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: $2,388 in Cambridge Bay versus $2,860 in Vancouver.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,422 in Cambridge Bay versus $4,199 in Vancouver.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,457 in Cambridge Bay versus $5,538 in Vancouver.

Living in Cambridge Bay costs roughly 17% less than in Vancouver, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Cambridge Bay 78% above, Vancouver 113% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$23.67 CA$33.06

$18.50 CA$25.84

27.95%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$70.9 CA$98.9

$79.5 CA$111

-10.91%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.83 CA$15.13

$11.11 CA$15.52

-2.52%

Cappuccino

$3.82 CA$5.33

$4.11 CA$5.74

-7.06%

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

$2.03 CA$2.83

$2.21 CA$3.08

-8.14%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.70 CA$2.37

$1.75 CA$2.45

-2.86%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.54 CA$7.74

$5.77 CA$8.06

-3.99%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.91 CA$8.25

$7.45 CA$10.40

-20.67%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.20 CA$3.07

White Bread (500g)

$2.72 CA$3.80

$3.22 CA$4.49

-15.53%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.58 CA$5.00

$3.68 CA$5.14

-2.72%

Eggs

$3.56 CA$4.97

$4.39 CA$6.13

-18.91%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.07 CA$15.46

$12.82 CA$17.90

-13.65%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.60 CA$16.20

$14.20 CA$19.82

-18.31%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.95 CA$20.88

$16.04 CA$22.40

-6.80%

Apples (1kg)

$4.04 CA$5.64

$4.38 CA$6.12

-7.76%

Banana (1kg)

$1.42 CA$1.99

$1.53 CA$2.13

-7.19%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.62 CA$5.06

$4.07 CA$5.68

-11.06%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.78 CA$5.27

$5.18 CA$7.23

-27.03%

Potato (1kg)

$2.39 CA$3.34

$3.05 CA$4.25

-21.64%

Onion (1kg)

$2.54 CA$3.55

$2.96 CA$4.14

-14.19%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.61 CA$3.65

$2.73 CA$3.81

-4.40%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.76 CA$2.46

$1.87 CA$2.61

-5.88%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.01 CA$19.57

$15.40 CA$21.51

-9.03%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.51 CA$17.47

$14.32 CA$20.00

-12.64%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.83 CA$3.95

$3.11 CA$4.35

-9.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.05 CA$4.25

$3.66 CA$5.12

-16.67%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.31 CA$3.23

$2.41 CA$3.37

-4.15%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$62.9 CA$87.9

$82.6 CA$115

-23.81%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.10 CA$4.33

$3.65 CA$5.10

-15.07%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.48 CA$2.07

$1.49 CA$2.08

-0.67%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$25.39 CA$35.46

$26.94 CA$37.63

-5.75%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.11 CA$1.55

$1.28 CA$1.78

-13.28%

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

$24.8K CA$34.7K

$24.9K CA$34.8K

-0.35%

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

$20.7K CA$28.9K

$21.0K CA$29.3K

-1.52%

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

$145 CA$202

$92.2 CA$129

57.00%

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

$44.16 CA$61.7

$40.43 CA$56.5

9.23%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$61.4 CA$85.7

$62.0 CA$86.6

-0.97%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.79 CA$58.4

$44.57 CA$62.2

-6.24%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$15.75 CA$21.99

Cinema Ticket

$11.21 CA$15.66

$12.19 CA$17.02

-8.04%

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

$728 CA$1,017

$1,164 CA$1,625

-37.43%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.6K CA$16.1K

$18.1K CA$25.3K

-36.19%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.9 CA$76.7

$62.9 CA$87.9

-12.75%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.02 CA$54.5

$42.23 CA$59.0

-7.60%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.9 CA$118

$98.0 CA$137

-13.37%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 CA$150

$118 CA$165

-8.99%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,302 CA$1,818

$1,977 CA$2,761

-34.16%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,168 CA$1,631

$1,665 CA$2,325

-29.86%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,030 CA$2,835

$3,579 CA$4,997

-43.27%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,842 CA$2,573

$2,798 CA$3,907

-34.15%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,048 CA$5,653

$8,881 CA$12.4K

-54.42%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,771 CA$5,266

$6,873 CA$9,598

-45.14%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,432 CA$4,792

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: June 7, 2026

Last update for Vancouver: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,302 in Cambridge Bay and $1,977 in Vancouver. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $71.0 in Cambridge Bay vs $80.0 in Vancouver for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $365 vs $417 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 20% in total monthly costs ($2,388 vs $2,860 including rent). Cambridge Bay is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $3,582 in Cambridge Bay and $4,291 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: $1,302 in Cambridge Bay versus $1,977 in Vancouver. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $2,388 per month in Cambridge Bay versus $2,860 in Vancouver – a 20% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Cambridge Bay runs roughly 31% less than in Vancouver. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $2,388 in Cambridge Bay versus $2,860 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 20% less than in Vancouver. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.