Cost of Living Comparison Between Vancouver and Cambridge Bay Cost of Living Comparison Between Vancouver and Cambridge Bay

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,818 in Vancouver versus $2,408 in Cambridge Bay.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,226 in Vancouver versus $3,458 in Cambridge Bay.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,634 in Vancouver versus $4,508 in Cambridge Bay.

Living in Vancouver is roughly 17% more expensive than in Cambridge Bay, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Vancouver 112% above, Cambridge Bay 81% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.73 CA$26.28

$23.76 CA$33.35

-21.17%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$78.5 CA$110

$70.2 CA$98.5

11.80%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.85 CA$15.23

$11.09 CA$15.57

-2.16%

Cappuccino

$4.10 CA$5.76

$3.76 CA$5.27

9.04%

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

$2.13 CA$2.99

$1.99 CA$2.79

7.04%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.76 CA$2.48

$1.70 CA$2.39

3.53%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.76 CA$8.09

$5.44 CA$7.63

5.88%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.23 CA$10.14

$5.99 CA$8.41

20.70%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.29 CA$3.21

$2.10 CA$2.95

9.05%

White Bread (500g)

$3.22 CA$4.51

$2.71 CA$3.80

18.82%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.70 CA$5.19

$3.51 CA$4.92

5.41%

Eggs

$4.36 CA$6.11

$3.51 CA$4.93

24.22%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.86 CA$18.05

$11.35 CA$15.93

13.30%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.24 CA$19.99

$11.82 CA$16.59

20.47%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.74 CA$22.09

$14.89 CA$20.90

5.71%

Apples (1kg)

$4.30 CA$6.04

$3.96 CA$5.56

8.59%

Banana (1kg)

$1.52 CA$2.13

$1.41 CA$1.99

7.80%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.99 CA$5.60

$3.76 CA$5.27

6.12%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.13 CA$7.20

$3.83 CA$5.38

33.94%

Potato (1kg)

$3.06 CA$4.29

$2.46 CA$3.46

24.39%

Onion (1kg)

$3.05 CA$4.28

$2.54 CA$3.57

20.08%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.63 CA$3.68

$2.52 CA$3.54

4.37%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.87 CA$2.62

$1.77 CA$2.48

5.65%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$15.70 CA$22.03

$13.70 CA$19.23

14.60%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.59 CA$20.47

$12.42 CA$17.44

17.47%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.21 CA$4.51

$2.89 CA$4.05

11.07%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.59 CA$5.04

$3.06 CA$4.29

17.32%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.44 CA$3.43

$2.43 CA$3.42

0.41%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$83.2 CA$117

$61.6 CA$86.5

35.10%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.70 CA$5.19

$3.19 CA$4.48

15.99%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.49 CA$2.09

$1.45 CA$2.03

2.76%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$27.37 CA$38.42

$26.20 CA$36.78

4.47%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.33 CA$1.87

$1.12 CA$1.57

18.75%

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

$25.1K CA$35.3K

$24.7K CA$34.6K

1.86%

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

$20.7K CA$29.1K

$20.2K CA$28.4K

2.53%

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

$90.0 CA$126

$141 CA$198

-36.14%

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

$40.83 CA$57.3

$43.14 CA$60.6

-5.35%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$61.1 CA$85.8

$63.2 CA$88.7

-3.31%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$45.73 CA$64.2

$42.42 CA$59.5

7.80%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$15.45 CA$21.68

Cinema Ticket

$12.01 CA$16.86

$11.26 CA$15.80

6.66%

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

$1,162 CA$1,630

$738 CA$1,036

57.33%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$18.1K CA$25.3K

$11.9K CA$16.7K

51.85%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$63.6 CA$89.3

$53.3 CA$74.8

19.28%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.32 CA$59.4

$38.86 CA$54.5

8.90%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$96.8 CA$136

$85.3 CA$120

13.54%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$116 CA$162

$109 CA$153

6.03%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,024 CA$2,841

$1,288 CA$1,808

57.16%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,614 CA$2,265

$1,174 CA$1,648

37.44%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,464 CA$4,862

$1,995 CA$2,801

73.60%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,743 CA$3,850

$1,785 CA$2,506

53.64%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$8,872 CA$12.5K

$3,699 CA$5,191

139.86%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$7,046 CA$9,890

$3,096 CA$4,345

127.61%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,312 CA$4,649

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.61

6.46

-13.16%

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

Last update for Vancouver: July 25, 2026

Last update for Cambridge Bay: July 28, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $2,024 in Vancouver and $1,288 in Cambridge Bay. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $78.0 in Vancouver vs $70.0 in Cambridge Bay for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $417 vs $366 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

Vancouver vs Cambridge Bay: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Vancouver and Cambridge Bay differ by about 17% in total monthly costs ($2,818 vs $2,408 including rent). Cambridge Bay is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $4,226 in Vancouver and $3,613 in Cambridge Bay 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: $2,024 in Vancouver versus $1,288 in Cambridge Bay. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $2,818 per month in Vancouver versus $2,408 in Cambridge Bay – a 17% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Cambridge Bay runs roughly 35% less than in Vancouver. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $2,408 in Cambridge Bay versus $2,818 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 17% less than in Vancouver. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.