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 $2,783 per month in Vancouver vs $1,909 in Dawson City, rent included.

A couple spends around $4,030 per month in Vancouver vs $3,334 in Dawson City, rent included.

A family of three spends $5,278 per month in Vancouver vs $4,759 in Dawson City, rent included.

Vancouver costs about 46% more than Dawson City, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Vancouver and Dawson City sit above the global median – Vancouver by 102%, Dawson City by 38%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.99 CA$24.95

$25.68 CA$35.61

-29.95%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$72.9 CA$101

$106 CA$147

-31.27%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.76 CA$14.92

$10.68 CA$14.82

0.75%

Cappuccino

$4.17 CA$5.79

$4.02 CA$5.57

3.73%

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

$2.20 CA$3.05

$1.83 CA$2.53

20.22%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.71 CA$2.37

$1.62 CA$2.25

5.56%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.91 CA$8.19

$5.37 CA$7.44

10.06%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.66 CA$9.24

$5.92 CA$8.21

12.50%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.19 CA$3.04

$2.68 CA$3.71

-18.28%

White Bread (500g)

$2.66 CA$3.69

$4.24 CA$5.88

-37.26%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.43 CA$6.14

$4.94 CA$6.84

-10.32%

Eggs

$4.20 CA$5.83

$5.03 CA$6.98

-16.50%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.88 CA$16.47

$9.94 CA$13.79

19.52%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.66 CA$18.95

$14.84 CA$20.58

-7.95%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$20.32 CA$28.18

$14.64 CA$20.30

38.80%

Apples (1kg)

$4.24 CA$5.88

$4.24 CA$5.87

Banana (1kg)

$1.38 CA$1.92

$1.32 CA$1.83

4.55%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.05 CA$5.61

$4.30 CA$5.96

-5.81%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.03 CA$5.58

$4.27 CA$5.92

-5.62%

Potato (1kg)

$2.87 CA$3.97

$2.54 CA$3.53

12.99%

Onion (1kg)

$2.99 CA$4.15

$2.22 CA$3.08

34.68%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.64 CA$3.66

$2.59 CA$3.60

1.93%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.65 CA$2.29

$1.60 CA$2.22

3.12%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$15.92 CA$22.07

$14.43 CA$20.01

10.33%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.63 CA$20.29

$12.57 CA$17.43

16.39%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.78 CA$3.86

$2.65 CA$3.68

4.91%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.06 CA$4.25

$3.11 CA$4.31

-1.61%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.57 CA$3.56

$2.41 CA$3.35

6.64%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$83.2 CA$115

$63.1 CA$87.6

31.80%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.70 CA$3.74

$2.87 CA$3.98

-5.92%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.63 CA$2.26

$1.45 CA$2.02

12.41%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$32.68 CA$45.33

$24.13 CA$33.47

35.43%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.44 CA$2.00

$1.18 CA$1.63

22.03%

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

$28.4K CA$39.4K

-0.03%

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

$19.5K CA$27.1K

$19.3K CA$26.8K

1.00%

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

$79.2 CA$110

$140 CA$195

-43.55%

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

$36.21 CA$50.2

$39.49 CA$54.8

-8.31%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$51.3 CA$71.2

$55.7 CA$77.3

-7.95%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$43.58 CA$60.4

$41.92 CA$58.1

3.96%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$13.16 CA$18.25

$18.59 CA$25.78

-29.21%

Cinema Ticket

$11.85 CA$16.44

$11.26 CA$15.61

5.24%

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

$1,131 CA$1,568

$762 CA$1,057

48.31%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$19.7K CA$27.3K

$13.4K CA$18.5K

47.39%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$60.0 CA$83.2

$65.9 CA$91.4

-9.01%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.84 CA$48.32

$39.23 CA$54.4

-11.19%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$90.5 CA$125

$68.8 CA$95.4

31.53%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$93.5 CA$130

$102 CA$142

-8.38%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,806 CA$2,505

$1,289 CA$1,787

40.16%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,581 CA$2,193

$689 CA$956

129.46%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,182 CA$4,413

$1,988 CA$2,757

60.08%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,465 CA$3,418

$1,712 CA$2,374

43.95%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$8,841 CA$12.3K

$4,254 CA$5,900

107.84%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,963 CA$9,657

$3,714 CA$5,151

87.48%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,738 CA$5,184

$2,895 CA$4,014

29.13%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.21

4.68

-10.04%

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

Last update for Vancouver: September 7, 2026

Last update for Dawson City: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,806 in Vancouver versus $1,289 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 29% 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 $73.0 in Vancouver versus $106 in Dawson City. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $408 vs $411 – 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 46%, 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 $4,174 per month in Vancouver and $2,864 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 $1,131 per month in Vancouver and $762 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 1% cheaper in Vancouver – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A $2,500 monthly budget goes further in Dawson City, where all-in costs run around $1,909, than in Vancouver at $2,783. 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.