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: $2,831 in Vancouver versus $2,354 in Duncan BC.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,231 in Vancouver versus $3,584 in Duncan BC.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,630 in Vancouver versus $4,813 in Duncan BC.

Living in Vancouver is roughly 20% more expensive than Duncan BC, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Vancouver 111% above, Duncan BC 76% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.26 CA$25.39

$18.54 CA$25.78

-1.51%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$77.8 CA$108

$69.5 CA$96.7

11.89%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.85 CA$15.09

$11.24 CA$15.63

-3.47%

Cappuccino

$3.98 CA$5.54

$4.14 CA$5.76

-3.86%

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

$2.12 CA$2.95

$2.04 CA$2.83

3.92%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.78 CA$2.47

$1.81 CA$2.52

-1.66%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.77 CA$8.02

$5.10 CA$7.09

13.14%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.56 CA$10.51

$6.12 CA$8.51

23.53%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.32 CA$3.23

$1.53 CA$2.13

51.63%

White Bread (500g)

$3.10 CA$4.31

$2.61 CA$3.63

18.77%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.89 CA$5.40

$5.36 CA$7.46

-27.43%

Eggs

$4.53 CA$6.30

$3.53 CA$4.91

28.33%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.92 CA$17.96

$10.25 CA$14.26

26.05%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.14 CA$19.67

$12.06 CA$16.77

17.25%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.74 CA$21.89

$14.91 CA$20.74

5.57%

Apples (1kg)

$4.26 CA$5.92

$3.34 CA$4.64

27.54%

Banana (1kg)

$1.47 CA$2.04

$1.29 CA$1.80

13.95%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.02 CA$5.59

$3.00 CA$4.18

34.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.06 CA$7.04

$3.44 CA$4.79

47.09%

Potato (1kg)

$3.02 CA$4.20

$2.38 CA$3.31

26.89%

Onion (1kg)

$2.95 CA$4.10

$2.02 CA$2.82

46.04%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.60 CA$3.62

$2.37 CA$3.29

9.70%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.88 CA$2.62

$1.75 CA$2.44

7.43%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$15.20 CA$21.14

$14.34 CA$19.94

6.00%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.30 CA$19.88

$12.01 CA$16.71

19.07%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.07 CA$4.27

$3.84 CA$5.34

-20.05%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.74 CA$5.20

$3.96 CA$5.50

-5.56%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.44 CA$3.39

$1.98 CA$2.75

23.23%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$84.9 CA$118

$76.5 CA$106

10.94%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.74 CA$5.20

$2.81 CA$3.91

33.10%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.50 CA$2.09

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$27.43 CA$38.15

$29.01 CA$40.35

-5.45%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.34 CA$1.86

$1.35 CA$1.88

-0.74%

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

$25.1K CA$34.9K

$23.3K CA$32.4K

7.75%

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

$20.7K CA$28.8K

$20.7K CA$28.7K

0.28%

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

$91.8 CA$128

$158 CA$220

-41.90%

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

$39.42 CA$54.8

$41.92 CA$58.3

-5.96%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$61.1 CA$84.9

$66.9 CA$93.0

-8.67%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.89 CA$62.4

$64.1 CA$89.2

-29.99%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$15.68 CA$21.81

Cinema Ticket

$12.37 CA$17.20

$12.72 CA$17.69

-2.75%

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

$1,180 CA$1,641

$920 CA$1,279

28.32%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$18.8K CA$26.1K

$10.7K CA$14.9K

75.45%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$62.7 CA$87.2

$56.5 CA$78.5

11.00%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.13 CA$60.0

$51.3 CA$71.4

-15.98%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.7 CA$132

$99.1 CA$138

-4.43%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$118 CA$165

$96.1 CA$134

23.16%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,995 CA$2,774

$1,280 CA$1,781

55.79%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,629 CA$2,266

$1,154 CA$1,605

41.13%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,589 CA$4,991

$2,411 CA$3,353

48.83%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,769 CA$3,851

$2,216 CA$3,082

24.95%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$9,246 CA$12.9K

$4,387 CA$6,101

110.76%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$7,086 CA$9,854

$3,646 CA$5,071

94.34%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,474 CA$4,831

$3,217 CA$4,474

7.98%

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: June 2, 2026

Last update for Duncan BC: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,995 in Vancouver and $1,280 in Duncan BC. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Vancouver pays 8% 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 $70.0 in Duncan BC for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $415 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 20% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Vancouver pays 8% more on average, 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: $1,995 in Vancouver versus $1,280 in Duncan BC. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 16% 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 $70.0 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 $2,831 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 20% less than in Vancouver. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.