Cost of Living Comparison Between Medicine Hat and Vancouver Cost of Living Comparison Between Medicine Hat and Vancouver

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,870 per month in Medicine Hat vs $2,831 in Vancouver, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,748 per month in Medicine Hat vs $4,231 in Vancouver, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,625 per month in Medicine Hat vs $5,630 in Vancouver, rent included.

Medicine Hat is about 34% cheaper than Vancouver, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Medicine Hat and Vancouver sit above the global median – Medicine Hat by 40%, Vancouver by 111%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.57 CA$21.65

$18.26 CA$25.39

-14.73%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$71.3 CA$99.2

$77.8 CA$108

-8.34%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.16 CA$11.35

$10.85 CA$15.09

-24.79%

Cappuccino

$3.72 CA$5.17

$3.98 CA$5.54

-6.53%

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

$1.99 CA$2.77

$2.12 CA$2.95

-6.13%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.72 CA$2.39

$1.78 CA$2.47

-3.37%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.06 CA$7.04

$5.77 CA$8.02

-12.31%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.93 CA$5.47

$7.56 CA$10.51

-48.02%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.55 CA$2.15

$2.32 CA$3.23

-33.19%

White Bread (500g)

$1.82 CA$2.53

$3.10 CA$4.31

-41.29%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.42 CA$4.75

$3.89 CA$5.40

-12.08%

Eggs

$3.22 CA$4.48

$4.53 CA$6.30

-28.92%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.18 CA$11.37

$12.92 CA$17.96

-36.69%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.25 CA$15.65

$14.14 CA$19.67

-20.44%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.38 CA$18.61

$15.74 CA$21.89

-14.99%

Apples (1kg)

$3.83 CA$5.33

$4.26 CA$5.92

-10.09%

Banana (1kg)

$1.34 CA$1.86

$1.47 CA$2.04

-8.84%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.51 CA$3.49

$4.02 CA$5.59

-37.56%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.34 CA$4.65

$5.06 CA$7.04

-33.99%

Potato (1kg)

$1.49 CA$2.07

$3.02 CA$4.20

-50.66%

Onion (1kg)

$1.53 CA$2.13

$2.95 CA$4.10

-48.14%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.64 CA$3.68

$2.60 CA$3.62

1.54%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.56 CA$2.16

$1.88 CA$2.62

-17.02%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.73 CA$16.32

$15.20 CA$21.14

-22.83%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.06 CA$18.16

$14.30 CA$19.88

-8.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.64 CA$3.67

$3.07 CA$4.27

-14.01%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.66 CA$5.09

$3.74 CA$5.20

-2.14%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.34 CA$3.25

$2.44 CA$3.39

-4.10%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$51.0 CA$70.9

$84.9 CA$118

-39.93%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.59 CA$4.99

$3.74 CA$5.20

-4.01%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.30 CA$1.81

$1.50 CA$2.09

-13.33%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.19 CA$40.60

$27.43 CA$38.15

6.42%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.06 CA$1.47

$1.34 CA$1.86

-20.90%

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

$25.0K CA$34.7K

$25.1K CA$34.9K

-0.55%

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

$22.2K CA$30.8K

$20.7K CA$28.8K

6.94%

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

$212 CA$295

$91.8 CA$128

131.36%

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

$41.51 CA$57.7

$39.42 CA$54.8

5.30%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$59.0 CA$82.1

$61.1 CA$84.9

-3.36%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$57.3 CA$79.7

$44.89 CA$62.4

27.67%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$37.53 CA$52.2

$15.68 CA$21.81

139.35%

Cinema Ticket

$12.28 CA$17.07

$12.37 CA$17.20

-0.73%

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

$877 CA$1,220

$1,180 CA$1,641

-25.65%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.8K CA$22.0K

$18.8K CA$26.1K

-15.72%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.2 CA$74.0

$62.7 CA$87.2

-15.05%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$27.81 CA$38.67

$43.13 CA$60.0

-35.52%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$69.3 CA$96.4

$94.7 CA$132

-26.83%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$70.0 CA$97.3

$118 CA$165

-40.90%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$815 CA$1,134

$1,995 CA$2,774

-59.13%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$730 CA$1,016

$1,629 CA$2,266

-55.17%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,406 CA$1,955

$3,589 CA$4,991

-60.82%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,201 CA$1,670

$2,769 CA$3,851

-56.65%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,371 CA$1,907

$9,246 CA$12.9K

-85.17%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,972 CA$2,742

$7,086 CA$9,854

-72.18%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,997 CA$4,168

$3,474 CA$4,831

-13.73%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.71

5.61

1.78%

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

Last update for Medicine Hat: May 30, 2026

Last update for Vancouver: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $815 in Medicine Hat versus $1,995 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 16% 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 $71.0 in Medicine Hat versus $78.0 in Vancouver. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $319 vs $415 – making Medicine Hat 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

Medicine Hat vs Vancouver: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Vancouver costs about 51% more than Medicine Hat, with the gap driven mainly by Groceries & Markets. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,805 per month in Medicine Hat and $4,247 in Vancouver. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,870 in Medicine Hat and $2,831 in Vancouver. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 66% less in Medicine Hat. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Medicine Hat, where all-in costs run around $1,870, than in Vancouver at $2,831. In Medicine Hat it covers expenses comfortably, while in Vancouver it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Medicine Hat – 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 Medicine Hat. 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.