Your monthly budget in Vancouver
Vancouver is on Canada’s Pacific coast and has long been one of the least affordable cities in North America. Asking rents fell about 4% over the year to September 2026, but housing is still the dominant expense.
Calculating…
Last updated October 2026. Estimates only: your own rent, bills and habits will differ.
Accommodation costs in Vancouver
The average asking rent for an unfurnished one-bedroom apartment in Metro Vancouver was about 2,085 in September 2026, down roughly 4% from a year earlier. Two-bedroom homes are close to 2,900. Rents in older rent-controlled buildings are much lower than on new listings, and British Columbia limits yearly increases for existing tenants.
| Home | Monthly rent | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Room in a shared apartment | $1,200 | Estimate Typical room in a shared apartment in Vancouver |
| One-bedroom apartment | $2,100 | Estimate liv.rent Metro Vancouver rent report, September 2026: average asking rent for an unfurnished one-bedroom 2,085 |
| Two-bedroom apartment | $2,900 | Estimate Typical asking rent for a two-bedroom apartment in Metro Vancouver |
Utilities and internet in Vancouver
BC Hydro electricity for a one-bedroom apartment is typically 60 to 85 a month, plus natural gas where it is used for heating. Internet typically costs 75 to 125 and a mobile plan 50 to 80.
| Bill | Monthly | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Electricity and heating | $110 | Estimate BC Hydro about 60 to 85 for a one-bedroom apartment, plus heating if on gas |
| Home internet | $85 | Estimate Typical plan from a major provider |
| Mobile plan | $65 | Estimate Typical plan with data |
Groceries in Vancouver
Groceries in Vancouver are among the dearest in Canada. A single adult who cooks at home most days will spend about 480 a month, and eating out more often costs well above that.
$480 a month for one adult
Estimate Typical single-adult spending in a large Canadian city after several years of food inflation
Transport in Vancouver
TransLink buses, SkyTrain and SeaBus are covered by one fare system. A one-zone monthly pass cost 117.20 after the July 2026 increase, and travelling across more zones costs more.
$117.20 a month on public transport
Published price TransLink one-zone adult monthly pass after the 1 July 2026 fare increase. The one-zone pass covers travel within Vancouver and neighbouring cities. Journeys into the outer suburbs need a two- or three-zone pass, which costs more.
Dining out and entertainment in Vancouver
A casual restaurant meal is around 20 to 30 before tip. The three lifestyle settings assume about 100, 270 and 500 a month on dining out, entertainment and social life.
| Lifestyle | Monthly (one adult) |
|---|---|
| Frugal | $100 |
| Moderate | $270 |
| Comfortable | $500 |
How we calculate this
Take-home pay comes from our Canada salary calculator using British Columbia tax rules, with a single person and standard options. For couples, groceries are scaled to 1.6 times a single adult, utilities to 1.25, and transport, phones, leisure and other costs to roughly two people; rent stays the same because you share one home. Prices marked Published price come straight from an official or operator source; Estimate figures are our judgement from the listed sources and should be treated as a starting point.
Sources
- liv.rent, Metro Vancouver rent reports 2026
- TransLink, fares and passes
- BC Hydro, residential rates
- Statistics Canada, food and shelter price indexes
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