Cost of Living Comparison Between Vancouver and Dartmouth Cost of Living Comparison Between Vancouver and Dartmouth

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,831 per month in Vancouver vs $2,119 in Dartmouth, rent included.

A couple spends around $4,231 per month in Vancouver vs $3,202 in Dartmouth, rent included.

A family of three spends $5,630 per month in Vancouver vs $4,286 in Dartmouth, rent included.

Vancouver costs about 34% more than Dartmouth, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Vancouver and Dartmouth sit above the global median – Vancouver by 111%, Dartmouth by 58%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.26 CA$25.28

$14.71 CA$20.37

24.13%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$77.8 CA$108

$60.8 CA$84.2

27.98%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.85 CA$15.02

$8.65 CA$11.98

25.43%

Cappuccino

$3.98 CA$5.51

$3.79 CA$5.25

5.01%

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

$2.12 CA$2.93

$1.74 CA$2.40

21.84%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.78 CA$2.46

$1.32 CA$1.83

34.85%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.77 CA$7.99

$6.03 CA$8.35

-4.31%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.56 CA$10.46

$6.02 CA$8.33

25.58%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.32 CA$3.21

$2.04 CA$2.83

13.73%

White Bread (500g)

$3.10 CA$4.29

$2.51 CA$3.48

23.51%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.89 CA$5.38

$3.77 CA$5.22

3.18%

Eggs

$4.53 CA$6.27

$3.49 CA$4.83

29.80%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.92 CA$17.88

$10.38 CA$14.37

24.47%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.14 CA$19.58

$11.44 CA$15.84

23.60%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.74 CA$21.80

$15.33 CA$21.22

2.67%

Apples (1kg)

$4.26 CA$5.89

$3.62 CA$5.02

17.68%

Banana (1kg)

$1.47 CA$2.03

$1.63 CA$2.25

-9.82%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.02 CA$5.57

$3.83 CA$5.31

4.96%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.06 CA$7.01

$5.38 CA$7.45

-5.95%

Potato (1kg)

$3.02 CA$4.18

$2.03 CA$2.81

48.77%

Onion (1kg)

$2.95 CA$4.09

$2.22 CA$3.08

32.88%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.60 CA$3.60

$2.70 CA$3.74

-3.70%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.88 CA$2.60

$1.84 CA$2.55

2.17%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$15.20 CA$21.04

$14.66 CA$20.30

3.68%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.30 CA$19.80

$11.41 CA$15.80

25.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.07 CA$4.26

$3.24 CA$4.49

-5.25%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.74 CA$5.18

$3.26 CA$4.51

14.72%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.44 CA$3.37

$1.97 CA$2.72

23.86%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$84.9 CA$118

$61.2 CA$84.8

38.65%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.74 CA$5.18

$8.00 CA$11.07

-53.25%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.50 CA$2.08

$1.42 CA$1.96

5.63%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$27.43 CA$37.98

$28.93 CA$40.05

-5.18%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.34 CA$1.86

$1.20 CA$1.66

11.67%

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

$25.1K CA$34.8K

$24.9K CA$34.4K

0.98%

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

$20.7K CA$28.7K

$20.8K CA$28.7K

-0.14%

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

$91.8 CA$127

$69.9 CA$96.8

31.34%

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

$39.42 CA$54.6

$37.93 CA$52.5

3.93%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$61.1 CA$84.6

$81.4 CA$113

-24.98%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.89 CA$62.2

$37.35 CA$51.7

20.19%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$15.68 CA$21.71

Cinema Ticket

$12.37 CA$17.12

$11.06 CA$15.31

11.84%

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

$1,180 CA$1,634

$165 CA$229

613.41%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$18.8K CA$26.0K

$11.9K CA$16.5K

57.72%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$62.7 CA$86.8

$41.16 CA$57.0

52.26%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.13 CA$59.7

$34.99 CA$48.45

23.26%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.7 CA$131

$69.5 CA$96.3

36.24%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$118 CA$164

$77.7 CA$108

52.43%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,995 CA$2,762

$1,295 CA$1,793

54.08%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,629 CA$2,256

$1,062 CA$1,471

53.37%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,589 CA$4,969

$2,081 CA$2,881

72.48%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,769 CA$3,834

$1,890 CA$2,617

46.51%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$9,246 CA$12.8K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$7,086 CA$9,811

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,474 CA$4,810

$2,657 CA$3,679

30.73%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.61

5.62

-0.18%

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

Last update for Vancouver: June 2, 2026

Last update for Dartmouth: May 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,995 in Vancouver versus $1,295 in Dartmouth. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 31% higher in Vancouver, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $78.0 in Vancouver versus $61.0 in Dartmouth. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $415 vs $368 – making Dartmouth the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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 Dartmouth: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $2,831 in Vancouver, $2,119 in Dartmouth – roughly 34% apart. Vancouver costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,247 per month in Vancouver and $3,178 in Dartmouth. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Dartmouth, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $2,831 in Vancouver and $2,119 in Dartmouth. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 39% less in Dartmouth. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $3,000 monthly budget goes further in Dartmouth, where all-in costs run around $2,119, than in Vancouver at $2,831. In Dartmouth it covers expenses comfortably, while in Vancouver it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Dartmouth – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

If budget matters most, go with Dartmouth. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Vancouver makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.