What is it like living in Vancouver? Where is Vancouver? How does cost of living in Vancouver compare with other cities? We help you address some of the important questions about Vancouver first before you research your adopted city further.

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● Where is Vancouver?
● About Vancouver
● Vancouver Weather
● Cost of Living
● Things you will notice about Vancouver
● Dining out in Vancouver
● Vancouver Nightlife

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Where is Vancouver?

Vancouver is a coastal seaport city on the mainland of British Columbia, Canada. It is located on the West Coast of Canada, above Seattle, just 50 kilometres north of the US border.

About Vancouver

Vancouver was recently voted the most liveable city in the world by the Economist Intelligence Unit for the second year running. Its scenic location near the ocean, tucked up against the North Shore mountains, makes living in Vancouver an ideal base for year-round exploration. The city’s coastline offers amazing views and great beaches, while the mountains offer hiking trails and snow sports. Living in “Beautiful British Columbia”, world renowned for its natural beauty, is ideal if you have an appreciation for the outdoors. If you don’t possess this appreciation right now, then we promise that you will develop one over time. Vancouver is special because of its setting, surrounded by the sea and the mountains. It has a diverse, metropolitan area, yet you’re always close to nature, providing its inhabitants with the best of both worlds. Living in Vancouver is a fantastic experience.

Vancouver night skyline

Photo: Kevin Roberts

Downtown

The downtown core of Vancouver is very urban and condensed within a small area, characterized by residential high-rises and office blocks that contribute to a fantastic skyline. Despite the downtown area being so dense, the entire area is circled by the sea with access to the Vancouver sea wall and many beaches, which are only a short walk away. The Downtown area includes the famous Stanley Park, one of the largest urban parks in North America, offering more than 1,000 acres of park encircled by the sea wall. English Bay to the south of downtown offers a collection of sandy beaches (English Bay Beach, Second Beach, Third Beach and Sunset Beach) when you need a break from the city. The downtown area itself is very residential, with over 500,000 people living within a small area where everything is within walking distance.

The Suburbs

Vancouver metropolitan area comprises of more than 2.1 million people spaced over the Greater Vancouver area (Burnaby, North Vancouver, Richmond, West Vancouver, Surrey, Langley and New Westminster). Each city is regarded as its own municipality, independent of Vancouver.

See our Where to live in Vancouver section for more information on the neighbourhoods of Vancouver.

Vancouver Weather

The summer months are typically dry, but temperate and rarely uncomfortably hot. In contrast, most days during late fall and winter (November to March) are rainy. This regular rain can be one of the toughest things about Vancouver. The upside to the dreary rainy winter weather, however, is that when it’s raining in the city, it’s usually snowing on the nearby mountains, allowing for snow sports like downhill and cross-country skiiing, snowboarding and snowshoeing.

Cost of Living

Getting started can be tough due to the relatively high cost of living in Vancouver, but this resource is aimed at saving you time and money by pointing you in the right direction. A premium is charged through rent and other living costs for the luxury of living in this beautiful city. Vancouver is amongst the least affordable cities in which to live in Canada, with the highest housing prices in the country. Come see our city and you will understand why so many people are willing to tolerate the high cost of living in Vancouver. Tipping is standard practice in bars/restaurants (typically 15-20% of the bill). A pint of beer will cost you anywhere from $5-8 dollars depending on location and whether it’s a local or imported brand.

Vancouver Culture

Vancouver is one of the most ethnically diverse cities in Canada. Being such a new city (it was established in 1886) means that there is no real sense of ownership and therefore everybody just gets along. People of English, Scottish, Irish and German origins were historically the largest ethnic groups in the city. Over the last 30 years, however, immigration has dramatically increased, making the city more ethnically and linguistically diverse. For example, 52 per cent of residents do not speak English as their first language and almost 30 per cent of the city’s inhabitants are of Asian backgrounds.

Vancouver has a large gay community focused on the West End neighbourhood, though the gay community is omnipresent throughout the West End and Yaletown areas. Vancouver is host to one of the country’s largest annual gay pride parades. British Columbia was the second Canadian province (after Ontario) to legalize same-sex marriage.

Things you will notice about Vancouver

● It rains alot between November and March. The summers, however, are warm and dry and it rarely snows in the city.
● Vancouver probably has the best sushi outside Asia, which can be attributed to the fact that Asians make up more than 30 per cent of the population.
● Vancouver has one of the lowest obesity rates in North America. (Everyone is obsessed with healthy eating and staying fit);
● Very few people smoke in Vancouver. Recently enforced bylaws now make it illegal to smoke in bars and restaurants.
● Nightlife is typically more subdued in Vancouver than in other big cities. It’s very much an outdoors oriented place by winter and summer.
● There is a very high homeless population living in Vancouver. It is one of the mildest cities in Canada, so it attracts the homeless from all over the country. The area of East Hastings, where a lot of them congregate, is one of Vancouver’s darkest secrets.
● Marijuana is widely accepted in Vancouver and possession of small amounts is often overlooked by
police.
● The cost of living is Vancouver is much higher than most North American cities.

Dining out in Vancouver

Eating out in Vancouver can be expensive. Try this website to find great deals any night of the week — Cheap Eats Now Search

“The number of truly outstanding restaurants in Vancouver is astonishing, and the prices are ridiculously low when compared to other food capitals…” — The New York Times

“Fusion is the operative word in restaurant-rich Vancouver, where Northwest meets Japanese meets Indian meets Chinese.” — National Geographic Traveler

Perennially voted one of the best dining cities in North America, always competing for foodie accolades against other major international cities such as London, Paris and New York, Vancouver is a food lover’s paradise. There are many restaurants opening up every week and the range of international cuisine on offer is amazing. Locals in Vancouver have been known to dine out more than those in other Canadian cities and there is a wide range of menus to suit every type of budget. Tourists love to visit the city and sample tasty cuisine from some of the world’s best chefs. Yaletown is always changing and there is a new restaurant popping up every month. Robson Street is filled with so many restaurants that it is hard to choose just one, so visitors and locals might just restaurant-hop throughout their entire stay in Vancouver. Formal or informal, there is a place to match everyone’s style and tastes.

Sushi fanatics always love a trip to this city where there are sushi places on every block, especially on Robson Street. Visitors must try the Pacific Coast seafood in restaurants, as BC has some of the freshest and most creative dishes found anywhere. Try fresh oysters, mussels, salmon and crab at Joe Fortes Seafood and Chop House or dine at the Fish House in Stanley Park. BC wine is also very popular and most of the best restaurants have it on their wine lists. BC wines are becoming popular all over the world and are now competing favourably against major league vintages from Australia and California. Vancouverites are coffee drinkers and you might just pick up on this because there is a Starbucks or Blenz on every corner. The coffee craze may have begun in Seattle, but it has definitely crossed over into Vancouver. Starbucks even hands out espresso samples on the street, so you’re never too far from a caffeine buzz! (Courtesy of VancouverBC.com Blog)

Our recommended picks:
Nuba — Lebanese cuisine (Seymour-Davie, Pender & Cambie)
Yamato Sushi (Davie-Seymour)
Babylon – Iraq Kebab house (Denman St)
Vera’s Burger Shack (Davie St, Commercial)

Street Carts

The days of hotdogs and roasted chestnuts are long gone. In the wake of a new initiative launched by the city, Vancouver’s street food scene has exploded. On sidewalks around the city you can now find everything from Korean-style tacos to wild salmon and Asian fish balls and pulled-pork barbecue. An updated list of the city’s offerings is available, courtesy of the fantastic new blog Vancouver Street Eats.

Here’s a recent article from the Guardian that raves about Vancouver’s street carts: One from the cart: street food in Vancouver

1. Arturo’s Mexico to Go ● Website: www.arturos2go.com ● Location: Howe & Cordova Streets (Gastown neighbourhood) ● Vancouver Sun review: http://bit.ly/b70kfA ● Authentic Mexican cuisine made from scratch in their mobile kitchen – burritos, quesadillas, tacotinos and tortilla soup. They make fresh salsa daily.

2. Cartel Taco ● Website: www.carteltaco.ca ● Twitter: @carteltaco ● Location: Burrard & Georgia Streets (near the Vancouver Art Gallery) ● Scout magazine review: http://bit.ly/9l3rrL ● Korean-style tacos (pork, beef or veggie) – beef and pork versions are done in the Bulgogi style (a wet Korean marinade, literally “fire meat”). Tacos are topped with cilantro, onion and mild kimchi. Veggie version is made with mushrooms and tofu.

3. Chinese Skewer King ● Website: www.chineseskewerking.ca ● Location: Burrard & West Hastings Streets (Downtown) ● Blog review: http://bit.ly/bnQNit ● Chinese-style skewers – BBQ pork, lamb, tofu and veggie skewers.

4. Dim Sum Express ● No website ● Location: Howe & West Cordova Streets (near the Vancouver Convention Centre) ● Vancouver Sun review: http://bit.ly/agnAJL ● Chinese dim sum.

5. Fresh Local Wild ● Website: www.freshlocalwild.com ● Twitter: @freshlocalwild ● Location: Granville & Robson Streets (Downtown) ● Local blog review: http://bit.ly/dgTijC ● Chef Josh Wolfe is using the finest BC ingredients in a quick, affordable and delicious package. Focus on fresh, local seafood.

6. Japadog ● Website: www.japadog.com ● Twitter: @japadog ● Location: Various downtown Vancouver locations. ● InsideVancouver review: http://insidevancouver.ca/2010/02/18/olympic-street-food-in-vancouver/ ● Vancouver’s famous Japanese hotdog stand.

7. Kimono Koi Crepes ● Website: www.kimonokoicrepes.com ● Twitter: @kimonokoicrepes ● Location: Granville & Georgia Streets (Downtown) ● Fresh-made, Japanese-style crepes – a huge menu covering everything from chocolate and cheese to tuna and sausage.

8. Licious Living ● Website: www.liciousliving.com ● Twitter: @liciousliving ● Location: Granville & Georgia Streets (Downtown) ● See mobile menu here: http://www.liciousliving.com/main/files/u2/menuv3.pdf. ● Delicious and healthy food to-go with their Mobilicious food cart.

9. PanDa Fresh Bakery ● Website: www.pandafreshbakery.com (website down) ● Twitter: @pandabakery ● Location: Drake Street & Pacific Boulevard (Yaletown neighbourhood) ● A little yellow school bus with a Japanese-inspired bakery serving fresh-baked croissants stuffed with an assortment of ingredients, ranging from sweet to savoury. Try the “S’mores” croissant – filled with shaved milk chocolate and banana.

10. Poke’m ● No website ● Location: Robson & Hornby Streets (Downtown) ● Local food blog review: http://bit.ly/a6yJY2 ● Serves the simple Oriental snack of BBQ meatballs (beef, fish, chicken, fish tofu, cuttlefish or fish fritters) with various sauces (Caribbean, Korean, Japanese, Vietnamese or traditional curry fishball).

11. Ragazzi Pizza Co. ● Website: www.ragazzipizza.com ● Location: Burrard Street & West Pender Streets (Downtown) ● Italian hand-stretched and stone-baked pizza.

12. Re-Up BBQ ● Twitter: @reupbbq ● Location: West Georgia & Hornby Streets (by the Vancouver Art Gallery) ● InsideVancouver review: http://insidevancouver.ca/2010/08/27/new-street-food-options-pulled-pork-at-re-up/ ● Southern BBQ – simple menu with pulled pork sandwiches and drinks.

13. Roaming Dragon ● Website: www.roamingdragon.com ● Twitter: @dragontruck ● Location: West Georgia & Burrard Streets (Downtown) ● InsideVancouver Review: http://insidevancouver.ca/2010/09/23/street-food-pan-asian-dishes-from-roaming-dragon/ ● Roaming Dragon brings Pan-Asian favourites to Vancouver’s streets – fried rice, short ribs, steamed pork buns, etc.

14. Satay King ● Website: www.satayking.ca ● Twitter: @sataykingca ● Location: Burrard & Davie Streets (Davie Village) ● Local blog review: http://bit.ly/avkOyC ● Serves BBQ skewers with a homemade peanut sauce, rice (white or brown) and side salad. (InsideVancouver.ca)

Nightlife in Vancouver

Nightlife in Vancouver is typically pretty quiet as the city has very strict licensing and health & safety laws. Regulations against standing in bars and capacity limitations severely hinder the social life of the city. Dreaded “line-ups” tend to take the fun out of the evening for most newcomers. Expect 10- to 15-minute waits at most busy bars and clubs on weekends. Many find that “ninja” drinking on the beach or a BBQ with friends is often the easier option in the summer months. It’s certainly not a “party town” but nightlife is slowly improving.

While the “Entertainment District” on Granville street downtown is the epicentre, this area is mainly populated by teenagers and people in their early twenties. The nightlife seeps into Gastown which has a good mix of cafés, bars, disco bars, cocktail bars and trendy clubs and over to Davie Street (the gay scene). Commercial Drive, with its political and Latin cultures, is lively well into the early hours. A youngish, fashionable crowd hangs out on Yew Street in Kitsilano. Main Street has a number of small, funky music venues with both a young hipster scene and young couples atmosphere. Yaletown offers a more trendy, pretentious alternative with many expensive cafés, restaurants and clubs.

● Where is Vancouver?
● About Vancouver
● Vancouver Weather
● Cost of Living
● Things you will notice about Vancouver
● Dining out in Vancouver
● Vancouver Nightlife

Please press Recommend to share this page with your friends and use the comments section to add suggestions that will help us improve the content.