Cost of Living Comparison Between Dawson City and Vancouver Cost of Living Comparison Between Dawson City and Vancouver

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,957 per month in Dawson City vs $2,860 in Vancouver, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,396 per month in Dawson City vs $4,199 in Vancouver, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,835 per month in Dawson City vs $5,538 in Vancouver, rent included.

Dawson City is about 32% cheaper than Vancouver, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Dawson City and Vancouver sit above the global median – Dawson City by 46%, Vancouver by 113%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$26.27 CA$36.68

$18.50 CA$25.84

42.00%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$108 CA$150

$79.5 CA$111

35.26%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.01 CA$15.37

$11.11 CA$15.52

-0.90%

Cappuccino

$4.14 CA$5.78

$4.11 CA$5.74

0.73%

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

$1.79 CA$2.50

$2.21 CA$3.08

-19.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.66 CA$2.31

$1.75 CA$2.45

-5.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.64 CA$7.88

$5.77 CA$8.06

-2.25%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.82 CA$8.13

$7.45 CA$10.40

-21.88%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.79 CA$3.89

$2.20 CA$3.07

26.82%

White Bread (500g)

$4.33 CA$6.04

$3.22 CA$4.49

34.47%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.67 CA$5.12

$3.68 CA$5.14

-0.27%

Eggs

$5.27 CA$7.36

$4.39 CA$6.13

20.05%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.26 CA$15.73

$12.82 CA$17.90

-12.17%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$15.11 CA$21.10

$14.20 CA$19.82

6.41%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.78 CA$20.64

$16.04 CA$22.40

-7.86%

Apples (1kg)

$4.23 CA$5.91

$4.38 CA$6.12

-3.42%

Banana (1kg)

$1.38 CA$1.93

$1.53 CA$2.13

-9.80%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.40 CA$6.15

$4.07 CA$5.68

8.11%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.31 CA$6.01

$5.18 CA$7.23

-16.80%

Potato (1kg)

$2.47 CA$3.45

$3.05 CA$4.25

-19.02%

Onion (1kg)

$2.59 CA$3.62

$2.96 CA$4.14

-12.50%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.49 CA$3.48

$2.73 CA$3.81

-8.79%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 CA$2.39

$1.87 CA$2.61

-8.56%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.24 CA$19.88

$15.40 CA$21.51

-7.53%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.62 CA$17.63

$14.32 CA$20.00

-11.87%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.89 CA$4.04

$3.11 CA$4.35

-7.07%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.16 CA$4.41

$3.66 CA$5.12

-13.66%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.34 CA$3.27

$2.41 CA$3.37

-2.90%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$62.2 CA$86.8

$82.6 CA$115

-24.77%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.23 CA$4.51

$3.65 CA$5.10

-11.51%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.44 CA$2.01

$1.49 CA$2.08

-3.36%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$25.83 CA$36.07

$26.94 CA$37.63

-4.12%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.12 CA$1.56

$1.28 CA$1.78

-12.50%

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

$24.5K CA$34.3K

$24.9K CA$34.8K

-1.53%

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

$20.7K CA$28.9K

$21.0K CA$29.3K

-1.31%

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

$144 CA$201

$92.2 CA$129

56.12%

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

$43.34 CA$60.5

$40.43 CA$56.5

7.20%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$63.6 CA$88.8

$62.0 CA$86.6

2.63%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.25 CA$59.0

$44.57 CA$62.2

-5.21%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$15.75 CA$21.99

Cinema Ticket

$11.50 CA$16.07

$12.19 CA$17.02

-5.66%

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

$734 CA$1,025

$1,164 CA$1,625

-36.89%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$12.0K CA$16.7K

$18.1K CA$25.3K

-33.78%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$67.3 CA$93.9

$62.9 CA$87.9

6.90%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.36 CA$55.0

$42.23 CA$59.0

-6.80%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$69.8 CA$97.5

$98.0 CA$137

-28.74%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$106 CA$148

$118 CA$165

-10.19%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,291 CA$1,803

$1,977 CA$2,761

-34.71%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$713 CA$996

$1,665 CA$2,325

-57.15%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,056 CA$2,871

$3,579 CA$4,997

-42.56%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,834 CA$2,561

$2,798 CA$3,907

-34.45%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,111 CA$7,137

$8,881 CA$12.4K

-42.45%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,167 CA$5,819

$6,873 CA$9,598

-39.38%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,927 CA$4,087

$3,432 CA$4,792

-14.71%

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 Dawson City: June 7, 2026

Last update for Vancouver: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,291 in Dawson City versus $1,977 in Vancouver. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 17% higher in Vancouver, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $108 in Dawson City versus $80.0 in Vancouver. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $418 vs $417 – making Vancouver the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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

Dawson City vs Vancouver: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Vancouver is pricier by about 46%, and the gap shows up most in Eating Out. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,935 per month in Dawson City and $4,291 in Vancouver. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Dawson City, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Kindergarten costs $734 per month in Dawson City and $1,164 in Vancouver. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 0% cheaper in Vancouver – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A $2,500 monthly budget goes further in Dawson City, where all-in costs run around $1,957, than in Vancouver at $2,860. In Dawson City it covers expenses comfortably, while in Vancouver it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Dawson City – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

If budget matters most, go with Dawson City. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Vancouver makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.