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: $2,873 in Vancouver versus $2,432 in Cambridge Bay.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,180 in Vancouver versus $3,442 in Cambridge Bay.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,486 in Vancouver versus $4,451 in Cambridge Bay.

Living in Vancouver is roughly 18% more expensive than Cambridge Bay, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Vancouver 115% above, Cambridge Bay 82% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.57 CA$25.44

$23.35 CA$31.99

-20.47%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$78.8 CA$108

$71.1 CA$97.4

10.88%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.25 CA$15.41

$11.19 CA$15.33

0.54%

Cappuccino

$3.89 CA$5.33

$3.70 CA$5.07

5.14%

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

$2.16 CA$2.96

$2.03 CA$2.78

6.40%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.78 CA$2.44

$1.64 CA$2.25

8.54%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.85 CA$8.01

$5.58 CA$7.65

4.84%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.44 CA$10.20

$5.96 CA$8.17

24.83%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.28 CA$3.12

$2.21 CA$3.02

3.17%

White Bread (500g)

$3.21 CA$4.40

$2.72 CA$3.73

18.01%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.75 CA$5.14

$3.61 CA$4.94

3.88%

Eggs

$4.53 CA$6.21

$3.49 CA$4.78

29.80%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.80 CA$17.54

$11.27 CA$15.44

13.58%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.09 CA$19.30

$11.62 CA$15.91

21.26%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.87 CA$21.74

$14.55 CA$19.93

9.07%

Apples (1kg)

$4.18 CA$5.73

$3.93 CA$5.39

6.36%

Banana (1kg)

$1.53 CA$2.10

$1.36 CA$1.87

12.50%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.90 CA$5.34

$3.62 CA$4.96

7.73%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.99 CA$6.84

$3.72 CA$5.10

34.14%

Potato (1kg)

$3.02 CA$4.13

$2.52 CA$3.45

19.84%

Onion (1kg)

$3.00 CA$4.11

$2.48 CA$3.40

20.97%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.71 CA$3.71

$2.50 CA$3.42

8.40%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.80 CA$2.47

$1.72 CA$2.36

4.65%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$15.30 CA$20.97

$13.71 CA$18.78

11.60%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.38 CA$21.07

$11.37 CA$15.58

35.27%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.10 CA$4.24

$2.81 CA$3.85

10.32%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.74 CA$5.13

$3.03 CA$4.15

23.43%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.38 CA$3.26

$2.41 CA$3.30

-1.24%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$85.7 CA$117

$62.7 CA$85.9

36.76%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.74 CA$5.13

$3.13 CA$4.29

19.49%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.44 CA$1.97

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$27.52 CA$37.70

$25.92 CA$35.50

6.17%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.30 CA$1.78

$1.11 CA$1.52

17.12%

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

$25.7K CA$35.2K

$24.7K CA$33.8K

4.07%

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

$20.4K CA$28.0K

$20.9K CA$28.6K

-2.34%

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

$90.1 CA$123

$141 CA$194

-36.31%

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

$40.47 CA$55.4

$43.08 CA$59.0

-6.06%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$60.4 CA$82.7

$63.5 CA$87.1

-5.02%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.45 CA$60.9

$41.80 CA$57.3

6.34%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$15.43 CA$21.13

Cinema Ticket

$12.38 CA$16.96

$11.43 CA$15.65

8.31%

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

$1,153 CA$1,580

$742 CA$1,017

55.31%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$18.5K CA$25.4K

$11.9K CA$16.3K

55.64%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$63.5 CA$87.0

$55.3 CA$75.8

14.71%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$41.83 CA$57.3

$39.00 CA$53.4

7.26%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$97.5 CA$134

$84.7 CA$116

15.11%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$116 CA$159

$105 CA$144

10.45%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,972 CA$2,702

$1,330 CA$1,822

48.30%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,619 CA$2,218

$1,189 CA$1,629

36.16%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,531 CA$4,838

$2,054 CA$2,814

71.92%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,748 CA$3,765

$1,783 CA$2,443

54.10%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$9,040 CA$12.4K

$5,177 CA$7,093

74.63%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$7,298 CA$9,998

$4,057 CA$5,558

79.90%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,619 CA$4,959

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: April 26, 2026

Last update for Cambridge Bay: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,972 in Vancouver and $1,330 in Cambridge Bay. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $79.0 in Vancouver vs $71.0 in Cambridge Bay for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $416 vs $360 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 18% in total monthly costs ($2,873 vs $2,432 including rent). Cambridge Bay is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $4,310 in Vancouver and $3,649 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: $1,972 in Vancouver versus $1,330 in Cambridge Bay. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $2,873 per month in Vancouver versus $2,432 in Cambridge Bay – a 18% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Cambridge Bay runs roughly 37% less than in Vancouver. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $2,432 in Cambridge Bay versus $2,873 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 18% less than in Vancouver. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.