Vancouver is beautiful, warm, livable and… the most expensive city in Canada! The second most popular topic of discussion for locals, besides the weather, is the exorbitant rent prices. What’s more is that the excitement of the variety of restaurants and cafes disappears once you check out the menu prices. How can a low-budget tourist survive in the city’s prosperous jungle? How to have fun without spending a dime? Read this article to learn about such helpful travel hacks.
READ MORE: “How much does it cost to go to Vancouver? Prices, budgets, tips 2023
How to save money on food
Vancouver is considered the gastronomic capital of Canada. Here you can find cuisine to suit every taste – from signature American steaks and fine sushi to Turkish donair and Ukrainian borsch. However, such a feast is not cheap at all, as well as the groceries. So if you are not planning on limiting yourself to McDonald’s and hot dogs from Costco, there are some reliable ways to have a nice meal without breaking the bank.
1. Find a place with happy hours on The Ultimate Happy Hours website. Here you can find the best restaurant suggestions in the city. My favorite is the $15 CAD Burger & Beer for lunch on Fridays at Black+Blue Steakhouse.
It is customary to tip waiters 15-20% in Vancouver.
2. Eat at food courts with Chinese, Japanese, and Vietnamese restaurants. Check out the shwarma places, Lebanese restaurants, Mexican chains Chipotle, Nando’s (chicken dishes), and pizzerias. Two slices of pizza are around $8-10 CAD Urban Fare and Wholefoods have good ready-to-eat food places.
3. Have breakfast at home. The cafes are usually crowded, and the prices for breakfast and brunch are high. If you can’t eat at home, check out A&W.
READ MORE: Where to eat in Vancouver: cheap hearty breakfasts
4. Try your luck at the Warehouse, where any meal is less than $10 CAD.
5. Try the traditional dishes: Japadog (Downtown food trucks), Fish & Chips with salmon, poutine, and chowder.
The cheapest food in town is at IKEA. If you are in the area, you can get breakfast for $6 CAD (on weekends) and lunch for $10-15 CAD.
7. Buy your liquor at the Liquor Store.
8. You can drink tap water in Vancouver.
9. Don’t drink coffee at Starbucks, Blenz Coffee, or Tim Hortons. Vancouver is famous for its roasteries. You can see how beans are roasted in front of you and get your coffee crafted by the best baristas: Elysian, 49th Parallel, Pallete, Trees Organic Coffee, Caffè Artigiano. Cappuccino or latte is about $5 CAD, filter coffee (brewed) is $3 CAD.
READ MORE: Vancouver’s Top 10 Coffee Shops
How to save money on sightseeing
Vancouver’s main free places of interest are: Stanley Park, Granville Island, the beaches, old Gastown, and the Olympic Village. If you plan to visit museums and drive out of town, the information below comes in handy.
10. Book tickets to several museums at once at Vancouverattractions for up to 35% off.
READ MORE: What to visit in Vancouver? Top 15: Best of the Best
11. Have fun at free festivals.
READ MORE: When to go to Vancouver? Weather and entertainment by month
12. Go to museums on special charity days.
- Vancouver Gallery – from $5 CAD every Tuesday evening (5 to 8pm)
- Bill Reed Gallery – free every first Friday of the month (2 to 5pm)
- Sometimes museums hold promotions during holidays. Check out the official websites
13. Instead of Capilano, you can walk at Lynn Canyon for free. There’s a suspension bridge and rainforest too.
14. Get your skis and snowboards ready in spring. Ski resorts are having season pass sales for the next year. In Whistler, sales begin in March. Information is here.
15. In the summer, you can climb the Grouse Grind stairs of 2,830 steps for free. Local athletes and hikers use it instead of the gym. An average level of physical fitness is required. Link to alltrails.
16. In the winter time at Grouse and Cypress lifts are cheaper after 4pm and have almost no lines.
READ MORE: 11 Ski Resorts Near Vancouver
17. Take a trip to the free historical museum villages:
- Burnaby Village – open from May to September
- Britannia Shipyards – open 24 hours a day, all year round
18. Check the Groupon website. Sometimes there are interesting offers.
How to save money on accomadation
Vancouver is a tourist city. It also holds a large number of events and conferences. Hotels fill up quickly. Therefore such demand significantly affects local prices. But you have probably already noticed it without me if you found this article. Couchsurfing isn’t the only way out…
19. Make your reservations in advance! The earlier you book, the more you can save (same with airline tickets). If it’s less than 2-3 months until your trip, check out rooms at the Barclay Hotel on Robson. Look for apartments on Airbnb or hostels. Samesun Vancouver, HI Vancouver (Central and Downtown) are not bad options.
20. When you can’t find anything in Downtown and Vancouver on a budget, check out the North Vancouver area (SeaBus to Downtown is about 15-20 minutes), Burnaby by Metro (SkyTrain 20-30 minutes), or Richmond (30 minutes to Waterfront on SkyTrain).
READ MORE: Where to stay in Vancouver. The Ultimate Guide 2023
Transportation
The good news is that starting 2020, Vancouver will have Uber! And the great news is that you don’t really need it. The city has a developed network of a surface subway (SkyTrain) and buses. The total length of bicycle paths is more than 450 km. Almost anywhere in the city can be reached by public transport.
21. Rent a bicycle. On average, the cost per day for different companies is about $35 CAD. You can cut that amount in half! Mobi – the city bike network with a daily rate of $15 CAD ($30 CAD per month). You can change it at the nearest station every 30 minutes without additional charges. Register on the Mobi website in advance and download the app on your phone.
READ MORE: Bicycle rentals in Vancouver
22. Do not rent a car at the airport! There’s a $5.75CAD/day CFC airport fee and a one-time additional tax of 19.15% of the base rate for a premium location added to the cost. Take a Skytrain or cab to the nearest office in town and save a quarter of the cost. Take a Skytrain or cab to the nearest office in town and save a quarter of the cost.
In Richmond and South Vancouver: Enterprise Rent-a-Car at 11051 Bridgeport Rd #128 or 970 SW Marine Dr #10. It’s a 10-minute cab ride from the airport, costs $20CAD, but the rental car will no longer include the huge airport’s fees.
Downtown: Independent Rent A Car, Pacific Car Rentals, Enterprise Rent-a-Car,Rent A Car Vancouver.
23. Take a free shuttle to Capilano. The schedule and the stops are here.
24. Get to/from the airport on the SkyTrain (subway). This is the cheapest way (+$5 CAD to the usual cost of the subway). There is an N10 bus to/from Downtown at night. The schedule is here.
25. A single fare is valid for 90 minutes on bus, SkyTrain, SeaBus Transfers are free. If you will be in Vancouver for several days and plan to actively use public transportation, buy the Compass Card. A plastic card for $6CAD saves about 50 cents per trip. At the end of your trip, return your card at Stadium-Chinatown station and get $6 CAD back.
Vancouver Metro is divided into three zones. The cost of a subway ride depends on where you need to go and how many zones you need to cross. Look for the map here.
Other
26. Travel during the off-season: April, May, September, October. Prices for housing and airline tickets are 1.5-2 times lower.
27. In Vancouver, almost every café, restaurant, and museum has free wifi. There is also the city’s #VanWiFi. If you need to work, go to the Vancouver Central Library, with desks, lights and free wifi.
28. If your phone supports it, buy a virtual eSim SIM card instead of a regular one. It has inexpensive rates and it is convenient to use. Read more here.
29. Save on souvenirs at Dollarama. Magnets, cups, and other suvenirs are sold here for $1-2 CAD.
30. For clothes and accessories go to McArthur Glen outlet. It is near the airport.
That concludes my list of helpful tips, have a wonderful trip to Vancouver! If the tips came in handy, and you want to share your own or have any questions – feel free to write in the comments.
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I loved it! if only I had known this when I arrived. Useful tips. All amazing!