'It's tight, but you make do': How Vancouverites afford to live in a city with sky-high expenses
If you’ve ever wondered how most Vancouverites manage to survive in one of the most expensive cities in Canada, you’re not alone.
On a recent Reddit thread, someone asked how people manage to live in Vancouver with relatively low salaries but a “sky-high” cost of living.
Estimates vary on just how much people actually earn in Vancouver. According to ZipRecruiter, the median wage in Vancouver is $68,200 a year (the median is the middle value of all salaries), and the average salary is $69,513 a year. Most salaries range between $53,250 to $84,000.
While these salaries might not sound so bad, the Living Wage BC (LWBC) report published in November 2025 found that Metro Vancouver’s living wage is $27.85 an hour, about $10 higher than the current minimum wage. LWBC defines a living wage as the amount that a full-time worker must earn to meet basic needs, avoid ongoing financial stress, and take part in their community.
LWBC found that over 500,000 workers in Metro Vancouver (accounting for 36 per cent of all paid employees) earn less than the living wage.
On the Reddit post, many people speculated that people manage to live in Vancouver with family support.
But one person pointed out that while that may be the case for some, many don’t have family support and have “no choice but to live relatively frugally.” They said they earn $40,000 per year, with many friends making a similar amount.
“It’s tight, but you make do, living with lots of roommates, seldom eating out, seldom/never taking major vacations, etc.”
Other people speculated on why relatively low wages are acceptable in Vancouver.
“Vancouver is an incredibly desirable place to live, which has downward pressure on wages as people are willing to accept lower financial success in order to live here,” a Redditor suggested.
“Supply and demand. People from all over Canada and the world want to live here, so traditionally, there has been no shortage of labour coming into the market, keeping wages down. Employers never pay more than they absolutely have to,” another commenter said.
“Don’t ask me how anyone can live on 60,000 in this city, though. They must really embrace a no-frills lifestyle,” they added.
Vancouver vs. Toronto
People compared the cost of living in Vancouver to that of Toronto, pointing out that it is more affordable in the latter, while salaries are higher.
Daily Hive looked at Numbeo to compare the cost of living, and, sure enough, it is 9.4 per cent higher in Vancouver.
Broken down, rent is 21.6 percent higher in Vancouver than in Toronto, grocery costs are 11 percent higher, and eating out is 4.4 percent higher. Local purchasing power in Vancouver is 1o per cent lower than in Toronto.
Numbeo also reported that an average monthly salary after tax in Toronto is about 1.5 per cent higher than what we earn in Vancouver.
How do people manage to afford rent?
While Vancouver rents have been trickling downwards for a couple of years, residents spend much more than the 30 per cent rule on rent, which is considered an affordability benchmark in Canada. According to a SignalKey report published late last year, Vancouverites spend nearly 42 per cent of their income on rent and debt repayments.
Redditors suggest people combat this by having lots (and lots) of roommates.
“There is a unit in my building with at least seven people of working age living in it. It’s a two-bed, two-bath,” someone commented.
How do you “make do” in Vancouver? Email us at vancouver@dailyhive.com and let us know.