Vancouver, a coastal city in the western province of British Columbia, has a very high standard of living and a growing high-technology sector. The Economist Intelligence Unit, Mercer, and other companies consistently rank it as one of the top five worldwide cities for livability and quality of life. It’s also one of the best places to live in Canada as the local climate is very mild and winters are not as cold as in other parts of the country.
IT salaries in Vancouver
The average IT salary in Vancouver is C$6,200 per month (C$74,200 per year, before taxes). It can vary from C$3,968 for security analysts to C$8,406 per month for front-end developers.
The average IT salaries in Vancouver (CAD per month, before taxes):
- Software developer: 6,467
- Back-end developer: 6,090
- Front-end developer: 8,406
- Full-stack developer: 7,071
- DevOps engineer: 6,801
- Database administrator: 6,385
- Web designer: 4,487
- System administrator: 5,715
- Project manager: 7,021
- QA engineer: 5,987
- Technical writer: 5,809
- Security analyst: 3,968
Junior .net/C# developer’s annual salary in Vancouver starts at C$69,000, at C$77,000 for a Middle developer, and at C$91,000 for a Senior developer.
Junior Java developer’s annual salary in Vancouver starts at C$66,000, at C$74,000 for a Middle developer, and at C$93,000 for a Senior developer.
Junior mobile application developer’s annual salary in Vancouver starts at C$67,000, at C$82,000 for a Middle developer, and at C$98,000 for a Senior developer.
Junior front-end developer’s annual salary in Vancouver starts at C$65,500, at C$75,000 for a Middle developer, and at C$91,000 for a Senior developer.
Junior full-stack developer’s annual salary in Vancouver starts at C$60,000, at C$71,000 for a Middle developer, and at C$90,000 for a Senior developer.
Junior DevOps engineer’s annual salary in Vancouver starts at C$81,500, at C$103,500 for a Middle engineer, and at C$120,000 for a Senior engineer.
Junior DevOps engineer’s annual salary in Vancouver starts at C$80,000, at C$101,000 for a Middle engineer, and at C$106,000 for a Senior engineer.
Junior QA engineer’s annual salary in Vancouver starts at C$79,000, at C$87,000 for a Middle engineer, and at C$97,000 for a Senior engineer.
Junior UI/UX designer’s annual salary in Vancouver starts at C$62,000, at C$70,000 for a Middle designer, and at C$79,000 for a Senior designer.
Junior data analyst’s annual salary in Vancouver starts at C$51,000, at C$65,500 for a Middle analyst, and at C$81,000 for a Senior analyst.
Junior data scientist’s annual salary in Vancouver starts at C$77,000, at C$89,000 for a Middle analyst, and at C$102,000 for a Senior analyst.
Junior database administrator’s annual salary in Vancouver starts at C$66,000, at C$78,000 for a Middle analyst, and at C$91,000 for a Senior analyst.
Junior technical writer’s annual salary in Vancouver starts at C$59,000, at C$69,000 for a Middle analyst, and at C$80,000 for a Senior analyst.
Junior project manager’s annual salary in Vancouver starts at C$61,000, at C$80,000 for a Middle analyst, and at C$101,000 for a Senior analyst.
Economy
The unemployment rate in Vancouver is 4.5% — lower than in Montreal and Toronto as well as lower than the national average of 5.7%. The economy of Vancouver is the strongest and most vibrant in Canada. This rich city has a major port that is largest in Canada and represents a gateway to the Pacific Ocean.
Important economic sectors in Vancouver include:
- Aviation
- Blockchain
- Cleantech
- Construction
- eCommerce
- Film and TV
- Natural resources
- Software development
- Technology
- Tourism
- International trade
- Video games production
The largest technology companies present in Vancouver include:
- Amazon
- Arista Networks
- Electronic Arts (EA)
- IBM
- Intel
- Maximizer CRM Software
- Microsoft
- NetApp
- Netgear
- Samsung
- SAP
Cost of living
According to a study by Demographia, Vancouver is the most expensive city in the world after Hong Kong and one of the most expensive property markets on earth.
The average prices in Vancouver (CAD):
- Meal at McDonald’s: 8–15
- Meal at another inexpensive restaurant: 12–25
- Average food basket (milk, bread, eggs, cheese, chicken, apples, potatoes, water, beer): 56
- Monthly fee at a fitness club: 25–120
- Monthly pass: 95–155
- Monthly rent (1 bedroom): 1,200 – 2,500
- Monthly rent (3 bedrooms): 2,000 – 5,000
- Property prices per square meter: 6,500 – 16,500
- Utilities: 40–200 per month
Travel
Vancouver is served by Vancouver International Airport that is the second busiest airport in Canada after the Toronto Pearson International Airport. You can fly from Vancouver to many Canadian and US destinations as well as to Amsterdam, Beijing, Delhi, Dublin, Frankfurt, Guangzhou, Hong Kong, London, Manchester, Shanghai, Chengdu, Taipei, and other cities around the globe.
Entertainment
Vancouver has a reputation for being a less vibrant and more relaxed city compared to Montreal and Toronto. There is an opinion that there is “not much to do” in Vancouver. However, this is not exactly true. You will find there theaters, dance venues, libraries, museums, musical venues, bars, restaurants, and a vibrant nightlife scene. The Vancouver International Film Festival runs for two weeks each September. And the city is sharing the nickname “Hollywood North” with Toronto as one of the largest film and TV production centers in the world.