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: $2,831 in Vancouver versus $2,163 in Chilliwack.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,231 in Vancouver versus $3,224 in Chilliwack.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,630 in Vancouver versus $4,285 in Chilliwack.

Living in Vancouver is roughly 31% more expensive than Chilliwack, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Vancouver 111% above, Chilliwack 61% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.26 CA$25.37

$14.80 CA$20.56

23.38%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$77.8 CA$108

$74.5 CA$104

4.40%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.85 CA$15.08

$9.82 CA$13.64

10.49%

Cappuccino

$3.98 CA$5.53

$3.99 CA$5.54

-0.25%

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

$2.12 CA$2.94

$2.19 CA$3.05

-3.20%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.78 CA$2.47

$1.76 CA$2.45

1.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.77 CA$8.02

$5.87 CA$8.16

-1.70%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.56 CA$10.50

$4.34 CA$6.03

74.19%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.32 CA$3.23

$2.10 CA$2.92

10.48%

White Bread (500g)

$3.10 CA$4.30

$2.81 CA$3.90

10.32%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.89 CA$5.40

$2.55 CA$3.55

52.55%

Eggs

$4.53 CA$6.29

$3.80 CA$5.28

19.21%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.92 CA$17.95

$12.81 CA$17.80

0.86%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.14 CA$19.65

$11.81 CA$16.41

19.73%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.74 CA$21.87

$13.24 CA$18.40

18.88%

Apples (1kg)

$4.26 CA$5.91

Banana (1kg)

$1.47 CA$2.04

$1.33 CA$1.84

10.53%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.02 CA$5.59

$4.04 CA$5.61

-0.50%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.06 CA$7.03

$5.11 CA$7.10

-0.98%

Potato (1kg)

$3.02 CA$4.20

$4.29 CA$5.96

-29.60%

Onion (1kg)

$2.95 CA$4.10

$3.06 CA$4.26

-3.59%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.60 CA$3.61

$2.74 CA$3.81

-5.11%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.88 CA$2.61

$1.83 CA$2.55

2.73%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$15.20 CA$21.12

$15.62 CA$21.71

-2.69%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.30 CA$19.86

$13.10 CA$18.21

9.16%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.07 CA$4.27

$3.13 CA$4.35

-1.92%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.74 CA$5.20

$3.79 CA$5.26

-1.32%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.44 CA$3.39

$1.98 CA$2.75

23.23%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$84.9 CA$118

$35.10 CA$48.77

141.79%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.74 CA$5.19

$2.99 CA$4.15

25.08%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.50 CA$2.09

$2.26 CA$3.14

-33.63%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$27.43 CA$38.11

$26.15 CA$36.34

4.89%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.34 CA$1.86

$1.29 CA$1.79

3.88%

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

$25.1K CA$34.9K

$25.0K CA$34.8K

0.38%

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

$20.7K CA$28.8K

$20.1K CA$27.9K

3.13%

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

$91.8 CA$128

$119 CA$165

-22.90%

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

$39.42 CA$54.8

$45.90 CA$63.8

-14.12%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$61.1 CA$84.9

$61.6 CA$85.6

-0.86%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.89 CA$62.4

$39.33 CA$54.7

14.14%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$15.68 CA$21.79

$18.30 CA$25.43

-14.32%

Cinema Ticket

$12.37 CA$17.18

$12.00 CA$16.68

3.08%

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

$1,180 CA$1,640

$547 CA$760

115.67%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$18.8K CA$26.1K

$17.8K CA$24.7K

5.54%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$62.7 CA$87.1

$60.6 CA$84.3

3.35%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.13 CA$59.9

$36.38 CA$50.5

18.55%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.7 CA$132

$96.5 CA$134

-1.80%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$118 CA$164

$116 CA$161

2.07%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,995 CA$2,771

$1,165 CA$1,619

71.19%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,629 CA$2,264

$1,092 CA$1,517

49.23%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,589 CA$4,986

$1,914 CA$2,660

87.47%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,769 CA$3,848

$1,718 CA$2,387

61.22%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$9,246 CA$12.8K

$3,354 CA$4,660

175.66%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$7,086 CA$9,845

$3,279 CA$4,555

116.12%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,474 CA$4,827

$3,222 CA$4,477

7.82%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.61

5.65

-0.71%

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

Last update for Vancouver: June 2, 2026

Last update for Chilliwack: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,995 in Vancouver and $1,165 in Chilliwack. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Vancouver pays 8% 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: $78.0 in Vancouver vs $75.0 in Chilliwack for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $415 vs $384 per month, with Chilliwack 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 Chilliwack: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Chilliwack wins on cost – living expenses run 31% 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.

Vancouver pays 8% more on average, 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: $1,995 in Vancouver versus $1,165 in Chilliwack. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $1,180 in Vancouver versus $547 in Chilliwack. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 8% higher in Vancouver. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $2,163 in Chilliwack versus $2,831 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 31% less than in Vancouver. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.