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: $2,335 in Cambridge Bay versus $2,783 in Vancouver.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,396 in Cambridge Bay versus $4,030 in Vancouver.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,456 in Cambridge Bay versus $5,278 in Vancouver.

Living in Cambridge Bay costs roughly 16% less than in Vancouver, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Cambridge Bay 69% above, Vancouver 102% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$22.64 CA$31.40

$17.99 CA$24.95

25.85%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$68.0 CA$94.4

$72.9 CA$101

-6.62%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.90 CA$15.12

$10.76 CA$14.92

1.30%

Cappuccino

$3.61 CA$5.01

$4.17 CA$5.79

-13.43%

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

$2.02 CA$2.80

$2.20 CA$3.04

-8.18%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.63 CA$2.25

$1.71 CA$2.37

-4.68%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.48 CA$7.60

$5.91 CA$8.19

-7.28%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.61 CA$7.78

$6.66 CA$9.24

-15.77%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.06 CA$2.85

$2.19 CA$3.04

-5.94%

White Bread (500g)

$2.52 CA$3.49

$2.66 CA$3.69

-5.26%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.27 CA$4.53

$4.43 CA$6.14

-26.19%

Eggs

$3.57 CA$4.95

$4.20 CA$5.83

-15.00%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.27 CA$14.24

$11.88 CA$16.47

-13.55%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.87 CA$16.46

$13.66 CA$18.94

-13.10%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.60 CA$20.25

$20.32 CA$28.17

-28.15%

Apples (1kg)

$3.81 CA$5.28

$4.24 CA$5.88

-10.14%

Banana (1kg)

$1.36 CA$1.89

$1.38 CA$1.92

-1.45%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.77 CA$5.23

$4.05 CA$5.61

-6.91%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.88 CA$5.39

$4.03 CA$5.58

-3.72%

Potato (1kg)

$2.62 CA$3.64

$2.87 CA$3.97

-8.71%

Onion (1kg)

$2.18 CA$3.03

$2.99 CA$4.15

-27.09%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.46 CA$3.42

$2.64 CA$3.66

-6.82%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.66 CA$2.30

$1.65 CA$2.29

0.61%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.63 CA$20.29

$15.92 CA$22.07

-8.10%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.49 CA$17.32

$14.63 CA$20.28

-14.63%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.76 CA$3.82

$2.78 CA$3.86

-0.72%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.20 CA$4.44

$3.06 CA$4.25

4.58%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.39 CA$3.32

$2.57 CA$3.56

-7.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$64.1 CA$88.8

$83.2 CA$115

-23.02%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.95 CA$4.09

$2.70 CA$3.74

9.26%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.50 CA$2.08

$1.63 CA$2.26

-7.98%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$24.10 CA$33.43

$32.68 CA$45.32

-26.25%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.13 CA$1.57

$1.44 CA$2.00

-21.53%

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

$28.9K CA$40.1K

$28.4K CA$39.4K

1.69%

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

$19.5K CA$27.0K

$19.5K CA$27.1K

-0.41%

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

$139 CA$192

$79.2 CA$110

75.24%

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

$39.86 CA$55.3

$36.21 CA$50.2

10.08%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$55.8 CA$77.4

$51.3 CA$71.2

8.79%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.43 CA$57.5

$43.58 CA$60.4

-4.93%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.74 CA$25.99

$13.16 CA$18.25

42.40%

Cinema Ticket

$11.59 CA$16.08

$11.85 CA$16.44

-2.19%

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

$775 CA$1,074

$1,131 CA$1,568

-31.48%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.3K CA$18.4K

$19.7K CA$27.3K

-32.60%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.0 CA$74.8

$60.0 CA$83.2

-10.04%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.08 CA$54.2

$34.84 CA$48.31

12.17%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$88.0 CA$122

$90.5 CA$125

-2.72%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$103 CA$142

$93.5 CA$130

9.70%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,272 CA$1,764

$1,806 CA$2,505

-29.59%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,145 CA$1,588

$1,581 CA$2,192

-27.55%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,983 CA$2,751

$3,182 CA$4,413

-37.67%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,762 CA$2,444

$2,465 CA$3,418

-28.49%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,315 CA$5,984

$8,841 CA$12.3K

-51.19%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,690 CA$5,117

$6,963 CA$9,656

-47.01%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,738 CA$5,183

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.68

4.21

11.16%

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

Last update for Cambridge Bay: September 5, 2026

Last update for Vancouver: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,272 in Cambridge Bay and $1,806 in Vancouver. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $68.0 in Cambridge Bay vs $73.0 in Vancouver for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $356 vs $408 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 19% in total monthly costs ($2,335 vs $2,783 including rent). Cambridge Bay is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $3,503 in Cambridge Bay and $4,174 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: $1,272 in Cambridge Bay versus $1,806 in Vancouver. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $2,335 per month in Cambridge Bay versus $2,783 in Vancouver – a 19% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Cambridge Bay runs roughly 30% less than in Vancouver. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $2,335 in Cambridge Bay versus $2,783 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 19% less than in Vancouver. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.