Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Vancouver and Fairbanks, AK

For one person, living is cheaper in Vancouver: $2,684 a month against $2,975 in Fairbanks, AK, rent and utilities included – about $3,500 less a year. The total is higher in Fairbanks, AK despite lower rent and utilities.

128

Cost of Living Index in Vancouver
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Vancouver Living Index
146

Cost of Living Index in Fairbanks, AK
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Fairbanks, AK Living Index

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Vancouver

🇨🇦 Canada

$2,684

/mo nomad

Fairbanks, AK

🇺🇸 United States

$2,975

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Vancouver and in Fairbanks, AK

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 Fairbanks, AK actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $2,684 per month in Vancouver vs $2,975 in Fairbanks, AK, rent included.

Vancouver $2,684
Fairbanks, AK $2,975

A couple spends around $3,878 per month in Vancouver vs $4,357 in Fairbanks, AK, rent included.

Vancouver $3,878
Fairbanks, AK $4,357

A family of three spends $5,072 per month in Vancouver vs $5,739 in Fairbanks, AK, rent included.

Vancouver $5,072
Fairbanks, AK $5,739

Vancouver is about 10% cheaper than Fairbanks, AK, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both Vancouver and Fairbanks, AK sit above the global median – Vancouver by 100%, Fairbanks, AK by 122%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.30 CA$24.61

$25.15 $25.15

-31.21%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$69.0 CA$98.1

$102 $102

-32.19%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.56 CA$15.02

$15.25 $15.25

-30.75%

Cappuccino

$3.89 CA$5.53

$6.12 $6.12

-36.44%

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

$2.05 CA$2.92

$2.74 $2.74

-25.18%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.62 CA$2.31

$1.95 $1.95

-16.92%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.54 CA$7.89

$6.79 $6.79

-18.41%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.33 CA$9.00

$9.85 $9.85

-35.74%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.31 CA$3.29

$1.13 $1.13

104.42%

White Bread (500g)

$2.50 CA$3.56

$5.37 $5.37

-53.45%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.44 CA$6.32

$4.68 $4.68

-5.13%

Eggs

$4.07 CA$5.79

$4.23 $4.23

-3.78%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.28 CA$16.04

$21.64 $21.64

-47.87%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.42 CA$19.09

$9.08 $9.08

47.80%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$20.10 CA$28.59

$20.45 $20.45

-1.71%

Apples (1kg)

$4.06 CA$5.77

$7.64 $7.64

-46.86%

Banana (1kg)

$1.33 CA$1.89

$2.09 $2.09

-36.36%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.91 CA$5.56

$5.91 $5.91

-33.84%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.05 CA$5.77

$6.18 $6.18

-34.47%

Potato (1kg)

$2.72 CA$3.87

$3.70 $3.70

-26.49%

Onion (1kg)

$2.89 CA$4.11

$3.64 $3.64

-20.60%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.53 CA$3.60

$2.75 $2.75

-8.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.62 CA$2.30

$1.95 $1.95

-16.92%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$15.57 CA$22.15

$12.17 $12.17

27.94%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.05 CA$19.99

$12.01 $12.01

16.99%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.69 CA$3.82

$1.75 $1.75

53.71%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.99 CA$4.26

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.44 CA$3.47

$1.54 $1.54

58.44%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$83.4 CA$119

$39.97 $39.97

108.53%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.71 CA$3.86

$3.60 $3.60

-24.72%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.57 CA$2.23

$2.13 $2.13

-26.29%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$31.39 CA$44.65

$45.48 $45.48

-30.98%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.38 CA$1.96

$1.28 $1.28

7.81%

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

$28.1K CA$39.9K

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

$19.8K CA$28.2K

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

$81.2 CA$115

$209 $209

-61.24%

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

$37.45 CA$53.3

$63.2 $63.2

-40.72%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$51.4 CA$73.1

$142 $142

-63.87%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$43.47 CA$61.8

$98.7 $98.7

-55.95%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$12.53 CA$17.82

Cinema Ticket

$12.54 CA$17.84

$18.05 $18.05

-30.53%

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

$1,094 CA$1,557

$1,826 $1,826

-40.07%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$19.9K CA$28.3K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.0 CA$81.1

$59.1 $59.1

-3.49%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.73 CA$46.56

$40.69 $40.69

-19.56%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$92.6 CA$132

$119 $119

-22.01%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$94.2 CA$134

$119 $119

-20.82%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,745 CA$2,483

$1,596 $1,596

9.33%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,484 CA$2,111

$1,379 $1,379

7.62%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,998 CA$4,264

$2,605 $2,605

15.09%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,422 CA$3,446

$2,197 $2,197

10.27%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$8,002 CA$11.4K

$1,984 $1,984

303.29%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,457 CA$9,184

$2,029 $2,029

218.19%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,799 CA$5,404

$3,943 $3,943

-3.65%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.28

6.71

-36.21%

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

Last update for Vancouver: October 3, 2026

Last update for Fairbanks, AK: October 5, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Vancouver

$1.5K 56.6%

Fairbanks, AK

$1.4K 46% 7.1% $105

Groceries & Markets

Vancouver

$399 15.2%

Fairbanks, AK

$463 * 15.5% 16.2% $64

Eating Out

Vancouver

$272 10.4%

Fairbanks, AK

$393 13.1% 44.5% $121

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Vancouver

$170 6.5%

Fairbanks, AK

$415 13.8% 144% $245

Clothing & Footwear

Vancouver

$124 4.8%

Fairbanks, AK

$152 5.1% 22% $27

Getting Around

Vancouver

$104 4%

Fairbanks, AK

$60 2% 41.7% $43

Sport & Entertainment

Vancouver

$69 2.6%

Fairbanks, AK

$135 4.5% 96.6% $66

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

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,745 in Vancouver versus $1,596 in Fairbanks, AK. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 4% higher in Fairbanks, AK, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $69.0 in Vancouver versus $102 in Fairbanks, AK. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $399 vs $463 – making Vancouver the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇨🇦 Vancouver

🇺🇸 Fairbanks, AK

🕒 Local time

03:50 3:50 AM

02:50 2:50 AM

1 h behind Vancouver

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

631,486

32,515

💱 Currency

Canadian Dollar CAD $

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 CAD = 0.703 USD

1 CAD = 0.627 EUR

1 USD = 0.892 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

USD, EUR to CAD – Canadian Dollar Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇨🇦 Canadian Dollar ($)

Canadian Dollar exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 1.42 CAD (1 CAD = 0.703 USD). 1 EUR = 1.59 CAD (1 CAD = 0.627 EUR).

United States Dollar exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.892 EUR).

USD to CAD in detail →

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Between locations

Vancouver Fairbanks, AK 2,250 km ≈ 3 h 15 min nonstop flight

From you

Vancouver
Fairbanks, AK

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 Fairbanks, AK: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Fairbanks, AK is pricier by about 11%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in eating out.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,026 per month in Vancouver and $4,462 in Fairbanks, AK. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Vancouver, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Groceries cost about 16% more in Fairbanks, AK, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $69.0 in Vancouver and $102 in Fairbanks, AK. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

$3,000 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $2,684 in Vancouver and $2,975 in Fairbanks, AK. You'll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

Families tend to lean toward Vancouver – 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 Vancouver. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Fairbanks, AK makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.