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: $2,860 in Vancouver versus $2,388 in Cambridge Bay.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,199 in Vancouver versus $3,422 in Cambridge Bay.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,538 in Vancouver versus $4,457 in Cambridge Bay.

Living in Vancouver is roughly 20% more expensive than Cambridge Bay, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Vancouver 113% above, Cambridge Bay 78% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.50 CA$25.84

$23.67 CA$33.06

-21.84%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$79.5 CA$111

$70.9 CA$98.9

12.25%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.11 CA$15.52

$10.83 CA$15.13

2.59%

Cappuccino

$4.11 CA$5.74

$3.82 CA$5.33

7.59%

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

$2.21 CA$3.08

$2.03 CA$2.83

8.87%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.75 CA$2.45

$1.70 CA$2.37

2.94%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.77 CA$8.06

$5.54 CA$7.74

4.15%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.45 CA$10.40

$5.91 CA$8.25

26.06%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.20 CA$3.07

White Bread (500g)

$3.22 CA$4.49

$2.72 CA$3.80

18.38%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.68 CA$5.14

$3.58 CA$5.00

2.79%

Eggs

$4.39 CA$6.13

$3.56 CA$4.97

23.31%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.82 CA$17.90

$11.07 CA$15.46

15.81%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.20 CA$19.82

$11.60 CA$16.20

22.41%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.04 CA$22.40

$14.95 CA$20.88

7.29%

Apples (1kg)

$4.38 CA$6.12

$4.04 CA$5.64

8.42%

Banana (1kg)

$1.53 CA$2.13

$1.42 CA$1.99

7.75%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.07 CA$5.68

$3.62 CA$5.06

12.43%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.18 CA$7.23

$3.78 CA$5.27

37.04%

Potato (1kg)

$3.05 CA$4.25

$2.39 CA$3.34

27.62%

Onion (1kg)

$2.96 CA$4.14

$2.54 CA$3.55

16.54%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.73 CA$3.81

$2.61 CA$3.65

4.60%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.87 CA$2.61

$1.76 CA$2.46

6.25%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$15.40 CA$21.51

$14.01 CA$19.57

9.92%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.32 CA$20.00

$12.51 CA$17.47

14.47%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.11 CA$4.35

$2.83 CA$3.95

9.89%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.66 CA$5.12

$3.05 CA$4.25

20.00%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.41 CA$3.37

$2.31 CA$3.23

4.33%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$82.6 CA$115

$62.9 CA$87.9

31.25%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.65 CA$5.10

$3.10 CA$4.33

17.74%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.49 CA$2.08

$1.48 CA$2.07

0.68%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$26.94 CA$37.63

$25.39 CA$35.46

6.10%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.28 CA$1.78

$1.11 CA$1.55

15.32%

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

$24.9K CA$34.8K

$24.8K CA$34.7K

0.35%

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

$21.0K CA$29.3K

$20.7K CA$28.9K

1.54%

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

$92.2 CA$129

$145 CA$202

-36.31%

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

$40.43 CA$56.5

$44.16 CA$61.7

-8.45%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$62.0 CA$86.6

$61.4 CA$85.7

0.98%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.57 CA$62.2

$41.79 CA$58.4

6.65%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$15.75 CA$21.99

Cinema Ticket

$12.19 CA$17.02

$11.21 CA$15.66

8.74%

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

$1,164 CA$1,625

$728 CA$1,017

59.81%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$18.1K CA$25.3K

$11.6K CA$16.1K

56.71%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$62.9 CA$87.9

$54.9 CA$76.7

14.61%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.23 CA$59.0

$39.02 CA$54.5

8.23%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$98.0 CA$137

$84.9 CA$118

15.44%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$118 CA$165

$107 CA$150

9.88%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,977 CA$2,761

$1,302 CA$1,818

51.87%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,665 CA$2,325

$1,168 CA$1,631

42.58%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,579 CA$4,997

$2,030 CA$2,835

76.27%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,798 CA$3,907

$1,842 CA$2,573

51.85%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$8,881 CA$12.4K

$4,048 CA$5,653

119.41%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,873 CA$9,598

$3,771 CA$5,266

82.28%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,432 CA$4,792

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: June 7, 2026

Last update for Cambridge Bay: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,977 in Vancouver and $1,302 in Cambridge Bay. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $80.0 in Vancouver vs $71.0 in Cambridge Bay for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $417 vs $365 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 20% in total monthly costs ($2,860 vs $2,388 including rent). Cambridge Bay is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $4,291 in Vancouver and $3,582 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: $1,977 in Vancouver versus $1,302 in Cambridge Bay. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $2,860 per month in Vancouver versus $2,388 in Cambridge Bay – a 20% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Cambridge Bay runs roughly 31% less than in Vancouver. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $2,388 in Cambridge Bay versus $2,860 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 20% less than in Vancouver. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.