Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Vancouver and Chilliwack

For one person, living is cheaper in Chilliwack: $2,320 a month against $2,662 in Vancouver, rent and utilities included – about $4,100 less a year. Higher rent and utilities in Vancouver outweigh lower spending on other living expenses.

Vancouver
🇨🇦 Canada
$2,662
/mo nomad
Chilliwack
🇨🇦 Canada
$2,320
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Vancouver and in Chilliwack

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Vancouver and in Chilliwack actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,662 in Vancouver versus $2,320 in Chilliwack.

  • Vancouver $2,662
  • Chilliwack $2,320

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,916 in Vancouver versus $3,412 in Chilliwack.

  • Vancouver $3,916
  • Chilliwack $3,412

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,170 in Vancouver versus $4,504 in Chilliwack.

  • Vancouver $5,170
  • Chilliwack $4,504

Living in Vancouver is roughly 15% more expensive than in Chilliwack, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Vancouver 96% above, Chilliwack 71% above.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Vancouver
Chilliwack
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$18.01 CA$25.46
$14.02 CA$19.82
28.46%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$71.0 CA$100
$52.6 CA$74.3
35.07%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$10.83 CA$15.31
$8.69 CA$12.29
24.63%
Cappuccino
$3.94 CA$5.56
$4.41 CA$6.23
-10.66%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.13 CA$3.01
$1.95 CA$2.75
9.23%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.66 CA$2.34
$1.49 CA$2.11
11.41%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$5.73 CA$8.10
$4.95 CA$7.00
15.76%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$6.40 CA$9.04
$5.54 CA$7.83
15.52%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Vancouver
Chilliwack
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$2.15 CA$3.04
$2.09 CA$2.96
2.87%
White Bread (500g)
$2.55 CA$3.61
$2.98 CA$4.22
-14.43%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$4.56 CA$6.45
$4.46 CA$6.30
2.24%
Eggs
$4.06 CA$5.74
$4.22 CA$5.96
-3.79%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$12.14 CA$17.17
$20.66 CA$29.21
-41.24%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$13.23 CA$18.71
$14.06 CA$19.87
-5.90%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$20.24 CA$28.62
$20.16 CA$28.51
0.40%
Apples (1kg)
$4.05 CA$5.73
$5.63 CA$7.97
-28.06%
Banana (1kg)
$1.42 CA$2.00
$1.33 CA$1.88
6.77%
Oranges (1kg)
$3.97 CA$5.62
$4.14 CA$5.86
-4.11%
Tomato (1kg)
$3.91 CA$5.53
$5.43 CA$7.67
-27.99%
Potato (1kg)
$2.64 CA$3.74
$4.78 CA$6.76
-44.77%
Onion (1kg)
$2.82 CA$3.98
$3.11 CA$4.39
-9.32%
Lettuce (1 head)
$2.48 CA$3.51
$3.17 CA$4.49
-21.77%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.59 CA$2.24
$2.47 CA$3.49
-35.63%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$15.30 CA$21.64
$11.94 CA$16.87
28.14%
Wine (Bottle)
$14.32 CA$20.24
$14.04 CA$19.85
1.99%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$2.57 CA$3.63
$4.54 CA$6.42
-43.39%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.91 CA$4.12
$5.03 CA$7.11
-42.15%
🚌 Getting Around
Vancouver
Chilliwack
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$2.55 CA$3.60
$2.00 CA$2.83
27.50%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$84.6 CA$120
$33.16 CA$46.87
155.01%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$2.64 CA$3.73
$2.95 CA$4.17
-10.51%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.63 CA$2.31
$2.33 CA$3.29
-30.04%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$31.77 CA$44.91
-
-
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.42 CA$2.01
$1.25 CA$1.76
13.60%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$27.1K CA$38.3K
$27.2K CA$38.4K
-0.19%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$21.6K CA$30.5K
$19.9K CA$28.1K
8.64%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Vancouver
Chilliwack
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$81.3 CA$115
$166 CA$234
-50.92%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$37.20 CA$52.6
$54.4 CA$76.9
-31.64%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$52.6 CA$74.4
$70.1 CA$99.1
-24.93%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Vancouver
Chilliwack
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$44.34 CA$62.7
$41.17 CA$58.2
7.70%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$12.37 CA$17.49
$17.82 CA$25.19
-30.58%
Cinema Ticket
$12.62 CA$17.85
$12.14 CA$17.16
3.95%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Vancouver
Chilliwack
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$1,093 CA$1,544
-
-
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$20.0K CA$28.2K
$11.9K CA$16.8K
67.80%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Vancouver
Chilliwack
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$58.5 CA$82.7
$60.2 CA$85.2
-2.92%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$33.35 CA$47.14
$31.87 CA$45.05
4.64%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$96.3 CA$136
$103 CA$145
-6.36%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$95.6 CA$135
$211 CA$298
-54.62%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Vancouver
Chilliwack
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,765 CA$2,495
$1,136 CA$1,605
55.39%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,508 CA$2,132
$1,004 CA$1,419
50.23%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$3,122 CA$4,414
$2,042 CA$2,886
52.93%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$2,469 CA$3,490
$1,646 CA$2,326
50.02%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$8,173 CA$11.6K
$3,321 CA$4,695
146.13%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$6,354 CA$8,982
$3,333 CA$4,711
90.65%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Vancouver
Chilliwack
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$3,592 CA$5,078
$3,075 CA$4,348
16.81%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
4.28
4.71
-9.13%

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

Last update for Vancouver: October 17, 2026

Last update for Chilliwack: October 19, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Vancouver
$1.5K
Chilliwack
$1K 33.4% $504
Groceries & Markets
Vancouver
$399
Chilliwack
$482 20.8% $83
Eating Out
Vancouver
$280
Chilliwack
$241 14.1% $40
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Vancouver
$171
Chilliwack
$290 69.6% $119
Clothing & Footwear
Vancouver
$128
Chilliwack
$183 43% $55
Getting Around
Vancouver
$106
Chilliwack
$56 47.2% $50
Sport & Entertainment
Vancouver
$70
Chilliwack
$65 5.9% $4.1

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,765 in Vancouver and $1,136 in Chilliwack. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Vancouver pays 17% 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: $71.0 in Vancouver vs $53.0 in Chilliwack. Groceries flip the comparison at $399 vs $482, with Vancouver cheaper for home cooking.

Good to know
🇨🇦 Vancouver
🇨🇦 Chilliwack
🕒 Local time
22:06 10:06 PM
22:06 10:06 PM
Same time as Vancouver
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
631,486
83,788
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

USD, EUR to CAD – Canadian Dollar Converter

Canadian Dollar exchange rates as of October 23, 2026: 1 USD = 1.41 CAD (1 CAD = 0.707 USD). 1 EUR = 1.59 CAD (1 CAD = 0.629 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Vancouver Chilliwack 85 km
From you
  • Vancouver
  • Chilliwack

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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
Which city is more expensive, Vancouver or Chilliwack?
Chilliwack wins on cost – living expenses run 15% 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.
Are salaries higher in Vancouver or in Chilliwack?
Average pay runs 17% higher in Vancouver, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.
How much does a 1-bedroom apartment cost in Vancouver compared to Chilliwack?
Rent for a central apartment: $1,765 in Vancouver versus $1,136 in Chilliwack. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
How do dining costs compare in Vancouver and in Chilliwack?
Dining out is cheaper in Chilliwack – a meal for two runs $53.0 versus $71.0 in Vancouver. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.
How expensive is transport in Vancouver compared to Chilliwack?
A monthly transit pass in Chilliwack runs roughly 155% less than in Vancouver. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.
Can you live on $2,000/month in Vancouver or in Chilliwack?
At $2,320 in Chilliwack versus $2,662 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.
Which city offers a better quality of life: Vancouver or Chilliwack?
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.
Which city is more affordable for expats?
Expats usually find Chilliwack gentler on the wallet – expenses run 15% less than in Vancouver. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

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