Cost of Living Comparison Between Vancouver and Duncan BC Cost of Living Comparison Between Vancouver and Duncan BC

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,735 in Vancouver versus $2,184 in Duncan BC.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,984 in Vancouver versus $3,477 in Duncan BC.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,234 in Vancouver versus $4,770 in Duncan BC.

Living in Vancouver is roughly 25% more expensive than in Duncan BC, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Vancouver 100% above, Duncan BC 60% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.82 CA$24.78

$18.34 CA$25.49

-2.84%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$72.4 CA$101

$71.7 CA$99.7

1.02%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.93 CA$15.20

$11.00 CA$15.29

-0.64%

Cappuccino

$4.19 CA$5.82

$4.04 CA$5.61

3.71%

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

$2.22 CA$3.09

$2.19 CA$3.04

1.37%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.64 CA$2.28

$1.74 CA$2.42

-5.75%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.89 CA$8.18

$5.30 CA$7.37

11.13%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.51 CA$9.05

$5.84 CA$8.12

11.47%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.12 CA$2.94

$1.63 CA$2.27

30.06%

White Bread (500g)

$2.64 CA$3.67

$2.65 CA$3.68

-0.38%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.44 CA$6.17

$4.45 CA$6.19

-0.22%

Eggs

$4.21 CA$5.86

$4.01 CA$5.58

4.99%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.04 CA$16.74

$11.67 CA$16.22

3.17%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.91 CA$19.33

$13.76 CA$19.13

1.09%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$20.62 CA$28.66

$14.54 CA$20.21

41.82%

Apples (1kg)

$4.29 CA$5.97

$4.40 CA$6.11

-2.50%

Banana (1kg)

$1.34 CA$1.87

$1.34 CA$1.86

Oranges (1kg)

$3.88 CA$5.40

$3.94 CA$5.48

-1.52%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.08 CA$5.67

$4.00 CA$5.56

2.00%

Potato (1kg)

$2.88 CA$4.00

$2.84 CA$3.95

1.41%

Onion (1kg)

$2.93 CA$4.07

$2.98 CA$4.14

-1.68%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.63 CA$3.66

$2.66 CA$3.70

-1.13%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.70 CA$2.36

$1.65 CA$2.30

3.03%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$15.66 CA$21.77

$14.17 CA$19.70

10.52%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.23 CA$19.78

$12.00 CA$16.68

18.58%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.78 CA$3.86

$2.72 CA$3.78

2.21%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.05 CA$4.24

$2.95 CA$4.11

3.39%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.53 CA$3.52

$2.04 CA$2.83

24.02%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$85.5 CA$119

$74.7 CA$104

14.44%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.67 CA$3.71

$2.75 CA$3.82

-2.91%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.61 CA$2.24

$1.60 CA$2.23

0.63%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$32.34 CA$44.96

$32.57 CA$45.27

-0.71%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.40 CA$1.94

$1.27 CA$1.76

10.24%

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

$28.6K CA$39.7K

$26.6K CA$37.0K

7.39%

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

$19.8K CA$27.6K

$19.5K CA$27.2K

1.46%

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

$78.8 CA$110

$77.8 CA$108

1.38%

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

$35.70 CA$49.63

$35.64 CA$49.55

0.17%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$51.1 CA$71.0

$50.2 CA$69.8

1.81%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.37 CA$58.9

$62.1 CA$86.3

-31.77%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$13.04 CA$18.13

Cinema Ticket

$11.68 CA$16.24

$11.68 CA$16.23

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

$1,108 CA$1,540

$1,064 CA$1,480

4.06%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$19.9K CA$27.6K

$10.1K CA$14.1K

96.36%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.0 CA$79.2

$57.2 CA$79.4

-0.33%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.01 CA$48.67

$34.66 CA$48.18

1.01%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$88.0 CA$122

$86.9 CA$121

1.23%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$91.2 CA$127

$92.2 CA$128

-1.10%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,843 CA$2,562

$1,250 CA$1,738

47.46%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,530 CA$2,127

$1,060 CA$1,474

44.30%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,156 CA$4,387

$2,294 CA$3,188

37.59%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,476 CA$3,442

$2,166 CA$3,010

14.35%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$8,675 CA$12.1K

$4,425 CA$6,152

96.03%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,528 CA$9,075

$3,642 CA$5,062

79.26%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,726 CA$5,180

$3,112 CA$4,326

19.75%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.21

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

Last update for Vancouver: September 13, 2026

Last update for Duncan BC: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,843 in Vancouver and $1,250 in Duncan BC. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Vancouver pays 20% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $72.0 in Vancouver vs $72.0 in Duncan BC. Groceries flip the comparison at $409 vs $378, with Duncan BC cheaper for home cooking.

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 Duncan BC: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Duncan BC is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Getting Around, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 25% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 20% higher in Vancouver, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,843 in Vancouver versus $1,250 in Duncan BC. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 8% higher in Vancouver. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Dining out is cheaper in Duncan BC – a meal for two runs $72.0 versus $72.0 in Vancouver. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $2,184 in Duncan BC versus $2,735 in Vancouver, a $2,500 budget is realistic in Duncan BC but tight or insufficient in Vancouver. The gap between the two cities makes Duncan BC the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Expats usually find Duncan BC gentler on the wallet – expenses run 25% less than in Vancouver. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.