parkDowntown peninsula
Stanley Park
Canada's largest urban rainforest, wrapped by a 10 km seawall.
Photo: Wikimedia Commons
Free entryBest time: Early morning on weekdays, or sunset at Third Beach
Read the full guide →
Greater Vancouver · City Guide
Vancouver
Canada's densest downtown, a seawall that never ends, and more coastlines than you expect.
Population
662,248
Land area
115.18 km²
5,750 / km²
Median age
40
Foreign-born
41.8%
Top languages spoken
CantoneseMandarinTagalog (Filipino)PunjabiSpanishKorean
Living in Vancouver
A city half rainforest, half skyline.
Vancouver is smaller than most newcomers expect — just 115 km² hugging a peninsula between the ocean and the mountains — but it packs more density, more coastline, and more linguistic diversity than almost anywhere else in Canada. About four in ten residents were born outside the country, and on any given block you'll hear Cantonese, Mandarin, Tagalog, Punjabi, and Spanish alongside English. The downtown peninsula has Canada's densest residential core, but turn a corner and you're on a beach. That contrast — urban intensity beside wild coastline — is what people mean when they talk about living here.
Newcomers usually get three things wrong. First, they underestimate how much life happens outside downtown: the East Side, Mount Pleasant, and South Vancouver have arguably better food, cheaper rent, and stronger community than the glass towers. Second, they overpay for rent by renting sight-unseen from listings that turn out to be basement suites or room shares priced like one-bedrooms. Third, they plan around driving and then discover that parking downtown is punitive and transit actually works. This guide tries to fix all three.
Where to live
Six neighbourhoods worth knowing in Vancouver.
Downtown & West End
Glass towers, the seawall, and the densest residential core in Canada.
WalkabilityTransitNo car
Read the neighbourhood guide →
Kitsilano
Beach access, cafés, and young professionals who run before work.
BeachFamiliesActive
Read the neighbourhood guide →
Mount Pleasant
Breweries, Main Street, and Vancouver's strongest indie food scene.
FoodStudentsCreative
Read the neighbourhood guide →
Commercial Drive
Italian roots, Latin American community, the last genuinely weird strip in the city.
FoodCharacterBudget
Read the neighbourhood guide →
Kerrisdale & Dunbar
Quiet Westside streets, good schools, and the kind of bakery that still wraps pastries in paper.
FamiliesSchoolsQuiet
Read the neighbourhood guide →
East Van
Everything east of Main — where most newcomer communities actually live.
BudgetDiversityCommunity
Read the neighbourhood guide →
Yaletown
Converted warehouses, waterfront cafés, and the polished end of downtown.
ProfessionalsWaterfrontDining
Read the neighbourhood guide →
Gastown
Vancouver's oldest neighbourhood — brick heritage, cocktail bars, and tasting menus.
NightlifeHistoryDate Night
Read the neighbourhood guide →
Main Street (South)
A 25-block stretch of independent shops, vintage stores, and design studios south of Broadway.
ShoppingCreativeFood
Read the neighbourhood guide →
South Granville
Galleries, upscale shops, and mid-century apartment blocks south of the bridge.
QuietSchoolsArts
Read the neighbourhood guide →
Rankings
Which Vancouver neighbourhood is right for you?
Same neighbourhoods, three different questions. Pick the ranking that matches what matters to you — and we'll tell you which Vancouver neighbourhood comes out on top, and why.
Discover
Places in Vancouver that sell the city to visitors — and keep residents here.
Swipe or use the arrows →
park
marketFalse Creek
Granville Island
A former industrial island turned into one of North America's best public markets.
Photo: Wikimedia Commons
Free entryBest time: Tuesday or Wednesday morning to avoid weekend crowds
Read the full guide →
neighbourhoodDowntown
Gastown
Cobblestone streets, the famous steam clock, and Vancouver's oldest bars.
Photo: Wikimedia Commons
Free entryBest time: Evening, for the restaurant scene
Read the full guide →
beachKitsilano
Kitsilano Beach
Vancouver's social beach — volleyball courts, a saltwater pool, and the skyline across the water.
Photo: Wikimedia Commons
Free entryBest time: Sunset in summer
Read the full guide →
parkSouth Cambie
Queen Elizabeth Park
The highest point in Vancouver — gardens, a glass conservatory, and a 360° skyline view.
Photo: Wikimedia Commons
Free entryBest time: Clear afternoon for skyline views
Read the full guide →
museumFalse Creek
Science World
The iconic geodesic dome on False Creek — half science museum, half Vancouver landmark.
Photo: Wikimedia Commons
Entry $$Best time: Weekday morning to avoid field-trip crowds
Read the full guide →
museumDowntown
Vancouver Art Gallery
BC's largest art gallery, in a former courthouse on Robson Square.
Photo: Wikimedia Commons
Entry $$Best time: Tuesday evening, when admission is by-donation
Read the full guide →
gardenChinatown
Dr. Sun Yat-Sen Classical Chinese Garden
The first authentic Ming-era classical Chinese garden built outside of China.
Photo: Wikimedia Commons
Entry $$Best time: Weekday mornings, when it's quietest
Read the full guide →
beachWest End
English Bay Beach
Downtown's own sunset beach, at the west end of Davie Street.
Photo: Wikimedia Commons
Free entryBest time: Sunset in summer
Read the full guide →
neighbourhoodEast Downtown
Chinatown
Canada's oldest Chinatown — heritage buildings, new restaurants, and the Millennium Gate.
Photo: Wikimedia Commons
Free entryBest time: Weekend morning for dim sum
Read the full guide →
museumUBC / Point Grey
Museum of Anthropology at UBC
World-class Indigenous art collection in a Arthur Erickson building overlooking the ocean.
Photo: Wikimedia Commons
Entry $$Best time: Thursday evenings, when admission is half-price
Read the full guide →
gardenShaughnessy
VanDusen Botanical Garden
22 hectares of themed gardens including a famously tricky hedge maze.
Photo: Wikimedia Commons
Entry $$Best time: Late spring, when the rhododendrons are in full bloom
Read the full guide →
Services in Vancouver
What things really cost here.
Local price ranges for the most-searched home services. Community submissions + researched quotes, updated regularly.
🧹House CleaningSee prices in Vancouver →👶DaycareSee prices in Vancouver →✂️HaircutSee prices in Vancouver →🔧PlumberSee prices in Vancouver →📦MoversSee prices in Vancouver →⚡ElectricianSee prices in Vancouver →
Food in Vancouver
What you'll actually eat.
Getting around
Transit in Vancouver
Vancouver is served by three SkyTrain lines (Expo, Millennium, Canada), dense 15-minute bus routes along most major corridors, and the SeaBus to North Vancouver. The entire city is in TransLink Zone 1, so a one-zone monthly pass covers you end to end. The Broadway Subway Project is extending the Millennium Line westward and is expected to open in 2027, which will change commute patterns across the Westside.
SkyTrain lines
Expo LineMillennium LineCanada Line
Major stations
Waterfront · Burrard · Granville · Stadium–Chinatown · Commercial–Broadway · Broadway–City Hall · Oakridge–41st Avenue · Marine Drive
Schools & health
For families
The Vancouver School Board operates around 90 elementary schools and 18 secondary schools across the City of Vancouver. Families applying for kindergarten or mid-year transfers typically register through the VSB's online portal. Daycare and preschool are separate from the public school system and operate on their own waitlists — some of them years long. Primary healthcare in Vancouver is provided through Vancouver Coastal Health; new residents should register with MSP (BC's public health insurance) as soon as they have a BC address.
- Public school district
- Vancouver School Board (SD 39) ↗
- Health authority
- Vancouver Coastal Health
Jump to Vancouver secondary schools↓
10 schools with programs, catchments, and BC Ministry of Education performance data.
Public secondary schools
Schools in Vancouver
The 10 most-asked-about Vancouver School Board (SD 39) secondaries, with their programs, the catchment neighbourhoods they serve, and the BC Ministry of Education's own per-school graduation-assessment results where available. Catchment is determined by your home address — verify with the district's catchment lookup before any move.
What the program badges mean
BC public school programs explained
IB, AP, French Immersion, Mini School — what they are, who they suit, and how the application process works.
Show ▾
What the program badges mean
BC public school programs explained
IB, AP, French Immersion, Mini School — what they are, who they suit, and how the application process works.
Standard catchment program (BC Dogwood) · Standard
The default open-enrolment program every BC public secondary runs. Open to anyone in catchment. Leads to the BC Dogwood Diploma — the standard provincial high-school graduation certificate, accepted by every Canadian university and most international ones.
International Baccalaureate (Diploma + Middle Years) · IB
Globally recognised academic programme run alongside or instead of BC Dogwood. The Diploma Programme (DP) is in Grades 11–12 with six subjects + a research essay; the Middle Years Programme (MYP) is in Grades 8–10 and feeds the DP. Application-based, citywide intake, heavier workload than Dogwood. Most useful for students applying to universities outside Canada.
Advanced Placement · AP
Subject-by-subject acceleration toward US-style college credit. Students pick individual AP courses (Calculus AB, English Literature, Chemistry, etc.) and write the AP exam in May. Less common in BC than IB, but useful for students with one or two subject strengths who don't want a full alternative diploma.
French Immersion (early or late entry) · French Immersion
Academic subjects delivered in French through Grade 12. Continuation of the elementary French Immersion program — students entering at the secondary level usually came from a feeder FI elementary. Bilingual graduates get a Dual Dogwood (BC + bilingual). Late immersion (Grade 6 entry) and early immersion (kindergarten entry) merge by secondary.
Mini School cohort programs · Mini School
Application-based four-year academic cohort that runs alongside the regular catchment program inside the same school. Each Mini School has its own theme — Tech (Templeton), Arts (Byng), Challenge (Hamber), academic-enriched (Kitsilano), etc. Open citywide via application; competitive admission with interviews and portfolios depending on theme.
Languages of instruction
Most BC public secondaries deliver subjects in English. French Immersion schools deliver core academic subjects (math, sciences, social studies) in French. A small number of VSB elementaries run Mandarin Bilingual programs feeding into specific secondaries (e.g., Eric Hamber's Mandarin Accelerated stream). Beyond that, languages appear as electives — Mandarin, Punjabi, Spanish, Japanese, and Korean are widely offered in Greater Vancouver depending on the local community.
Eric Hamber Secondary
SecondarySouth Cambie's main public secondary, in a brand-new 2024 building, known for its Challenge Studio mini school and a sprawling catchment from Oakridge to Cambie Village.
APMini School
- Grades
- 8–12
- Enrolment (2025/2026)
- 1,697
- Literacy Assessment 10 — Proficient or Extending
- 87.4%2023/2024 · 294 writers
- VanGuide indicators
- Programs 2/10 · Newcomer 3.8/10 · Transit 3/5
Catchment includes: South Granville, Kerrisdale & Dunbar
960 West 33rd Avenue, Vancouver, BC V5Z 0L2
Lord Byng Secondary
SecondaryWest Point Grey's catchment secondary, with a high-profile arts mini school (Byng Arts) that draws applicants citywide.
Mini School
- Grades
- 8–12
- Enrolment (2017)
- 1,284
- Literacy Assessment 10 — Proficient or Extending
- 83.2%2023/2024 · 304 writers
- VanGuide indicators
- Programs 1/10 · Newcomer 2.5/10 · Transit 2/5
Catchment includes: Kitsilano
3939 W 16th Avenue, Vancouver, BC V6R 3C9
Kitsilano Secondary
SecondaryKitsilano's neighbourhood secondary, rebuilt in 2018, with the Mini School cohort program and a strong athletics tradition.
APMini School
- Grades
- 8–12
- Enrolment (2024)
- 1,609
- Literacy Assessment 10 — Proficient or Extending
- 80.4%2023/2024 · 301 writers
- VanGuide indicators
- Programs 2/10 · Newcomer 3.8/10 · Transit 2/5
Catchment includes: Kitsilano
2706 Trafalgar Street, Vancouver, BC V6K 2J6
Point Grey Secondary
SecondaryKerrisdale's catchment secondary on East Boulevard, with the Point Grey Mini School and a strong UBC pipeline.
Mini School
- Grades
- 8–12
- Enrolment (2024)
- 919
- Literacy Assessment 10 — Proficient or Extending
- 84.9%2022/2023 · 146 writers
- VanGuide indicators
- Programs 1/10 · Newcomer 2.5/10 · Transit 2/5
Catchment includes: Kerrisdale & Dunbar
5350 East Boulevard, Vancouver, BC V6M 3V2
Prince of Wales Secondary
SecondaryShaughnessy/Arbutus Ridge catchment secondary, with both a Mini School cohort and the west side's primary French Immersion secondary stream.
French ImmersionMini School
- Grades
- 8–12
- Enrolment (2023/2024)
- 916
- Literacy Assessment 10 — Proficient or Extending
- 91.4%2024/2025 · 267 writers
- VanGuide indicators
- Programs 2/10 · Newcomer 3.8/10 · Transit 3/5
Catchment includes: South Granville, Kerrisdale & Dunbar
2250 Eddington Drive, Vancouver, BC V6L 2E7
Sir Winston Churchill Secondary
SecondaryOakridge's catchment secondary and one of two VSB schools offering the full International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme.
IB
- Grades
- 8–12
- Enrolment (2025/2026)
- 2,015
- Literacy Assessment 10 — Proficient or Extending
- 87.4%2023/2024 · 372 writers
- VanGuide indicators
- Programs 3/10 · Newcomer 7.5/10 · Transit 4/5
Catchment includes: Kerrisdale & Dunbar, South Granville
7055 Heather Street, Vancouver, BC V6P 3P7
David Thompson Secondary
SecondaryFraserview catchment secondary in southeast Vancouver, with a long-running Mini School cohort and a culturally diverse student body.
Mini School
- Grades
- 8–12
- Enrolment (2018/2019)
- 1,369
- Literacy Assessment 10 — Proficient or Extending
- 84.9%2023/2024 · 245 writers
- VanGuide indicators
- Programs 1/10 · Newcomer 7.5/10 · Transit 2/5
Catchment includes: East Van
1755 East 55th Avenue, Vancouver, BC V5P 1Z7
Killarney Secondary
SecondaryKillarney's namesake catchment secondary, one of VSB's largest by enrolment, with a Mini School and a community-centre-attached pool and rink.
Mini School
- Grades
- 8–12
- Enrolment (2024)
- 2,000
- Literacy Assessment 10 — Proficient or Extending
- 74.6%2023/2024 · 334 writers
- VanGuide indicators
- Programs 1/10 · Newcomer 7.5/10 · Transit 2/5
Catchment includes: East Van
6454 Killarney Street, Vancouver, BC V5S 2X7
Templeton Secondary
SecondaryHastings-Sunrise catchment secondary, smaller and more close-knit than the big east-side schools, with a long-running Tech Mini School.
Mini School
- Grades
- 8–12
- Enrolment (2017)
- 801
- Literacy Assessment 10 — Proficient or Extending
- 83.9%2022/2023 · 186 writers
- VanGuide indicators
- Programs 1/10 · Newcomer 7.5/10 · Transit 2/5
Catchment includes: East Van, Commercial Drive
727 Templeton Drive, Vancouver, BC V5L 4N8
Britannia Secondary
SecondaryCommercial Drive's catchment secondary, integrated into the Britannia Community Services Centre with pool, rink, and library on-site.
Mini School
- Grades
- 8–12
- Enrolment (2018)
- 758
- Literacy Assessment 10 — Proficient or Extending
- 66.7%2020/2021 · 144 writers
- VanGuide indicators
- Programs 1/10 · Newcomer 7.5/10 · Transit 4/5
Catchment includes: Commercial Drive, East Van
1001 Cotton Drive, Vancouver, BC V5L 3T4
Official district website
Vancouver School Board (SD 39) ↗
Catchment lookup, registration, programs, and the authoritative source for any policy change.
Performance data source
BC Ministry of Education — Graduation Assessments ↗
We surface the latest non-masked-cohort year per metric; data retrieved 2026-04-17.
We deliberately don't lead with a single Fraser Institute ranking number — within a few percentage points those ranks are statistical noise, and they leave out everything that matters about the day-to-day school experience. The official BC MoE per-school proficiency rates above are what the province itself publishes about how each school is doing.
Safety in Vancouver
Is Vancouver safe? A calibrated answer.
Vancouver is, by Canadian standards, a safe city with a small number of conspicuous problem areas — and that gap between the calibrated reality and the headlines is the most important thing for a newcomer to understand. The 2024 Crime Severity Index for the Vancouver census metropolitan area is just slightly above the Canadian national average, and almost every category has been falling for a decade. What people actually encounter is bike theft, car break-ins on tourist streets, and visible street disorder concentrated in a few downtown blocks — not the violent crime that tourists from other large cities sometimes brace for.
Photo: Wikimedia Commons
Vancouver CMA
81.2
Crime Severity Index — 2024
Canada (all CMAs)
77.9
Crime Severity Index — 2024
How to read this
Vancouver is 3.3 points above the Canadian average. CSI weights crimes by sentencing severity, not just count.
Crime Severity Index — Vancouver CMA vs other major Canadian CMAs (2024)
Chilliwack BC141.7
Kamloops BC129.9
Winnipeg MB124.4
Edmonton AB110.2
Kelowna BC108.8
Calgary AB87.7
Vancouver BC81.2your CMA
Toronto ON71.5
Montreal QC67.4
Ottawa ON50.4
Canada national average: 77.9
Quietest by every common-sense measure
Safest neighbourhoods in Vancouver
- Kerrisdale & Dunbar — Quiet Westside streets, good schools, and the kind of bakery that still wraps pastries in paper.
- Kitsilano — Beach access, cafés, and young professionals who run before work.
- South Granville — Galleries, upscale shops, and mid-century apartment blocks south of the bridge.
- Main Street (South) — A 25-block stretch of independent shops, vintage stores, and design studios south of Broadway.
Areas the news cycle asks about
Honest characterisation
- Downtown & West End
Most of downtown is fine; the Downtown Eastside (centred on East Hastings between Main and Gore) has visible street disorder and a long-running drug poisoning crisis — it is a residential community for people in difficult circumstances, not a place to gawk.
- Gastown
Tourist-area pickpocketing and car break-ins concentrate on the busier blocks; the buildings themselves are safe and the area is well-policed during evenings.
Targeting newcomers
Scams to know about in Vancouver
These follow a small number of repeating playbooks aimed at people who are new to the city, the country, or the rental market. None of them are unique to Vancouver, but the local versions are worth recognising in advance.
Craigslist & Marketplace rental scams
Listings offering well-priced apartments where the 'landlord' is unavailable to show in person and asks for a wire transfer or e-transfer for the deposit before viewing. Real Vancouver landlords show units in person; never send money before signing a tenancy agreement and physically inspecting the unit. Report to the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre.
Fake job offers targeting international students
Unsolicited 'remote assistant' or 'mystery shopper' offers that pay an advance cheque, ask you to forward most of it via wire/crypto, and the original cheque bounces a week later. Legitimate Canadian employers do not pay before any work is done.
CRA / immigration phone scams
Robocalls claiming you owe tax or that your immigration status has been revoked, demanding payment in gift cards or crypto. The CRA and IRCC never call to threaten arrest and never accept gift cards — hang up.
Bike theft (the real one)
Vancouver has one of Canada's highest bike-theft rates per capita. Use a U-lock (cable locks are cut in seconds), register your serial number with Project 529 — Vancouver-supported — and never leave your bike outside overnight if you can help it.
Card-skimming at gas pumps and parking-lot kiosks
Most affected: pay-at-the-pump terminals at suburban gas stations and pay-and-display lot kiosks. Use tap or chip wherever possible, cover the keypad when entering a PIN, and check statements weekly.
What to actually do
Practical safety tips for newcomers
- Walking around downtown after dark is generally fine — the seawall, Yaletown, Coal Harbour, the West End, and the streets around the SkyTrain stations are well-lit and busy. Use normal big-city judgement around East Hastings between Main and Gore.
- Never leave anything visible in a parked car — even a phone charger is enough to invite a smash-and-grab. This is the single most common crime tourists experience in Vancouver.
- Register your bike's serial number with Project 529 (free, supported by VPD) and use a U-lock. If your bike is stolen, file a report immediately so it shows up if recovered.
- TransLink's late-night NightBus runs every 30 minutes after the SkyTrain stops; download the Transit app to see live arrivals. Avoid waiting alone at empty bus loops late at night where possible.
- Save 911 for emergencies. For non-emergency police, call 604-717-3321 (VPD non-emergency line). For mental-health crises that aren't immediately life-threatening, call 9-8-8.
- If you're a new immigrant or international student, register for an annual fraud-awareness briefing from the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre — most newcomer-targeting scams follow a small number of repeating playbooks.
Safety is about probabilities, not guarantees, and reasonable newcomer caution applies anywhere. If something feels off, trust that instinct. For non-emergency police reports in Vancouver, use the local non-emergency police line; for emergencies always call 911.
Weather & seasons
Best time to visit Vancouver.
Vancouver has the mildest climate of any major Canadian city. Winters are cool and damp but rarely freezing; summers are dry, sunny, and mild. Locals joke that you can play on the beach and ski on the North Shore on the same day — and they're not wrong, for about six weeks a year in spring.
Annual rainfall
1189 mm
Jan avg high
7°C
July avg high
22°C
When to come
July through September is peak season — warm, dry, and long days. May, June, and early October are shoulder-season sweet spots: still pleasant, noticeably cheaper, and far less crowded at attractions like Stanley Park and Granville Island. November through February is the wet season — mild but grey, and the best time for cheap flights and empty restaurants.
Getting here
Vancouver International Airport (YVR) sits 15 km south of downtown on Sea Island in Richmond. The Canada Line SkyTrain connects YVR to downtown Vancouver in about 26 minutes, running every 6–10 minutes and costing around $9.45 as an adult fare (the standard 2-zone fare plus a $5 YVR AddFare). Taxis and ride-shares cost $35–50 depending on time of day. YVR is consistently ranked among the best airports in North America for passenger experience.
The Peace Arch land border crossing at Surrey is about 45 minutes south of downtown Vancouver. Driving from Seattle takes 2.5–3 hours, most of it on I-5 and Highway 99. Amtrak Cascades runs a daily train service (Seattle → Vancouver Pacific Central Station) that takes about 4 hours.
Walk Score
80 / 100
Common questions
What newcomers ask about Vancouver.
Is Vancouver expensive to live in?
Yes — Vancouver is consistently one of the most expensive cities in Canada. A one-bedroom apartment on the open market runs around $2,750 in 2026, and the official CMHC average is lower ($1,663) because it only tracks existing long-term tenants in purpose-built buildings. Food, transit, and childcare are in line with other big Canadian cities; rent is the outlier.
Do I need a car in Vancouver?
Most people living within the City of Vancouver itself don't need one. The city is compact, transit is genuinely useful, and car-sharing services (Evo and Modo) cover the gap for trips to IKEA or the mountains. If you live east of Boundary Road or commute to the suburbs daily, a car is more practical.
What's the best neighbourhood for newcomers?
There's no single answer, but Mount Pleasant, East Van, and the area around Commercial–Broadway hit the best balance of price, transit access, community diversity, and food. Downtown is walkable but expensive; Kitsilano is family-friendly but quiet and car-dependent outside the Westside.
How bad is the rain in Vancouver?
Expect grey skies and drizzle from November to March — not heavy rain, but constant. The summers (June to September) are dry, sunny, and mild. Locals own good waterproof shoes and stop using umbrellas after their first winter.
What's the $10-a-day daycare program?
It's a BC government program that caps parent fees at $10 per day at participating licensed daycares. Not every centre has opted in, and waitlists at participating ones are long. See our daycare guide for how to find and apply to $10-a-day spots.
When is the best time to visit Vancouver?
July to September, without question. Expect temperatures in the low-to-mid 20s Celsius, long daylight hours, and almost no rain. Shoulder seasons (May/June and September/October) are still pleasant and much less crowded. November through February is mild by Canadian standards — rarely below freezing — but grey and wet.
Is Vancouver safe for newcomers?
Overall yes — violent crime rates are in line with other major Canadian cities. Property crime (car break-ins, bike theft) is higher than average, so don't leave anything visible in your car. The area around Main and Hastings in the Downtown Eastside has high visible homelessness and open drug use; it's usually safe to walk through in daylight but most residents avoid it at night.
Do I need to worry about earthquakes in Vancouver?
Vancouver is on the Cascadia subduction zone, which is capable of a major earthquake. Building codes are strict and new construction is designed to withstand significant shaking, but it's worth registering for BC's emergency alerts (Alert Ready) and keeping a basic 72-hour kit. Day-to-day life is unaffected.
What's tipping culture like in Vancouver?
Tipping is expected at sit-down restaurants (15–20% of the pre-tax bill), on taxis and ride-shares (10–15%), and for personal services like haircuts and massages (15–20%). Card machines often default to 18–22% pre-selected; you can always adjust. Counter-service coffee shops and quick-service food don't expect tips, even when the machine asks.
How do I get from YVR airport to downtown Vancouver?
The easiest way is the Canada Line SkyTrain — about 26 minutes from YVR to Waterfront Station, running every 6–10 minutes. A regular adult fare with a YVR AddFare is around $9.45. A taxi or ride-share costs roughly $35–50 depending on traffic and time of day.
Plan further
Ready to visit or move to Vancouver?
If you're planning a visit, there are hour-by-hour itineraries with cited costs. If you're planning a move, the cost-of-living breakdown and the newcomer essentials guides are the next stops.
Monthly budget
Vancouver cost of living →
Line-by-line monthly budget with cited rent, groceries, transit, and hydro numbers.
Vancouver itineraries
1 day, weekend, 3 days →
Hour-by-hour plans with cited attraction prices and real transit routes.
Day trips
Whistler, Victoria, Squamish →
Honest day-trip plans with BC Ferries and Sea-to-Sky Highway directions.
Newcomer guides
SIN, MSP, rentals, bank →
Step-by-step essentials for the first month in BC — cited and dated.
Keep exploring
Cities near Vancouver.
Greater Vancouver is a collection of very different cities, each with its own rhythm, rents, and food scene. If you're comparing or planning a move, these are the obvious ones to look at next.
Greater Vancouver
Burnaby
Quiet suburbs, Metrotown shopping, and SFU on the mountain.
Read the Burnaby guide →
Greater Vancouver
Richmond
Home to the best Chinese food in North America and Steveston village.
Read the Richmond guide →
Greater Vancouver
North Vancouver
Trails, salt air, and Lonsdale Quay's waterfront market.
Read the North Vancouver guide →