Vancouver vs San Francisco Cost of Living
Vancouver (Canada) · Overall index 67.8 — San Francisco (United States) · Overall index 95.1
Summary
- Overall, San Francisco is 40% more expensive than Vancouver.
- Rent in San Francisco is 78% more expensive than in Vancouver.
- Transport in San Francisco is 42% more expensive than in Vancouver.
| Item | Vancouver | San Francisco | Diff |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rent | +78% | ||
| 1-bedroom apartment, city centre (monthly) | $2,238 | $3,208 | +43% |
| 1-bedroom apartment, outside centre (monthly) | $1,452 | $2,609 | +80% |
| 3-bedroom apartment, city centre (monthly) | $3,668 | $7,487 | +104% |
| 3-bedroom apartment, outside centre (monthly) | $2,620 | $4,864 | +86% |
| Groceries | +25% | ||
| Milk (1L) | $1.13 | $1.31 | +16% |
| White bread (500g) | $3.03 | $4.2 | +39% |
| Rice (1kg) | $4.07 | $5.82 | +43% |
| Eggs (12) | $3.5 | $4.57 | +31% |
| Local cheese (1kg) | $12.4 | $16.3 | +31% |
| Chicken fillets (1kg) | $11.4 | $12.6 | +11% |
| Beef round (1kg) | $15.3 | $22.3 | +46% |
| Apples (1kg) | $4.33 | $5.88 | +36% |
| Bananas (1kg) | $1.87 | $2.46 | +32% |
| Oranges (1kg) | $3.85 | $4.54 | +18% |
| Tomatoes (1kg) | $4.99 | $5.5 | +10% |
| Potatoes (1kg) | $2.7 | $3.06 | +13% |
| Onions (1kg) | $2.44 | $2.72 | +11% |
| Lettuce (1 head) | $2.27 | $2.75 | +21% |
| Water (1.5L bottle) | $1.83 | $2.41 | +32% |
| Bottle of wine (mid-range) | $12.8 | $15.4 | +20% |
| Transport | +42% | ||
| Public transport, one-way ticket | $2.09 | $3.1 | +48% |
| Public transport, monthly pass | $103 | $139 | +35% |
| Taxi, base fare | $2.83 | $4.48 | +58% |
| Taxi, per km | $1.43 | $1.91 | +34% |
| Gasoline (1L) | $0.7 | $0.99 | +41% |
| New compact car (e.g., VW Golf) | $20,323 | $27,640 | +36% |
| Dining out | +34% | ||
| Meal, inexpensive restaurant | $18.3 | $21.5 | +17% |
| Meal for 2, mid-range restaurant (3 courses) | $96.1 | $115 | +20% |
| Fast food combo meal | $8.11 | $11.6 | +43% |
| Cappuccino | $4.64 | $5.52 | +19% |
| Coke/Pepsi (0.33L, restaurant) | $1.84 | $3.04 | +65% |
| Domestic beer (0.5L, restaurant) | $6.06 | $8.59 | +42% |
| Imported beer (0.33L, restaurant) | $6.37 | $8.71 | +37% |
| Water (0.33L, restaurant) | $1.63 | $2.32 | +42% |
| Telecom | +26% | ||
| Mobile plan, calls + 10GB+ data (monthly) | $47.5 | $68.5 | +44% |
| Broadband internet 60Mbps+ (monthly) | $62.1 | $71.8 | +16% |
| Prepaid mobile tariff (1 min) | $0.28 | $0.37 | +32% |
| Video streaming subscription (monthly) | $13.4 | $15.8 | +18% |
| Utilities & household | +27% | ||
| Basic utilities, 85m² apartment (monthly) | $156 | $176 | +13% |
| Electricity (1 kWh) | $0.19 | $0.23 | +21% |
| Tap water (1m³) | $4.27 | $5.1 | +19% |
| Natural gas (1m³) | $1.21 | $1.47 | +21% |
| Waste collection (monthly) | $18 | $25.8 | +43% |
| Fitness club (monthly) | $74.4 | $94.8 | +27% |
| Cinema ticket (1 seat) | $13.6 | $17.5 | +29% |
| Men's haircut | $25.1 | $33.2 | +32% |
| Domestic cleaning (1 hour) | $22.4 | $29.6 | +32% |
| Private kindergarten (monthly) | $1,656 | $2,199 | +33% |
3,231 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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