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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,831 per month in Vancouver vs $2,339 in Drumheller, rent included.

A couple spends around $4,231 per month in Vancouver vs $3,347 in Drumheller, rent included.

A family of three spends $5,630 per month in Vancouver vs $4,354 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 111%, Drumheller by 75%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.26 CA$25.39

$18.40 CA$25.59

-0.76%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$77.8 CA$108

$43.84 CA$61.0

77.49%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.85 CA$15.09

$11.20 CA$15.58

-3.12%

Cappuccino

$3.98 CA$5.54

$2.87 CA$4.00

38.68%

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

$2.12 CA$2.95

$1.58 CA$2.19

34.18%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.78 CA$2.47

$1.58 CA$2.20

12.66%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.77 CA$8.02

$3.64 CA$5.06

58.52%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.56 CA$10.51

$4.35 CA$6.05

73.79%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.32 CA$3.23

$0.98 CA$1.36

136.73%

White Bread (500g)

$3.10 CA$4.31

$2.37 CA$3.30

30.80%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.89 CA$5.40

$3.03 CA$4.22

28.38%

Eggs

$4.53 CA$6.30

$3.72 CA$5.17

21.77%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.92 CA$17.96

$12.23 CA$17.01

5.64%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.14 CA$19.67

$12.39 CA$17.23

14.12%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.74 CA$21.89

$16.12 CA$22.42

-2.36%

Apples (1kg)

$4.26 CA$5.92

$4.79 CA$6.66

-11.06%

Banana (1kg)

$1.47 CA$2.04

$1.38 CA$1.91

6.52%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.02 CA$5.59

$3.87 CA$5.39

3.88%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.06 CA$7.04

$3.72 CA$5.18

36.02%

Potato (1kg)

$3.02 CA$4.20

$1.56 CA$2.17

93.59%

Onion (1kg)

$2.95 CA$4.10

$2.15 CA$2.99

37.21%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.60 CA$3.62

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.88 CA$2.62

$1.91 CA$2.66

-1.57%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$15.20 CA$21.14

$14.93 CA$20.76

1.81%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.30 CA$19.88

$12.25 CA$17.04

16.73%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.07 CA$4.27

$3.05 CA$4.24

0.66%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.74 CA$5.20

$3.26 CA$4.53

14.72%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.44 CA$3.39

$2.39 CA$3.32

2.09%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$84.9 CA$118

$63.0 CA$87.7

34.67%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.74 CA$5.20

$3.26 CA$4.54

14.72%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.50 CA$2.09

$1.70 CA$2.37

-11.76%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$27.43 CA$38.15

$23.22 CA$32.29

18.13%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.34 CA$1.86

$1.05 CA$1.46

27.62%

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

$25.1K CA$34.9K

$25.3K CA$35.2K

-0.92%

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

$20.7K CA$28.8K

$22.3K CA$31.0K

-6.99%

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

$91.8 CA$128

$203 CA$282

-54.76%

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

$39.42 CA$54.8

$45.23 CA$62.9

-12.85%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$61.1 CA$84.9

$64.9 CA$90.3

-5.90%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.89 CA$62.4

$42.37 CA$58.9

5.95%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$15.68 CA$21.81

Cinema Ticket

$12.37 CA$17.20

$13.11 CA$18.24

-5.64%

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

$1,180 CA$1,641

$707 CA$983

66.90%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$18.8K CA$26.1K

$11.7K CA$16.3K

60.17%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$62.7 CA$87.2

$48.87 CA$68.0

28.24%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.13 CA$60.0

$42.77 CA$59.5

0.84%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.7 CA$132

$81.7 CA$114

15.92%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$118 CA$165

$103 CA$143

14.95%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,995 CA$2,774

$1,328 CA$1,847

50.23%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,629 CA$2,266

$1,162 CA$1,616

40.23%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,589 CA$4,991

$2,032 CA$2,825

76.65%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,769 CA$3,851

$1,814 CA$2,523

52.65%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$9,246 CA$12.9K

$4,015 CA$5,583

130.30%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$7,086 CA$9,854

$4,013 CA$5,581

76.56%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,474 CA$4,831

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: June 2, 2026

Last update for Drumheller: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,995 in Vancouver versus $1,328 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 $44.00 in Drumheller. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $415 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: $2,831 in Vancouver, $2,339 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 $4,247 per month in Vancouver and $3,509 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 $2,831 in Vancouver and $2,339 in Drumheller. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 35% 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 $2,339, than in Vancouver at $2,831. 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.