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: $2,906 in Vancouver versus $2,189 in Chilliwack.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,209 in Vancouver versus $3,259 in Chilliwack.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,513 in Vancouver versus $4,329 in Chilliwack.

Living in Vancouver is roughly 33% more expensive than in Chilliwack, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Vancouver 118% above, Chilliwack 64% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.62 CA$26.20

$15.02 CA$21.14

23.97%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$77.9 CA$110

$72.6 CA$102

7.23%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.84 CA$15.26

$9.40 CA$13.22

15.32%

Cappuccino

$3.93 CA$5.53

$3.94 CA$5.54

-0.25%

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

$2.24 CA$3.16

$2.22 CA$3.13

0.90%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.75 CA$2.46

$1.70 CA$2.39

2.94%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.05 CA$8.51

$5.96 CA$8.38

1.51%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.30 CA$10.27

$4.30 CA$6.06

69.77%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.30 CA$3.24

$2.20 CA$3.10

4.55%

White Bread (500g)

$3.07 CA$4.32

$2.81 CA$3.96

9.25%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.77 CA$5.30

$2.65 CA$3.73

42.26%

Eggs

$4.32 CA$6.08

$3.68 CA$5.18

17.39%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.57 CA$17.69

$12.55 CA$17.66

0.16%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.74 CA$19.34

$11.86 CA$16.69

15.85%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.99 CA$22.49

$13.01 CA$18.30

22.91%

Apples (1kg)

$4.26 CA$6.00

$4.40 CA$6.20

-3.18%

Banana (1kg)

$1.52 CA$2.14

$1.38 CA$1.94

10.14%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.92 CA$5.52

$4.04 CA$5.69

-2.97%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.08 CA$7.15

$4.99 CA$7.02

1.80%

Potato (1kg)

$3.20 CA$4.50

$4.20 CA$5.91

-23.81%

Onion (1kg)

$3.09 CA$4.34

$2.96 CA$4.16

4.39%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.60 CA$3.65

$2.58 CA$3.63

0.78%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.88 CA$2.65

$1.89 CA$2.66

-0.53%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$15.45 CA$21.74

$15.76 CA$22.17

-1.97%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.89 CA$20.95

$12.71 CA$17.88

17.15%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.12 CA$4.39

$3.12 CA$4.38

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.80 CA$5.35

$3.66 CA$5.16

3.83%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.42 CA$3.40

$1.96 CA$2.76

23.47%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$83.0 CA$117

$34.88 CA$49.08

137.87%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.76 CA$5.28

$3.03 CA$4.26

24.09%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.48 CA$2.09

$2.27 CA$3.19

-34.80%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$26.97 CA$37.95

$25.61 CA$36.03

5.31%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.30 CA$1.82

$1.24 CA$1.75

4.84%

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

$25.2K CA$35.4K

$25.4K CA$35.8K

-1.00%

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

$20.6K CA$28.9K

$20.1K CA$28.3K

2.22%

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

$91.8 CA$129

$117 CA$165

-21.78%

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

$39.34 CA$55.4

$45.10 CA$63.5

-12.77%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$60.6 CA$85.3

0.05%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.58 CA$62.7

$38.14 CA$53.7

16.89%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$15.88 CA$22.35

$18.30 CA$25.75

-13.22%

Cinema Ticket

$12.18 CA$17.13

$11.95 CA$16.81

1.92%

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

$1,185 CA$1,667

$530 CA$745

123.67%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$18.5K CA$26.1K

$17.6K CA$24.7K

5.42%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$62.5 CA$87.9

$60.5 CA$85.1

3.34%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.38 CA$59.6

$35.30 CA$49.66

20.06%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$95.0 CA$134

$97.3 CA$137

-2.39%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$115 CA$162

$114 CA$161

0.32%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,979 CA$2,785

$1,179 CA$1,660

67.79%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,644 CA$2,313

$1,081 CA$1,522

51.97%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,577 CA$5,033

$1,903 CA$2,678

87.93%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,782 CA$3,915

$1,731 CA$2,435

60.79%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$8,754 CA$12.3K

$3,257 CA$4,583

168.75%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$7,087 CA$9,972

$3,246 CA$4,568

118.31%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,380 CA$4,756

$3,123 CA$4,394

8.24%

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: July 14, 2026

Last update for Chilliwack: July 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,979 in Vancouver and $1,179 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 $73.0 in Chilliwack for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $414 vs $383 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 33% 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 8% 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: $1,979 in Vancouver versus $1,179 in Chilliwack. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $1,185 in Vancouver versus $530 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 $2,189 in Chilliwack versus $2,906 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 33% less than in Vancouver. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.