Cost of Living Comparison Between Vancouver and Dawson City Cost of Living Comparison Between Vancouver and Dawson City

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,873 per month in Vancouver vs $1,988 in Dawson City, rent included.

A couple spends around $4,180 per month in Vancouver vs $3,402 in Dawson City, rent included.

A family of three spends $5,486 per month in Vancouver vs $4,817 in Dawson City, rent included.

Vancouver costs about 45% more than Dawson City, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Vancouver and Dawson City sit above the global median – Vancouver by 115%, Dawson City by 48%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.57 CA$25.44

$25.60 CA$35.07

-27.46%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$78.8 CA$108

$106 CA$145

-25.73%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.25 CA$15.41

$10.84 CA$14.85

3.78%

Cappuccino

$3.89 CA$5.33

$4.11 CA$5.63

-5.35%

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

$2.16 CA$2.96

$1.81 CA$2.49

19.34%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.78 CA$2.44

$1.65 CA$2.26

7.88%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.85 CA$8.01

$5.50 CA$7.54

6.36%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.44 CA$10.20

$5.80 CA$7.95

28.28%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.28 CA$3.12

$2.77 CA$3.80

-17.69%

White Bread (500g)

$3.21 CA$4.40

$4.18 CA$5.72

-23.21%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.75 CA$5.14

$3.63 CA$4.97

3.31%

Eggs

$4.53 CA$6.21

$5.30 CA$7.26

-14.53%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.80 CA$17.54

$11.19 CA$15.32

14.39%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.09 CA$19.30

$15.34 CA$21.01

-8.15%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.87 CA$21.74

$14.59 CA$19.99

8.77%

Apples (1kg)

$4.18 CA$5.73

$4.37 CA$5.99

-4.35%

Banana (1kg)

$1.53 CA$2.10

$1.37 CA$1.88

11.68%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.90 CA$5.34

$4.36 CA$5.97

-10.55%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.99 CA$6.84

$4.36 CA$5.97

14.45%

Potato (1kg)

$3.02 CA$4.13

$2.43 CA$3.32

24.28%

Onion (1kg)

$3.00 CA$4.11

$2.54 CA$3.48

18.11%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.71 CA$3.71

$2.61 CA$3.57

3.83%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.80 CA$2.47

$1.71 CA$2.35

5.26%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$15.30 CA$20.97

$13.75 CA$18.84

11.27%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.38 CA$21.07

$12.99 CA$17.80

18.40%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.10 CA$4.24

$2.85 CA$3.91

8.77%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.74 CA$5.13

$3.02 CA$4.14

23.84%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.38 CA$3.26

$2.32 CA$3.17

2.59%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$85.7 CA$117

$63.1 CA$86.5

35.77%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.74 CA$5.13

$3.23 CA$4.43

15.79%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.44 CA$1.97

$1.43 CA$1.96

0.70%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$27.52 CA$37.70

$25.42 CA$34.82

8.26%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.30 CA$1.78

$1.16 CA$1.60

12.07%

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

$25.7K CA$35.2K

$25.5K CA$34.9K

0.84%

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

$20.4K CA$28.0K

-0.05%

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

$90.1 CA$123

$142 CA$195

-36.68%

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

$40.47 CA$55.4

$44.06 CA$60.4

-8.15%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$60.4 CA$82.7

$62.5 CA$85.6

-3.39%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.45 CA$60.9

$41.38 CA$56.7

7.42%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$15.43 CA$21.13

Cinema Ticket

$12.38 CA$16.96

$11.37 CA$15.57

8.88%

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

$1,153 CA$1,580

$722 CA$989

59.74%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$18.5K CA$25.4K

$11.9K CA$16.2K

56.45%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$63.5 CA$87.0

$65.7 CA$90.0

-3.34%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$41.83 CA$57.3

$39.13 CA$53.6

6.90%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$97.5 CA$134

$71.3 CA$97.7

36.84%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$116 CA$159

$108 CA$148

7.60%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,972 CA$2,702

$1,320 CA$1,808

49.38%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,619 CA$2,218

$705 CA$966

129.57%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,531 CA$4,838

$2,005 CA$2,747

76.12%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,748 CA$3,765

$1,835 CA$2,514

49.76%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$9,040 CA$12.4K

$4,923 CA$6,744

83.65%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$7,298 CA$9,998

$3,389 CA$4,643

115.37%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,619 CA$4,959

$3,019 CA$4,136

19.88%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.61

6.46

-13.16%

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

Last update for Vancouver: April 26, 2026

Last update for Dawson City: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,972 in Vancouver versus $1,320 in Dawson City. 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 20% 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 $79.0 in Vancouver versus $106 in Dawson City. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $416 vs $418 – making Vancouver 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 Dawson City: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Vancouver is pricier by about 45%, and the gap shows up most in Eating Out. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,310 per month in Vancouver and $2,981 in Dawson City. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Kindergarten costs $1,153 per month in Vancouver and $722 in Dawson City. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 0% cheaper in Vancouver – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

$2,500 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $2,873 in Vancouver and $1,988 in Dawson City. You'll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

Families tend to lean toward Dawson City – 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 Dawson City. 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.