Last update: Nov 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Vancouver and David

For one person, living is cheaper in David: $884 a month against $2,683 in Vancouver, rent and utilities included – about $21,600 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

128

Cost of Living Index in Vancouver
Learn more

Vancouver Living Index

Jump to prices

Vancouver

🇨🇦 Canada

$2,683

/mo nomad

David

🇵🇦 Panama

$884

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Vancouver and in David

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 David actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $2,683 per month in Vancouver vs $884 in David, rent included.

Vancouver $2,683
David $884

A couple spends around $3,963 per month in Vancouver vs $948 in David, rent included.

Vancouver $3,963
David $948

A family of three spends $5,244 per month in Vancouver vs $1,011 in David, rent included.

Vancouver $5,244
David $1,011

Vancouver costs about 203% more than David, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Vancouver sits 98% above the global median, while David is 35% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.10 CA$25.26

$5.38 PAB 5.38

236.43%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$71.0 CA$99.1

$37.24 PAB 37.24

90.60%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.57 CA$14.75

$7.36 PAB 7.36

43.61%

Cappuccino

$3.97 CA$5.54

$3.13 PAB 3.13

26.84%

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

$2.07 CA$2.89

$1.54 PAB 1.54

34.42%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.85 CA$2.58

$1.54 PAB 1.54

20.13%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.67 CA$7.91

$1.97 PAB 1.97

187.82%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.61 CA$9.23

$2.73 PAB 2.73

142.12%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.16 CA$3.01

$1.70 PAB 1.70

27.06%

White Bread (500g)

$2.58 CA$3.60

$2.26 PAB 2.26

14.16%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.30 CA$6.00

$2.39 PAB 2.39

79.92%

Eggs

$4.09 CA$5.71

$2.42 PAB 2.42

69.01%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.12 CA$16.91

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.28 CA$18.54

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$20.11 CA$28.07

Apples (1kg)

$3.96 CA$5.53

Banana (1kg)

$1.43 CA$1.99

Oranges (1kg)

$3.71 CA$5.18

Tomato (1kg)

$3.92 CA$5.48

Potato (1kg)

$2.87 CA$4.00

Onion (1kg)

$2.98 CA$4.16

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.61 CA$3.65

$1.98 PAB 1.98

31.82%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.63 CA$2.28

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$15.94 CA$22.25

Wine (Bottle)

$14.25 CA$19.89

$9.87 PAB 9.87

44.38%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.52 CA$3.52

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.87 CA$4.01

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.57 CA$3.58

$0.78 PAB 0.78

229.49%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$84.4 CA$118

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.74 CA$3.83

$2.92 PAB 2.92

-6.16%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.63 CA$2.27

$2.06 PAB 2.06

-20.87%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$31.90 CA$44.52

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.46 CA$2.03

$1.06 PAB 1.06

37.74%

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

$26.7K CA$37.3K

$24.6K PAB 24.6K

8.72%

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

$21.0K CA$29.4K

$30.1K PAB 30.1K

-30.14%

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

$88.2 CA$123

$186 PAB 186

-52.68%

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

$36.72 CA$51.3

$28.68 PAB 28.68

28.03%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$49.81 CA$69.5

$48.74 PAB 48.74

2.20%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$45.34 CA$63.3

$31.49 PAB 31.49

43.98%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$12.13 CA$16.93

Cinema Ticket

$12.55 CA$17.52

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

$1,055 CA$1,473

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$28.5K CA$39.8K

$5,890 PAB 5,890

383.57%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.4 CA$78.8

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.37 CA$47.98

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$89.8 CA$125

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$94.3 CA$132

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,738 CA$2,426

$352 PAB 352

393.77%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,528 CA$2,134

$356 PAB 356

329.60%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,107 CA$4,337

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,547 CA$3,555

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$8,540 CA$11.9K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,328 CA$8,833

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,770 CA$5,262

$599 PAB 599

529.07%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.24

-39.43%

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

Last update for Vancouver: November 2, 2026

Last update for David: November 2, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Vancouver

$1.5K 57%

David

–

Groceries & Markets

Vancouver

$398 14.9%

David

–

Eating Out

Vancouver

$281 10.5%

David

–

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Vancouver

$175 6.5%

David

–

Clothing & Footwear

Vancouver

$124 4.6%

David

–

Getting Around

Vancouver

$106 3.9%

David

–

Sport & Entertainment

Vancouver

$70 2.6%

David

–

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,738 in Vancouver versus $352 in David. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries in Vancouver are about 6.3 times higher. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $71 in Vancouver versus $37 in David. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $398 vs $87 – making David the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇨🇦 Vancouver

🇵🇦 David

🕒 Local time

14:45 2:45 PM

16:45 4:45 PM

2 h ahead of Vancouver

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

631,486

82,907

💱 Currency

Canadian Dollar CAD $

Panamanian Balboa PAB B/.

📈 Exchange rate

1 CAD = 0.716 USD

1 CAD = 0.638 EUR

1 PAB = 1 USD

1 PAB = 0.891 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

PAB, USD, EUR to CAD – Canadian Dollar Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇨🇦 Canadian Dollar ($)

Canadian Dollar exchange rates as of November 5, 2026: 1 USD = 1.4 CAD (1 CAD = 0.716 USD). 1 EUR = 1.57 CAD (1 CAD = 0.638 EUR).

Panamanian Balboa exchange rates as of November 5, 2026: 1 USD = 1 PAB (1 PAB = 1 USD). 1 EUR = 1.12 PAB (1 PAB = 0.891 EUR).

USD to CAD in detail →

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Vancouver David 5,900 km ≈ 8 h nonstop flight

From you

Vancouver
David

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 David: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Vancouver is pricier by about 203%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,024 per month in Vancouver and $1,326 in David. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in David, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $352 there versus $1,738 in Vancouver.

Groceries cost about 360% more in Vancouver, though the gap depends on what you buy.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $71 in Vancouver and $37 in David. That’s a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in David, where all-in costs run around $884, than in Vancouver at $2,683. In David it covers expenses comfortably, while in Vancouver it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. David has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $884 in David to $2,683 in Vancouver. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

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