Cost of Living Comparison Between Chilliwack and Vancouver Cost of Living Comparison Between Chilliwack and Vancouver

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,191 in Chilliwack versus $2,731 in Vancouver.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,261 in Chilliwack versus $3,956 in Vancouver.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,332 in Chilliwack versus $5,181 in Vancouver.

Living in Chilliwack costs roughly 20% less than in Vancouver, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Chilliwack 59% above, Vancouver 99% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$14.26 CA$19.73

$18.36 CA$25.41

-22.33%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$58.0 CA$80.2

$72.9 CA$101

-20.47%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.63 CA$13.32

$10.88 CA$15.05

-11.49%

Cappuccino

$4.43 CA$6.13

$4.25 CA$5.88

4.24%

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

$2.04 CA$2.83

$2.12 CA$2.93

-3.77%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.54 CA$2.14

$1.69 CA$2.34

-8.88%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.97 CA$8.27

$5.75 CA$7.95

3.83%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.92 CA$8.18

$6.65 CA$9.20

-10.98%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.05 CA$2.83

$2.14 CA$2.97

-4.21%

White Bread (500g)

$2.89 CA$4.00

$2.55 CA$3.53

13.33%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.53 CA$4.88

$4.41 CA$6.11

-19.95%

Eggs

$3.18 CA$4.40

$4.24 CA$5.87

-25.00%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.06 CA$19.45

$12.14 CA$16.79

15.82%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.05 CA$19.43

$13.66 CA$18.91

2.86%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$25.82 CA$35.72

$20.78 CA$28.75

24.25%

Apples (1kg)

$4.45 CA$6.15

$4.31 CA$5.96

3.25%

Banana (1kg)

$1.35 CA$1.87

$1.39 CA$1.93

-2.88%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.18 CA$5.78

$4.00 CA$5.53

4.50%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.59 CA$7.74

$4.06 CA$5.62

37.68%

Potato (1kg)

$4.26 CA$5.89

$2.82 CA$3.90

51.06%

Onion (1kg)

$2.58 CA$3.57

$2.95 CA$4.08

-12.54%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.87 CA$3.97

$2.77 CA$3.83

3.61%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.48 CA$3.44

$1.63 CA$2.25

52.15%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.43 CA$19.96

$16.06 CA$22.22

-10.15%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.45 CA$18.61

$14.54 CA$20.11

-7.50%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.06 CA$2.86

$2.73 CA$3.78

-24.54%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.40 CA$3.32

$3.07 CA$4.25

-21.82%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.99 CA$2.76

$2.55 CA$3.52

-21.96%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$33.36 CA$46.16

$85.1 CA$118

-60.79%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.01 CA$4.16

$2.71 CA$3.75

11.07%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.34 CA$3.23

$1.64 CA$2.27

42.68%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$24.77 CA$34.27

$31.75 CA$43.93

-21.98%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.24 CA$1.71

$1.43 CA$1.98

-13.29%

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

$28.5K CA$39.5K

$28.9K CA$40.0K

-1.25%

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

$19.5K CA$26.9K

$19.7K CA$27.2K

-1.03%

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

$127 CA$176

$77.6 CA$107

63.93%

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

$37.48 CA$51.9

$35.35 CA$48.90

6.03%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$69.5 CA$96.2

$51.6 CA$71.4

34.64%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.55 CA$57.5

$46.26 CA$64.0

-10.18%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.88 CA$24.74

$13.37 CA$18.50

33.73%

Cinema Ticket

$12.12 CA$16.77

$11.55 CA$15.98

4.94%

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

$366 CA$507

$1,137 CA$1,573

-67.76%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$12.2K CA$16.8K

$21.2K CA$29.3K

-42.63%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.5 CA$75.4

$59.3 CA$82.0

-7.98%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.05 CA$48.49

$35.02 CA$48.44

0.09%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$82.9 CA$115

$90.1 CA$125

-8.04%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$104 CA$143

$96.3 CA$133

7.58%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,192 CA$1,649

$1,845 CA$2,553

-35.40%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,010 CA$1,397

$1,595 CA$2,206

-36.67%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,067 CA$2,859

$3,271 CA$4,526

-36.83%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,672 CA$2,313

$2,499 CA$3,458

-33.12%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,328 CA$4,604

$9,039 CA$12.5K

-63.19%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,369 CA$4,662

$6,985 CA$9,664

-51.76%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,165 CA$4,379

$3,659 CA$5,062

-13.49%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.72

4.23

11.58%

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

Last update for Chilliwack: August 30, 2026

Last update for Vancouver: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,192 in Chilliwack and $1,845 in Vancouver. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Vancouver pays 16% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $58.0 in Chilliwack vs $73.0 in Vancouver. Groceries flip the comparison at $442 vs $409, with Vancouver cheaper for home cooking.

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

Chilliwack vs Vancouver: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Chilliwack wins on cost – living expenses run 25% lower than in Vancouver. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Chilliwack the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, salaries run 16% lower in Vancouver. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,192 in Chilliwack versus $1,845 in Vancouver. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $366 in Chilliwack versus $1,137 in Vancouver. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Shoppers in Vancouver pay roughly 8% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

At $2,191 in Chilliwack versus $2,731 in Vancouver, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Chilliwack but tight or insufficient in Vancouver. The gap between the two cities makes Chilliwack 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 Chilliwack gentler on the wallet – expenses run 25% less than in Vancouver. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.