Last update: Nov 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Vancouver and Duncans

For one person, living is cheaper in Duncans: $1,004 a month against $2,683 in Vancouver, rent and utilities included – about $20,100 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Vancouver, Canada
Duncans, Jamaica
Vancouver
🇨🇦 Canada
$2,683
/mo nomad
Duncans
🇯🇲 Jamaica
$1,004
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Vancouver and in Duncans

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Vancouver and in Duncans actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $2,683 per month in Vancouver vs $1,004 in Duncans, rent included.

  • Vancouver $2,683
  • Duncans $1,004

A couple spends around $3,963 per month in Vancouver vs $1,661 in Duncans, rent included.

  • Vancouver $3,963
  • Duncans $1,661

A family of three spends $5,244 per month in Vancouver vs $2,319 in Duncans, rent included.

  • Vancouver $5,244
  • Duncans $2,319

Vancouver costs about 167% more than Duncans, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in transport.

Vancouver sits 98% above the global median, while Duncans is 26% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Vancouver
Duncans
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$18.10 CA$25.37
$13.31 JMD 2,100
35.99%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$71.0 CA$99.5
$75.9 JMD 12.0K
-6.52%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$10.57 CA$14.81
$8.29 JMD 1,308
27.50%
Cappuccino
$3.97 CA$5.56
$5.28 JMD 833
-24.81%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.07 CA$2.90
$1.19 JMD 188
73.95%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.85 CA$2.59
$0.74 JMD 116
150.00%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$5.67 CA$7.95
$2.17 JMD 342
161.29%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$6.61 CA$9.27
$3.13 JMD 494
111.18%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Vancouver
Duncans
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$2.16 CA$3.02
$4.03 JMD 635
-46.40%
White Bread (500g)
$2.58 CA$3.62
$3.81 JMD 601
-32.28%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$4.30 CA$6.02
$1.59 JMD 250
170.44%
Eggs
$4.09 CA$5.74
$3.44 JMD 543
18.90%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$12.12 CA$16.98
$11.47 JMD 1,811
5.67%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$13.28 CA$18.62
$6.24 JMD 984
112.82%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$20.11 CA$28.19
$10.30 JMD 1,626
95.24%
Apples (1kg)
$3.96 CA$5.56
$6.03 JMD 952
-34.33%
Banana (1kg)
$1.43 CA$2.00
$3.93 JMD 620
-63.61%
Oranges (1kg)
$3.71 CA$5.20
$7.21 JMD 1,138
-48.54%
Tomato (1kg)
$3.92 CA$5.50
$3.06 JMD 482
28.10%
Potato (1kg)
$2.87 CA$4.02
$3.29 JMD 520
-12.77%
Onion (1kg)
$2.98 CA$4.17
$2.64 JMD 416
12.88%
Lettuce (1 head)
$2.61 CA$3.66
$3.03 JMD 478
-13.86%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.63 CA$2.29
$1.45 JMD 228
12.41%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$15.94 CA$22.35
$9.59 JMD 1,512
66.21%
Wine (Bottle)
$14.25 CA$19.97
$11.56 JMD 1,824
23.27%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$2.52 CA$3.54
$2.94 JMD 464
-14.29%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.87 CA$4.03
$3.97 JMD 627
-27.71%
🚌 Getting Around
Vancouver
Duncans
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$2.57 CA$3.60
-
-
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$84.4 CA$118
-
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$2.74 CA$3.85
$1.29 JMD 203
112.40%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.63 CA$2.28
$3.09 JMD 487
-47.25%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$31.90 CA$44.71
$6.21 JMD 981
413.69%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.46 CA$2.04
$1.46 JMD 230
-
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$26.7K CA$37.4K
$44.1K JMD 7.0M
-39.50%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$21.0K CA$29.5K
$33.0K JMD 5.2M
-36.23%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Vancouver
Duncans
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$88.2 CA$124
$169 JMD 26.6K
-47.64%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$36.72 CA$51.5
$29.03 JMD 4,581
26.49%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$49.81 CA$69.8
$53.6 JMD 8,456
-7.05%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Vancouver
Duncans
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$45.34 CA$63.6
-
-
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$12.13 CA$17.00
-
-
Cinema Ticket
$12.55 CA$17.59
$13.29 JMD 2,097
-5.57%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Vancouver
Duncans
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$1,055 CA$1,479
$367 JMD 57.9K
187.55%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$28.5K CA$39.9K
$8,239 JMD 1.3M
245.75%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Vancouver
Duncans
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$56.4 CA$79.1
$23.96 JMD 3,781
135.43%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$34.37 CA$48.18
$31.04 JMD 4,897
10.73%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$89.8 CA$126
$76.6 JMD 12.1K
17.26%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$94.3 CA$132
$105 JMD 16.5K
-10.06%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Vancouver
Duncans
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,738 CA$2,436
-
-
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,528 CA$2,143
-
-
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$3,107 CA$4,355
-
-
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$2,547 CA$3,570
-
-
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$8,540 CA$12.0K
-
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$6,328 CA$8,870
-
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Vancouver
Duncans
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$3,770 CA$5,284
-
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
4.24
9.45
-55.13%

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

Last update for Vancouver: November 2, 2026

Last update for Duncans: November 2, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Vancouver
$1.5K
Duncans
- * 100%
Groceries & Markets
Vancouver
$398
Duncans
$383 3.8% $15
Eating Out
Vancouver
$281
Duncans
$219 22% $62
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Vancouver
$175
Duncans
$251 43.7% $76
Clothing & Footwear
Vancouver
$124
Duncans
$106 14% $17
Getting Around
Vancouver
$106
Duncans
$17 * 84.2% $89
Sport & Entertainment
Vancouver
$70
Duncans
$27 * 62.3% $44

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $71 in Vancouver versus $76 in Duncans. Groceries tell a different story – $398 in Vancouver vs $383 in Duncans – so Duncans wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know
🇨🇦 Vancouver
🇯🇲 Duncans
🕒 Local time
18:30 6:30 PM
20:30 8:30 PM
2 h ahead of Vancouver
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
631,486
5,153
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

JMD, USD, EUR to CAD – Canadian Dollar Converter

Canadian Dollar exchange rates as of November 6, 2026: 1 USD = 1.4 CAD (1 CAD = 0.713 USD). 1 EUR = 1.57 CAD (1 CAD = 0.635 EUR).

Jamaican Dollar exchange rates as of November 6, 2026: 1 USD = 158 JMD (1,000 JMD = 6.34 USD). 1 EUR = 177 JMD (1,000 JMD = 5.65 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Vancouver Duncans 5,300 km ≈ 7 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Vancouver
  • Duncans

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 Duncans: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Duncans cheaper than Vancouver?
Yes – Vancouver is pricier by about 167%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in transport.
What income do you need for each city?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,024 per month in Vancouver and $1,505 in Duncans. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
What are total monthly expenses in Vancouver and in Duncans?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $2,683 in Vancouver and $1,004 in Duncans. That makes Duncans about 63% cheaper.
Which city has cheaper kindergarten?
Kindergarten costs $1,055 per month in Vancouver and $367 in Duncans. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget for living in Vancouver or in Duncans?
A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Duncans, where all-in costs run around $1,004, than in Vancouver at $2,683. In Duncans it covers expenses comfortably, while in Vancouver it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Is it better to live in Vancouver or in Duncans?
It depends on your priorities. Duncans has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $1,004 in Duncans to $2,683 in Vancouver. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

Vancouver vs other spots: cost of living compared

Similar cities

Show times on the 12-hour clock, temperatures in °F and distances in miles?