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 $2,818 per month in Vancouver vs $1,949 in Dawson City, rent included.

A couple spends around $4,226 per month in Vancouver vs $3,407 in Dawson City, rent included.

A family of three spends $5,634 per month in Vancouver vs $4,865 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 112%, Dawson City by 46%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.73 CA$26.28

$26.15 CA$36.71

-28.37%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$78.5 CA$110

$107 CA$151

-26.83%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.85 CA$15.23

$11.12 CA$15.61

-2.43%

Cappuccino

$4.10 CA$5.76

$4.08 CA$5.72

0.49%

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

$2.13 CA$2.99

$1.80 CA$2.53

18.33%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.76 CA$2.48

$1.71 CA$2.41

2.92%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.76 CA$8.09

$5.41 CA$7.59

6.47%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.23 CA$10.14

$5.71 CA$8.02

26.62%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.29 CA$3.21

$2.71 CA$3.81

-15.50%

White Bread (500g)

$3.22 CA$4.51

$4.14 CA$5.81

-22.22%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.70 CA$5.19

$3.62 CA$5.09

2.21%

Eggs

$4.36 CA$6.11

$5.27 CA$7.40

-17.27%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.86 CA$18.05

$11.37 CA$15.96

13.10%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.24 CA$19.99

$14.91 CA$20.93

-4.49%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.74 CA$22.09

$14.86 CA$20.86

5.92%

Apples (1kg)

$4.30 CA$6.04

$4.18 CA$5.87

2.87%

Banana (1kg)

$1.52 CA$2.13

$1.42 CA$1.99

7.04%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.99 CA$5.60

$4.25 CA$5.96

-6.12%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.13 CA$7.20

$4.17 CA$5.85

23.02%

Potato (1kg)

$3.06 CA$4.29

$2.43 CA$3.41

25.93%

Onion (1kg)

$3.05 CA$4.28

$2.49 CA$3.49

22.49%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.63 CA$3.68

$2.60 CA$3.65

1.15%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.87 CA$2.62

$1.78 CA$2.49

5.06%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$15.70 CA$22.03

$13.91 CA$19.52

12.87%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.59 CA$20.47

$12.33 CA$17.31

18.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.21 CA$4.51

$2.83 CA$3.98

13.43%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.59 CA$5.04

$3.14 CA$4.41

14.33%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.44 CA$3.43

$2.38 CA$3.34

2.52%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$83.2 CA$117

$62.8 CA$88.2

32.52%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.70 CA$5.19

$3.12 CA$4.37

18.59%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.49 CA$2.09

$1.43 CA$2.01

4.20%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$27.37 CA$38.42

$26.06 CA$36.58

5.03%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.33 CA$1.87

$1.17 CA$1.64

13.68%

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

$25.1K CA$35.3K

$25.1K CA$35.2K

0.14%

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

$20.7K CA$29.1K

$21.0K CA$29.5K

-1.40%

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

$90.0 CA$126

$141 CA$198

-36.27%

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

$40.83 CA$57.3

$44.21 CA$62.1

-7.65%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$61.1 CA$85.8

$61.7 CA$86.7

-1.04%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$45.73 CA$64.2

$42.54 CA$59.7

7.50%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$15.45 CA$21.68

Cinema Ticket

$12.01 CA$16.86

$11.25 CA$15.79

6.76%

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

$1,162 CA$1,630

$745 CA$1,046

55.82%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$18.1K CA$25.3K

$11.8K CA$16.5K

53.54%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$63.6 CA$89.3

$65.5 CA$91.9

-2.89%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.32 CA$59.4

$39.91 CA$56.0

6.04%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$96.8 CA$136

$70.8 CA$99.3

36.84%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$116 CA$162

$105 CA$148

9.94%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,024 CA$2,841

$1,291 CA$1,812

56.77%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,614 CA$2,265

$711 CA$997

127.09%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,464 CA$4,862

$2,024 CA$2,840

71.19%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,743 CA$3,850

$1,825 CA$2,562

50.28%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$8,872 CA$12.5K

$4,806 CA$6,745

84.61%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$7,046 CA$9,890

$3,089 CA$4,336

128.12%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,312 CA$4,649

$2,918 CA$4,096

13.49%

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: July 25, 2026

Last update for Dawson City: July 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,024 in Vancouver versus $1,291 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 13% 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 $107 in Dawson City. Groceries tell a different story – $417 in Vancouver vs $414 in Dawson City – so Dawson City wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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 $4,226 per month in Vancouver and $2,924 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 $1,162 per month in Vancouver and $745 in Dawson City. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 1% more in Vancouver, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $2,500 monthly budget goes further in Dawson City, where all-in costs run around $1,949, than in Vancouver at $2,818. In Dawson City it covers expenses comfortably, while in Vancouver it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

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.