What is the estimated monthly cost of living in Victoria?

The latest single-person Market Basket Measure is about CAD 2,473.5 per month. Advertised rent is shown separately when published.

What salary is typically needed in Victoria?

A balanced planning estimate is around CAD 48,600 gross per year.

Are these exact prices?

No. These are planning baselines and should be adjusted to your neighborhood and lifestyle.

City snapshot

Cost of living in Victoria

Victoria offers mild climate, retirement appeal, and Vancouver Island beauty.

Planning baseline refreshed: May 2026Victoria CMA

3-category planning baseline

$2,096

Total annual: $25,152

Balanced salary needed

$48,600

Balanced

Population

445,090

2025 · Victoria (CMA), British Columbia · Statistics Canada

Crime Severity Index

71.0

Victoria CMA

Official Basic-Needs Budgets

1 person$2,474

2 people$3,498

Family of 4$4,947

Market Basket Measure totals and advertised rent answer different questions. Rent is not added to the budget total because the MBM already includes a shelter component.

Data coverage: 95% (A) · 2025

Advertised Rent

Bachelor apartment$1,700

2026-01 · Victoria, Census metropolitan area (CMA)

1-bedroom apartment$2,040

2026-01 · Victoria, Census metropolitan area (CMA)

2-bedroom apartment$2,560

2026-01 · Victoria, Census metropolitan area (CMA)

3+ bedroom apartment$3,250

2026-01 · Victoria, Census metropolitan area (CMA)

Full-time centre-based childcare$568

2025 · British Columbia

Local Indicators

Employed people243,400

Median after-tax income$75,800

Crime Severity Index71

Victoria, Census metropolitan area (CMA)

3-category planning baseline

Planning rent estimate (1bd)$1,624

Groceries$387

Transport$85

Total monthly$2,096

Compact estimated baseline for cross-city planning. The observed advertised rent above is the canonical market-rent value.

Move-in costs

First month of rent$2,040

Generic deposit assumption (1x rent)$2,040

Furniture for a 1-bedroom$2,500

Basic household setup$600

Estimated setup total$7,180

Generic planning assumption only. Provincial rules and your lease may permit a different deposit.

Plan the next step

Run income calculator See salary needed Rent affordability Mortgage affordability Compare cities Car costs Province tax calculator After-tax income guide

City profile

GeographyVictoria CMA

Common languagesEnglish, French, Mandarin

Community contextChinese, South Asian, Filipino

Housing and rent

High island demand and limited land keep rent and ownership costs elevated.

Planning rent estimate (1bd): $1,624 · Total monthly: $2,096

Commute and daily life

BC Transit, cycling network and compact urban core

Safety context

Victoria's safety snapshot uses the Crime Severity Index for Victoria CMA. CSI compares police-reported crime volume and seriousness; it is not a neighbourhood-level risk score.

Crime Severity Index: 71.0
Violent CSI: 80.0
Non-violent CSI: 68.1

How this city compares

Victoria ranks #28 of 47 tracked cities by the 3-category planning baseline and is -$68 versus the cross-city average.

Average city baseline$2,164

Largest cost driverPlanning rent estimate (1bd)

Salary guide for this city

Use these gross salary ranges as planning targets before running a detailed after-tax scenario for Victoria.

Essentials$38,000

Balanced$48,600

Comfortable$59,900

Best for

Victoria is strongest for canada's mildest climate and a lower baseline than the tracked-city average.

Watch out for

Planning rent estimate (1bd) is the largest cost driver in the baseline. Plan around $2,096 per month before discretionary spending, plus about $7,180 for a basic move-in setup.

Local reality check

Rent represents about 77% of the baseline essentials shown here. Compared with the tracked-city average, this city is -$68.

Living in Victoria: what to budget for

Use this page as a starting point for Victoria: monthly essentials, move-in cash, salary targets, local population context, housing notes and safety data are shown together so you can move from research to a concrete budget.

Victoria, BC's capital, offers Canada's mildest climate with rarely any snow.

The city attracts retirees and remote workers seeking quality of life over career advancement.

Housing costs are high though lower than Vancouver, with limited inventory on the island.

Tourism, government, and tech drive the economy in this garden city by the ocean.

Highlights

Canada's mildest climate
Beautiful waterfront
Butchart Gardens nearby
Active lifestyle focus
Ferry access to Vancouver

Common questions

What is included in Victoria's monthly baseline?: The baseline includes a 1-bedroom rent estimate, groceries and transport for one adult. It is a planning baseline, not a quote.
Why do some metrics use a CMA or province?: National public datasets often publish city data by census metropolitan area, census agglomeration, province or territory. The geography is shown beside each metric.
How should I use the Victoria salary estimate?: Use it as a gross-income target, then run the income calculator with your province, city and real costs.

Sources and methodology

Population: Statistics Canada table 17-10-0148-01, latest annual estimate; Census Profile fallback when noted.
Crime Severity Index: Statistics Canada table 35-10-0026-01, latest published year.
Basic-needs budgets: MBM tables 11-10-0066-01 and 11-10-0104-01. Advertised rent: Quarterly Rent Statistics table 46-10-0092-01.

Sources and methodology

Cost transparency

Data used on this page

Advertised rent, basic-needs budgets, and local indicators each retain their own period, geography, and method.

Advertised rent

January 2026 · Victoria, Census metropolitan area (CMA)

Planning baseline

Estimated rent + groceries + local transport

Not used

Tax rules and mortgage rates do not determine these costs

Advertised rent and the MBM answer different questions and are not added together.

Sources and methodology