Cost of Living Comparison Between Vancouver and Drumheller Cost of Living Comparison Between Vancouver and Drumheller

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,906 per month in Vancouver vs $2,410 in Drumheller, rent included.

A couple spends around $4,209 per month in Vancouver vs $3,397 in Drumheller, rent included.

A family of three spends $5,513 per month in Vancouver vs $4,384 in Drumheller, rent included.

Vancouver costs about 21% more than Drumheller, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Vancouver and Drumheller sit above the global median – Vancouver by 118%, Drumheller by 80%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.62 CA$26.20

$18.74 CA$26.37

-0.64%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$77.9 CA$110

$43.32 CA$61.0

79.80%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.84 CA$15.26

$10.84 CA$15.25

Cappuccino

$3.93 CA$5.53

$2.99 CA$4.21

31.44%

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

$2.24 CA$3.16

$1.53 CA$2.16

46.41%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.75 CA$2.46

$1.52 CA$2.14

15.13%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.05 CA$8.51

$3.67 CA$5.16

64.85%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.30 CA$10.27

$4.50 CA$6.33

62.22%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.30 CA$3.24

$0.94 CA$1.32

144.68%

White Bread (500g)

$3.07 CA$4.32

$2.45 CA$3.45

25.31%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.77 CA$5.30

$3.18 CA$4.47

18.55%

Eggs

$4.32 CA$6.08

$3.58 CA$5.03

20.67%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.57 CA$17.69

$12.05 CA$16.95

4.32%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.74 CA$19.34

$12.38 CA$17.42

10.99%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.99 CA$22.49

$16.03 CA$22.56

-0.25%

Apples (1kg)

$4.26 CA$6.00

$4.84 CA$6.81

-11.98%

Banana (1kg)

$1.52 CA$2.14

$1.38 CA$1.94

10.14%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.92 CA$5.52

$3.98 CA$5.61

-1.51%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.08 CA$7.15

$3.62 CA$5.10

40.33%

Potato (1kg)

$3.20 CA$4.50

$1.58 CA$2.23

102.53%

Onion (1kg)

$3.09 CA$4.34

$2.19 CA$3.08

41.10%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.60 CA$3.65

$2.72 CA$3.82

-4.41%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.88 CA$2.65

$1.95 CA$2.74

-3.59%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$15.45 CA$21.74

$14.95 CA$21.03

3.34%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.89 CA$20.95

$12.20 CA$17.17

22.05%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.12 CA$4.39

$3.09 CA$4.35

0.97%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.80 CA$5.35

$3.18 CA$4.48

19.50%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.42 CA$3.40

$2.35 CA$3.31

2.98%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$83.0 CA$117

$61.8 CA$86.9

34.34%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.76 CA$5.28

$3.11 CA$4.38

20.90%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.48 CA$2.09

$1.64 CA$2.31

-9.76%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$26.97 CA$37.95

$23.29 CA$32.77

15.80%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.30 CA$1.82

$1.09 CA$1.54

19.27%

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

$25.2K CA$35.4K

$25.5K CA$35.9K

-1.28%

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

$20.6K CA$28.9K

$22.7K CA$31.9K

-9.36%

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

$91.8 CA$129

$201 CA$283

-54.40%

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

$39.34 CA$55.4

$44.71 CA$62.9

-12.01%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$60.6 CA$85.3

$65.1 CA$91.7

-6.95%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.58 CA$62.7

$42.47 CA$59.8

4.97%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$15.88 CA$22.35

Cinema Ticket

$12.18 CA$17.13

$13.08 CA$18.41

-6.88%

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

$1,185 CA$1,667

$699 CA$983

69.54%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$18.5K CA$26.1K

$11.7K CA$16.4K

58.69%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$62.5 CA$87.9

$49.47 CA$69.6

26.32%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.38 CA$59.6

$41.86 CA$58.9

1.24%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$95.0 CA$134

$84.2 CA$118

12.85%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$115 CA$162

$102 CA$143

12.77%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,979 CA$2,785

$1,336 CA$1,879

48.19%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,644 CA$2,313

$1,180 CA$1,660

39.32%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,577 CA$5,033

$1,984 CA$2,792

80.28%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,782 CA$3,915

$1,852 CA$2,606

50.23%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$8,754 CA$12.3K

$4,509 CA$6,345

94.14%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$7,087 CA$9,972

$3,655 CA$5,143

93.88%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,380 CA$4,756

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.61

6.08

-7.73%

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

Last update for Vancouver: July 14, 2026

Last update for Drumheller: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,979 in Vancouver versus $1,336 in Drumheller. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $78.0 in Vancouver versus $43.00 in Drumheller. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $414 vs $363 – making Drumheller 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 Drumheller: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $2,906 in Vancouver, $2,410 in Drumheller – roughly 21% apart. Vancouver costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,359 per month in Vancouver and $3,615 in Drumheller. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Drumheller, 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 $2,906 in Vancouver and $2,410 in Drumheller. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 34% less in Drumheller. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $3,000 monthly budget goes further in Drumheller, where all-in costs run around $2,410, than in Vancouver at $2,906. In Drumheller it covers expenses comfortably, while in Vancouver it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Drumheller – 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 Drumheller. 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.