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: $2,906 in Vancouver versus $2,354 in Duncan BC.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,209 in Vancouver versus $3,577 in Duncan BC.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,513 in Vancouver versus $4,801 in Duncan BC.

Living in Vancouver is roughly 23% more expensive than in Duncan BC, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Vancouver 118% above, Duncan BC 76% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.62 CA$26.20

$18.27 CA$25.71

1.92%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$77.9 CA$110

$69.5 CA$97.7

12.14%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.84 CA$15.26

$11.15 CA$15.69

-2.78%

Cappuccino

$3.93 CA$5.53

$4.07 CA$5.72

-3.44%

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

$2.24 CA$3.16

$2.13 CA$3.00

5.16%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.75 CA$2.46

$1.80 CA$2.53

-2.78%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.05 CA$8.51

$5.27 CA$7.41

14.80%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.30 CA$10.27

$6.20 CA$8.72

17.74%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.30 CA$3.24

$1.52 CA$2.14

51.32%

White Bread (500g)

$3.07 CA$4.32

$2.74 CA$3.86

12.04%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.77 CA$5.30

$5.51 CA$7.75

-31.58%

Eggs

$4.32 CA$6.08

$3.71 CA$5.23

16.44%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.57 CA$17.69

$10.16 CA$14.30

23.72%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.74 CA$19.34

$11.91 CA$16.75

15.37%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.99 CA$22.49

$14.56 CA$20.48

9.82%

Apples (1kg)

$4.26 CA$6.00

$3.33 CA$4.68

27.93%

Banana (1kg)

$1.52 CA$2.14

$1.33 CA$1.87

14.29%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.92 CA$5.52

$2.97 CA$4.18

31.99%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.08 CA$7.15

$3.34 CA$4.70

52.10%

Potato (1kg)

$3.20 CA$4.50

$2.45 CA$3.45

30.61%

Onion (1kg)

$3.09 CA$4.34

$2.03 CA$2.86

52.22%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.60 CA$3.65

$2.49 CA$3.51

4.42%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.88 CA$2.65

$1.70 CA$2.39

10.59%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$15.45 CA$21.74

$14.19 CA$19.97

8.88%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.89 CA$20.95

$11.44 CA$16.10

30.16%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.12 CA$4.39

$3.94 CA$5.54

-20.81%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.80 CA$5.35

$3.99 CA$5.61

-4.76%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.42 CA$3.40

$1.98 CA$2.79

22.22%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$83.0 CA$117

$76.8 CA$108

7.99%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.76 CA$5.28

$2.74 CA$3.86

37.23%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.48 CA$2.09

$1.47 CA$2.07

0.68%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$26.97 CA$37.95

$29.22 CA$41.12

-7.70%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.30 CA$1.82

$1.31 CA$1.84

-0.76%

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

$25.2K CA$35.4K

$23.8K CA$33.5K

5.96%

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

$20.6K CA$28.9K

$20.9K CA$29.4K

-1.44%

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

$91.8 CA$129

$158 CA$223

-41.95%

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

$39.34 CA$55.4

$42.68 CA$60.1

-7.83%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$60.6 CA$85.3

$67.8 CA$95.4

-10.62%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.58 CA$62.7

$62.4 CA$87.8

-28.58%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$15.88 CA$22.35

Cinema Ticket

$12.18 CA$17.13

$12.75 CA$17.95

-4.47%

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

$1,185 CA$1,667

$916 CA$1,289

29.32%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$18.5K CA$26.1K

$10.6K CA$14.9K

75.51%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$62.5 CA$87.9

$55.0 CA$77.3

13.68%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.38 CA$59.6

$52.4 CA$73.7

-19.06%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$95.0 CA$134

$101 CA$142

-5.89%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$115 CA$162

$94.8 CA$133

21.13%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,979 CA$2,785

$1,288 CA$1,813

53.60%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,644 CA$2,313

$1,125 CA$1,582

46.15%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,577 CA$5,033

$2,350 CA$3,306

52.23%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,782 CA$3,915

$2,146 CA$3,019

29.68%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$8,754 CA$12.3K

$4,387 CA$6,173

99.53%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$7,087 CA$9,972

$3,621 CA$5,095

95.72%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,380 CA$4,756

$3,104 CA$4,368

8.89%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.61

6.54

-14.22%

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

Last update for Vancouver: July 14, 2026

Last update for Duncan BC: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,979 in Vancouver and $1,288 in Duncan BC. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Vancouver pays 9% 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: $78.0 in Vancouver vs $69.0 in Duncan BC for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $414 vs $359 per month, with Duncan BC cheaper across the board.

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. The 23% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 9% 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: $1,979 in Vancouver versus $1,288 in Duncan BC. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 15% 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 $69.0 versus $78.0 in Vancouver. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $2,354 in Duncan BC versus $2,906 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 23% less than in Vancouver. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.