Cost of Living Comparison Between Cambridge Bay and Vancouver Cost of Living Comparison Between Cambridge Bay and Vancouver

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,432 in Cambridge Bay versus $2,873 in Vancouver.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,442 in Cambridge Bay versus $4,180 in Vancouver.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,451 in Cambridge Bay versus $5,486 in Vancouver.

Living in Cambridge Bay costs roughly 15% less than in Vancouver, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Cambridge Bay 82% above, Vancouver 115% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$23.35 CA$31.99

$18.57 CA$25.44

25.74%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$71.1 CA$97.4

$78.8 CA$108

-9.81%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.19 CA$15.33

$11.25 CA$15.41

-0.53%

Cappuccino

$3.70 CA$5.07

$3.89 CA$5.33

-4.88%

Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.03 CA$2.78

$2.16 CA$2.96

-6.02%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.64 CA$2.25

$1.78 CA$2.44

-7.87%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.58 CA$7.65

$5.85 CA$8.01

-4.62%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.96 CA$8.17

$7.44 CA$10.20

-19.89%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.21 CA$3.02

$2.28 CA$3.12

-3.07%

White Bread (500g)

$2.72 CA$3.73

$3.21 CA$4.40

-15.26%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.61 CA$4.94

$3.75 CA$5.14

-3.73%

Eggs

$3.49 CA$4.78

$4.53 CA$6.21

-22.96%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.27 CA$15.44

$12.80 CA$17.54

-11.95%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.62 CA$15.91

$14.09 CA$19.30

-17.53%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.55 CA$19.93

$15.87 CA$21.74

-8.32%

Apples (1kg)

$3.93 CA$5.39

$4.18 CA$5.73

-5.98%

Banana (1kg)

$1.36 CA$1.87

$1.53 CA$2.10

-11.11%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.62 CA$4.96

$3.90 CA$5.34

-7.18%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.72 CA$5.10

$4.99 CA$6.84

-25.45%

Potato (1kg)

$2.52 CA$3.45

$3.02 CA$4.13

-16.56%

Onion (1kg)

$2.48 CA$3.40

$3.00 CA$4.11

-17.33%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.50 CA$3.42

$2.71 CA$3.71

-7.75%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.72 CA$2.36

$1.80 CA$2.47

-4.44%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.71 CA$18.78

$15.30 CA$20.97

-10.39%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.37 CA$15.58

$15.38 CA$21.07

-26.07%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.81 CA$3.85

$3.10 CA$4.24

-9.35%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.03 CA$4.15

$3.74 CA$5.13

-18.98%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.41 CA$3.30

$2.38 CA$3.26

1.26%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$62.7 CA$85.9

$85.7 CA$117

-26.88%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.13 CA$4.29

$3.74 CA$5.13

-16.31%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.44 CA$1.97

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$25.92 CA$35.50

$27.52 CA$37.70

-5.81%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.11 CA$1.52

$1.30 CA$1.78

-14.62%

Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)

$24.7K CA$33.8K

$25.7K CA$35.2K

-3.91%

Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)

$20.9K CA$28.6K

$20.4K CA$28.0K

2.39%

Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)

$141 CA$194

$90.1 CA$123

57.00%

SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)

$43.08 CA$59.0

$40.47 CA$55.4

6.45%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$63.5 CA$87.1

$60.4 CA$82.7

5.29%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.80 CA$57.3

$44.45 CA$60.9

-5.96%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$15.43 CA$21.13

Cinema Ticket

$11.43 CA$15.65

$12.38 CA$16.96

-7.67%

Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)

$742 CA$1,017

$1,153 CA$1,580

-35.61%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.9K CA$16.3K

$18.5K CA$25.4K

-35.75%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.3 CA$75.8

$63.5 CA$87.0

-12.82%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.00 CA$53.4

$41.83 CA$57.3

-6.77%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.7 CA$116

$97.5 CA$134

-13.12%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$105 CA$144

$116 CA$159

-9.46%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,330 CA$1,822

$1,972 CA$2,702

-32.57%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,189 CA$1,629

$1,619 CA$2,218

-26.56%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,054 CA$2,814

$3,531 CA$4,838

-41.83%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,783 CA$2,443

$2,748 CA$3,765

-35.11%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,177 CA$7,093

$9,040 CA$12.4K

-42.73%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,057 CA$5,558

$7,298 CA$9,998

-44.41%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,619 CA$4,959

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.46

5.61

15.15%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Cambridge Bay: April 27, 2026

Last update for Vancouver: April 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,330 in Cambridge Bay and $1,972 in Vancouver. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $71.0 in Cambridge Bay vs $79.0 in Vancouver for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $360 vs $416 per month, with Cambridge Bay cheaper across the board.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.

Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

Cambridge Bay vs Vancouver: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Cambridge Bay and Vancouver differ by about 18% in total monthly costs ($2,432 vs $2,873 including rent). Cambridge Bay is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $3,649 in Cambridge Bay and $4,310 in Vancouver to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,330 in Cambridge Bay versus $1,972 in Vancouver. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $2,432 per month in Cambridge Bay versus $2,873 in Vancouver – a 18% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Cambridge Bay runs roughly 37% less than in Vancouver. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $2,432 in Cambridge Bay versus $2,873 in Vancouver, a $3,000 budget is realistic in Cambridge Bay but tight or insufficient in Vancouver. The gap between the two cities makes Cambridge Bay the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Expats usually find Cambridge Bay gentler on the wallet – expenses run 18% less than in Vancouver. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.