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Crunching costs, sorting signals, rendering insights.
Crunching costs, sorting signals, rendering insights.
Is Vancouver good for expats? It's worth considering — QoL score 59/100, safety 65/100, rent $2,850/mo, median income $80,000/yr. Compared to 2 other British Columbia cities below.
Is Vancouver good for expats? It's worth considering — QoL score 59/100, safety 65/100, rent $2,850/mo, median income $80,000/yr. Compared to 2 other British Columbia cities below.
Vancouver: cost index 134 (+28 vs national avg 106), rent $2,850/month.
British Columbia region average cost index: 126. Vancouver is +8 vs region peers.
Quality of life: 59/100 — safety 65, healthcare 82, walkability 80.
Safety score: 65/100 (crime rate 50.8/1k). National average: 63/100.
The conventional wisdom says one thing. The data says another: Vancouver has a cost index of 134 — 28 points above the Canada national average of 106. Median income is $80,000 with rent at $2,850/month, putting the rent-to-income ratio at 43%. Over a five-year window, that difference is life-changing.
On quality of life, Vancouver scores a composite score of 59/100 — reflecting its safety (65), healthcare (82), and walkability (80) metrics. Here's where it gets complicated: affordability and QoL don't always move in the same direction, and Canada is a good example of that tension.
Vancouver — cost index 134, rent $2,850/mo, income $80,000, QoL 59/100.
Victoria — cost index 120, rent $2,300/mo, income $76,000, QoL 66/100.
Surrey — cost index 124, rent $2,420/mo, income $74,000, QoL 54/100.
Vancouver scores 59/100 on the relevant index for expats — with rent of $2,850/month and cost index 134 (28 points above the national average of 106).
The British Columbia region of average QoL score is 60/100. Vancouver leads with 59/100, reflecting safety, healthcare access, walkability, and green space.
Our index is benchmarked to 100 (national median). Sub-categories cover housing, food, transport, utilities, and healthcare. Data sources include Statistics Canada, CMHC, CRA.
Vancouver: cost index 134, rent $2,850/mo, income $80,000/yr, QoL 59/100. Victoria: cost index 120, rent $2,300/mo, income $76,000/yr, QoL 66/100.
This analysis uses data from Statistics Canada, CMHC, CRA to rank cities in Canada. The cost of living index is benchmarked to 100 (national median). Quality of life scores combine safety, healthcare, walkability, air quality, green space, and transit metrics. Salary ranges use national occupation data adjusted for local cost differences. Data is updated regularly to reflect current market conditions.