | $20.8 | +16% |
| Fitness club (monthly) | $74.4 | $79.6 | +7% |
| Cinema ticket (1 seat) | $13.6 | $15.3 | +13% |
| Men's haircut | $25.1 | $27.1 | +8% |
| Domestic cleaning (1 hour) | $22.4 | $26.6 | +19% |
| Private kindergarten (monthly) | $1,656 | $2,070 | +25% |
2,971 total data points · Price data as of 2026-07-01 · Exchange rates as of 2026-07-15
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Estimates for reference only — not official statistics.
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