Coquitlam anchors the Tri-Cities east of Vancouver, a suburb with real hiking on its doorstep. About 150,000 people live here, spread between a growing town centre around Lafarge Lake, transit towers at Burquitlam, the French-Canadian roots of Maillardville, and newer hillside homes on Burke Mountain and Westwood Plateau.
Locals use the outdoors constantly. The Coquitlam Crunch trail, Mundy Park, Colony Farm and the nearby lakes at Buntzen and Sasamat fill their weekends. Korean and Persian restaurants are a local strength, and Vancouver is a short drive or train ride away. The tradeoff is cost, since housing is well above the national average and detached homes are out of reach for many. Safety is decent, though car break-ins at trailheads are common, so keep valuables out of sight. Winters are wet more than snowy, and bears and cougars turn up near forest edges.
Trip planning at a glance
Peak season
June to September
Quieter season
November to March
Nearest airport
Vancouver International (YVR), 35 km southwest (about 45 minutes by car
Highlights
Coquitlam Town Centre and Lafarge Lake
Mundy Park
Como Lake
Buntzen Lake and Sasamat Lake day trips (Anmore and Belcarra)
Out of 10. Open any score to see how it’s worked out. “Data-based” scores come from published figures; “Hey! En Route estimate” scores are worked out from what we know about the city; “Hey! En Route rating” scores were set by our editors.
6.3/10Good
Connector Score8.2
14 worthwhile cities within three hours; reachable by road, intercity bus, air, and local transit; lodging and sights for an overnight stop. Hey! En Route estimate
Safety7.0
Crime Severity Index around 80; the Canadian figure is about 80. Data-based
Affordability5.5
Cost of living index about 110, where the national average is 100. Data-based
Transportation8.0
Reachable by: road, intercity bus, air, and local transit. Hey! En Route estimate
Car-free friendliness5.0
Intercity train or bus, plus local transit and walkability. Hey! En Route estimate
Walkability5.0
Estimated from city size and transit; no walkable downtown noted. Hey! En Route estimate
Things to do5.6
Known for 6 kinds of attraction, with 7 annual events listed. Hey! En Route estimate
Food & dining5.8
A known food scene, weighted by city size. Hey! En Route estimate
Places to stay6.1
Lodging at budget, mid-range and luxury prices. Hey! En Route estimate
Nature & outdoors5.5
Known for mountains & hiking, lakes & rivers. Hey! En Route estimate
Scenic value6.3
From its landscape: coast, mountains, lakes and parks. Hey! En Route estimate
Family friendliness4.4
Zoos, aquariums, theme parks and museums, weighted by safety. Hey! En Route estimate
Solo-traveler friendliness5.2
Safety, getting around without a car, hostels, and things to do. Hey! En Route estimate
Nightlife4.8
Estimated from city size and live music. Hey! En Route estimate
Remote-work friendliness5.7
City size, affordability, cafés and connections. Hey! En Route estimate
Road-trip convenience6.5
14 worthwhile cities within three hours’ drive, plus parking, EV charging and RV options. Hey! En Route estimate
Train-trip convenience1.0
No intercity train service noted. Hey! En Route estimate
Bus-trip convenience7.3
Intercity buses, with 8 nearby cities reachable by bus. Hey! En Route estimate
Tri-Cities hub; City of Coquitlam; Gateway to Burke Mountain and Lafarge Lake; Home of Coquitlam Town Centre
Founded
1891 incorporated as a municipality; 1992 designated a city
Languages
English (dominant); French is an official federal language with limited everyday use; Korean, Mandarin, Cantonese, Persian, Punjabi and Spanish are common immigrant languages; Korean and Persian businesses are prominent; Kwikwetlem First Nation and Coast Salish territory
Airports
Vancouver International (YVR), about 35 km southwest (about 45 minutes by car, longer by Skytrain plus Canada Line); Abbotsford International (YXX), about 45 km east; Bellingham International (BLI), Washington, about 95 km south
Tipping
Restaurants 15-20% of the pre-tax bill (GST/HST/PST are added on top of listed prices, and tipping is on the pre-tax amount); bars $1-2 per drink or 15-20% of tab; taxis and rideshare 10-15%; hotel housekeeping $3-5 CAD per night; bellhops $2-5 CAD per bag; tour guides 10-15%; counter service optional (all amounts CAD; BC adds 5% GST plus 7% PST on most goods and services, and hotels add 8% provincial hotel tax plus municipal tax on top of listed prices)
Community signals
Not enough responses yet to show a trend.
Coquitlam City Circle
For people considering Coquitlam, visiting soon, living there for a while, or comparing it with somewhere else.
Population 148,625 is the 2021 Census figure from Statistics Canada (Focus on Geography page found via search but not opened); newer estimates are higher (near 160,000). Land area 122.4 sq km per 2021 Census (recalled). Metro population 2,642,825 is the Vancouver CMA (2021 Census). Visitor URL is Tourism Coquitlam (visitcoquitlam.ca), seen in search results; event calendar URL inferred and not verified. Web fetch of Statistics Canada was blocked (robots.txt timeout), so figures rely on search snippets and recall; lower confidence. Elevation, coordinates, founding, event months, hotel ranges, cost-of-living comparisons, crime index, rent, home prices and distances are approximate or from general knowledge and not verified in this pass. All money in CAD.
Last verified September 25, 2026 · Source: Research spreadsheet · Editorial ·
Neighborhoods
7 areas to know, and who each one suits.
Coquitlam Town Centre
Urban core
Burquitlam
Transit and towers
Maillardville
French-Canadian heritage
Burke Mountain
Newer residential
Westwood Plateau
Upscale suburb
Austin Heights and Como Lake
Residential
Riverview and Hockaday
Older residential
No neighborhood matches that.
Where to base yourself
Coquitlam Town Centre and near Coquitlam Centre for shopping and West Coast Express and Millennium Line access
Burquitlam and Lougheed for SkyTrain
nearby Port Moody for waterfront
downtown Vancouver (about 27 km) is the usual base for major attractions. Tiers: budget motels on Lougheed Highway
mid-range chains near Coquitlam Centre
few luxury options locally
Suburbs and neighboring towns
Port Moody (8 km; SkyTrain and West Coast Express); Port Coquitlam (8 km; car, TransLink bus, WCE); Burnaby (15 km; SkyTrain); New Westminster (15 km; SkyTrain); Anmore (10 km; car); Surrey (20 km; car, TransLink bus)
What a visit costs
Per person per day, with a room shared by two. Change anything below to fit your trip.
Budget
$111/day
Lodging about CA$135 a night
Mid-range
$159/day
Lodging about CA$200 a night
Luxury
$262/day
Lodging about CA$325 a night
Budget calculator
Vehicle
mpg
These are estimates from typical prices, not quotes. Real costs vary with season, events, booking time and your own habits; taxes and fees are approximate.
Cost of living
For longer stays and relocation.
Cost of living index
110 (national average = 100)
Typical 1-bedroom rent
CA$2,250a month
Median home price
CA$1,150,000
Research notes
Roughly 10% above the Canadian average (housing well above) and comparable to or slightly below US coastal metros such as Seattle, about 5% below Vancouver itself (approximate, from common indices); typical 1BR rent about $2,100-2,400 CAD per month on listing sites (approximate)
Real estate
Buying or renting long-term: prices, trends and the rules.
Median home
CA$1,150,000
Mortgage calculator
Benchmark home price about $1.1-1.2M CAD overall (approximate, GVR; detached about $1.9M CAD, condos about $650,000 CAD); average 1BR rent about $2,100-2,400 CAD; market trend: high prices with softer sales and flat to slightly lower values since 2023, new towers around Burquitlam and Town Centre (not verified this pass)
Research notes on prices and seasons
Hotels per night (CAD, before 5% GST, 8% provincial hotel tax and municipal tax): budget $110-160; mid-range $160-240; luxury $250-400 (limited supply). Peak season is June to September; November to March is cheapest. Rough daily visitor budget excluding lodging: $90-160 CAD
Where to stay
Which part of town suits which kind of trip.
Coquitlam Town Centre and near Coquitlam Centre for shopping and West Coast Express and Millennium Line access
Burquitlam and Lougheed for SkyTrain
nearby Port Moody for waterfront
downtown Vancouver (about 27 km) is the usual base for major attractions. Tiers: budget motels on Lougheed Highway
mid-range chains near Coquitlam Centre
few luxury options locally
Places to stay
2 listings in Coquitlam, ranked by traveller reviews. Featured listings are marked.
Safety information is a guide from public data and our research, not a guarantee. Conditions change; check local news and official advice before you go.
7.0
Very good · Data-based
Crime Severity Index around 80; the Canadian figure is about 80.
Safety overview
Coquitlam's Crime Severity Index is around or below the national average and mostly property crime (roughly 70-90, approximate, Statistics Canada; RCMP Coquitlam detachment covering the Tri-Cities); main visitor risks are car break-ins, vehicle and bike theft, and mail or package theft. Health care: BC MSP does not cover visitors, so travel health insurance is advisable. Hospitals: Eagle Ridge Hospital (Port Moody), Royal Columbian Hospital (New Westminster) nearby; urgent care clinics in Coquitlam. Hazards: Cascadia earthquake zone, heavy winter rain and landslides on steep slopes, summer wildfire smoke, black bear and cougar activity near forested edges, Coquitlam River flood risk. Emergency 911
Local notes
Specific places where extra care is worthwhile, especially at night. Most visits are trouble-free.
Coquitlam has no widely cited areas that visitors are advised to avoid; use ordinary caution late at night near some Lougheed Highway motels and around Coquitlam Central and Lincoln stations, where property crime and street disorder are more visible. Keep valuables out of cars at trailheads (Buntzen, Crunch, Burke Mountain), where break-ins occur
Times marked “est.” are estimates: drives use typical road distances at highway speeds, and train or bus times assume both cities have service. Always check a route planner and timetables before you travel.
Route ideas
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