One of the draws to living in a city like Richmond can be its beautiful nature and outdoor spaces, a variety of restaurants and many cultural activities.
However, like everything good in life, there is a price to pay.
A recent report from Numbeo, a website that provides timely information on the cost of living in different cities, breaks down how much it costs to live in Richmond, ranging from transportation, utilities, restaurants and monthly rent.
And it likely won’t come as a surprise that it doesn’t come cheap.
Monthly rent
According to Numbeo, the average monthly cost of renting a one-bedroom apartment inside the city centre is $1,846.88, but for people who prefer to live outside of Richmond's city center area, the rental price is $1,457.14.
Dining out
The average cost for two people to dine out weekly in Richmond is $70 for a three-course meal without any alcohol. However, for people looking to simply fill their stomachs rather than a fancy meal, the cost is only $15.50 per person.
Transportation
A monthly transit pass is $100 per month to get around in Richmond.
Groceries
For a single Richmondite who is okay with living on an essential grocery shopping list, their weekly spend could be around $106.10. And in this case, the "essential" here refers to one litre of milk, 500 grams of white bread, one kilogram of local cheese, chicken fillets, beef, 12 eggs, one kilogram of tomatoes, potatoes and apples, etc.
Utilities
The average cost of utilities is $187.75 per month, including internet, cable services, electricity, heating and cooling.
Fitness
Numbeo says Richmondites need to pay $68.50 on average monthly to join a fitness club or work out in a gym.
Clothing and shoes
For people who love keeping up with the latest fashion trend, including purchasing a pair of jeans, running shoes or leather business shoes, the average costs are around $318.84.
Although the costs seem high, Numbeo noted that rent prices in Richmond are still 15.59 per cent lower than in Vancouver, as well as the restaurant prices and groceries prices, which are 14.23 per cent and 17 per cent lower than living in Vancouver respectively.
