Cost of Living Comparison Between Vancouver and Chilliwack Cost of Living Comparison Between Vancouver and Chilliwack

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,731 in Vancouver versus $2,191 in Chilliwack.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,956 in Vancouver versus $3,261 in Chilliwack.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,181 in Vancouver versus $4,332 in Chilliwack.

Living in Vancouver is roughly 25% more expensive than in Chilliwack, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Vancouver 99% above, Chilliwack 59% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.36 CA$25.41

$14.26 CA$19.73

28.75%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$72.9 CA$101

$58.0 CA$80.2

25.74%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.88 CA$15.05

$9.63 CA$13.32

12.98%

Cappuccino

$4.25 CA$5.88

$4.43 CA$6.13

-4.06%

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

$2.12 CA$2.93

$2.04 CA$2.83

3.92%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.69 CA$2.34

$1.54 CA$2.14

9.74%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.75 CA$7.95

$5.97 CA$8.27

-3.69%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.65 CA$9.20

$5.92 CA$8.18

12.33%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.14 CA$2.97

$2.05 CA$2.83

4.39%

White Bread (500g)

$2.55 CA$3.53

$2.89 CA$4.00

-11.76%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.41 CA$6.11

$3.53 CA$4.88

24.93%

Eggs

$4.24 CA$5.87

$3.18 CA$4.40

33.33%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.14 CA$16.79

$14.06 CA$19.45

-13.66%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.66 CA$18.91

$14.05 CA$19.43

-2.78%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$20.78 CA$28.75

$25.82 CA$35.72

-19.52%

Apples (1kg)

$4.31 CA$5.96

$4.45 CA$6.15

-3.15%

Banana (1kg)

$1.39 CA$1.93

$1.35 CA$1.87

2.96%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.00 CA$5.53

$4.18 CA$5.78

-4.31%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.06 CA$5.62

$5.59 CA$7.74

-27.37%

Potato (1kg)

$2.82 CA$3.90

$4.26 CA$5.89

-33.80%

Onion (1kg)

$2.95 CA$4.08

$2.58 CA$3.57

14.34%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.77 CA$3.83

$2.87 CA$3.97

-3.48%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.63 CA$2.25

$2.48 CA$3.44

-34.27%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$16.06 CA$22.22

$14.43 CA$19.96

11.30%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.54 CA$20.11

$13.45 CA$18.61

8.10%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.73 CA$3.78

$2.06 CA$2.86

32.52%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.07 CA$4.25

$2.40 CA$3.32

27.92%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.55 CA$3.52

$1.99 CA$2.76

28.14%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$85.1 CA$118

$33.36 CA$46.16

155.01%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.71 CA$3.75

$3.01 CA$4.16

-9.97%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.64 CA$2.27

$2.34 CA$3.23

-29.91%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$31.75 CA$43.93

$24.77 CA$34.27

28.18%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.43 CA$1.98

$1.24 CA$1.71

15.32%

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

$28.9K CA$40.0K

$28.5K CA$39.5K

1.26%

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

$19.7K CA$27.2K

$19.5K CA$26.9K

1.04%

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

$77.6 CA$107

$127 CA$176

-39.00%

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

$35.35 CA$48.90

$37.48 CA$51.9

-5.68%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$51.6 CA$71.4

$69.5 CA$96.2

-25.73%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$46.26 CA$64.0

$41.55 CA$57.5

11.34%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$13.37 CA$18.50

$17.88 CA$24.74

-25.22%

Cinema Ticket

$11.55 CA$15.98

$12.12 CA$16.77

-4.70%

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

$1,137 CA$1,573

$366 CA$507

210.19%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$21.2K CA$29.3K

$12.2K CA$16.8K

74.30%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.3 CA$82.0

$54.5 CA$75.4

8.68%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.02 CA$48.44

$35.05 CA$48.49

-0.09%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$90.1 CA$125

$82.9 CA$115

8.75%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$96.3 CA$133

$104 CA$143

-7.04%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,845 CA$2,553

$1,192 CA$1,649

54.79%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,595 CA$2,206

$1,010 CA$1,397

57.91%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,271 CA$4,526

$2,067 CA$2,859

58.30%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,499 CA$3,458

$1,672 CA$2,313

49.51%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$9,039 CA$12.5K

$3,328 CA$4,604

171.63%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,985 CA$9,664

$3,369 CA$4,662

107.31%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,659 CA$5,062

$3,165 CA$4,379

15.60%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.23

4.72

-10.38%

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

Last update for Vancouver: August 30, 2026

Last update for Chilliwack: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,845 in Vancouver and $1,192 in Chilliwack. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Vancouver pays 16% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $73.0 in Vancouver vs $58.0 in Chilliwack. Groceries flip the comparison at $409 vs $442, with Vancouver cheaper for home cooking.

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 Chilliwack: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Chilliwack wins on cost – living expenses run 25% lower than in Vancouver. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Chilliwack the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Average pay runs 16% higher in Vancouver, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,845 in Vancouver versus $1,192 in Chilliwack. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $1,137 in Vancouver versus $366 in Chilliwack. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Shoppers in Vancouver pay roughly 8% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

At $2,191 in Chilliwack versus $2,731 in Vancouver, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Chilliwack but tight or insufficient in Vancouver. The gap between the two cities makes Chilliwack 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 Chilliwack gentler on the wallet – expenses run 25% less than in Vancouver. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.