Cost of Living Comparison Between Vancouver and Medicine Hat Cost of Living Comparison Between Vancouver and Medicine Hat

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,831 per month in Vancouver vs $1,870 in Medicine Hat, rent included.

A couple spends around $4,231 per month in Vancouver vs $2,748 in Medicine Hat, rent included.

A family of three spends $5,630 per month in Vancouver vs $3,625 in Medicine Hat, rent included.

Vancouver costs about 51% more than Medicine Hat, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Vancouver and Medicine Hat sit above the global median – Vancouver by 111%, Medicine Hat by 40%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.26 CA$25.39

$15.57 CA$21.65

17.28%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$77.8 CA$108

$71.3 CA$99.2

9.10%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.85 CA$15.09

$8.16 CA$11.35

32.97%

Cappuccino

$3.98 CA$5.54

$3.72 CA$5.17

6.99%

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

$2.12 CA$2.95

$1.99 CA$2.77

6.53%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.78 CA$2.47

$1.72 CA$2.39

3.49%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.77 CA$8.02

$5.06 CA$7.04

14.03%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.56 CA$10.51

$3.93 CA$5.47

92.37%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.32 CA$3.23

$1.55 CA$2.15

49.68%

White Bread (500g)

$3.10 CA$4.31

$1.82 CA$2.53

70.33%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.89 CA$5.40

$3.42 CA$4.75

13.74%

Eggs

$4.53 CA$6.30

$3.22 CA$4.48

40.68%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.92 CA$17.96

$8.18 CA$11.37

57.95%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.14 CA$19.67

$11.25 CA$15.65

25.69%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.74 CA$21.89

$13.38 CA$18.61

17.64%

Apples (1kg)

$4.26 CA$5.92

$3.83 CA$5.33

11.23%

Banana (1kg)

$1.47 CA$2.04

$1.34 CA$1.86

9.70%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.02 CA$5.59

$2.51 CA$3.49

60.16%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.06 CA$7.04

$3.34 CA$4.65

51.50%

Potato (1kg)

$3.02 CA$4.20

$1.49 CA$2.07

102.68%

Onion (1kg)

$2.95 CA$4.10

$1.53 CA$2.13

92.81%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.60 CA$3.62

$2.64 CA$3.68

-1.52%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.88 CA$2.62

$1.56 CA$2.16

20.51%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$15.20 CA$21.14

$11.73 CA$16.32

29.58%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.30 CA$19.88

$13.06 CA$18.16

9.49%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.07 CA$4.27

$2.64 CA$3.67

16.29%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.74 CA$5.20

$3.66 CA$5.09

2.19%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.44 CA$3.39

$2.34 CA$3.25

4.27%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$84.9 CA$118

$51.0 CA$70.9

66.48%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.74 CA$5.20

$3.59 CA$4.99

4.18%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.50 CA$2.09

$1.30 CA$1.81

15.38%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$27.43 CA$38.15

$29.19 CA$40.60

-6.03%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.34 CA$1.86

$1.06 CA$1.47

26.42%

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

$25.1K CA$34.9K

$25.0K CA$34.7K

0.55%

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

$20.7K CA$28.8K

$22.2K CA$30.8K

-6.49%

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

$91.8 CA$128

$212 CA$295

-56.78%

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

$39.42 CA$54.8

$41.51 CA$57.7

-5.03%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$61.1 CA$84.9

$59.0 CA$82.1

3.47%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.89 CA$62.4

$57.3 CA$79.7

-21.67%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$15.68 CA$21.81

$37.53 CA$52.2

-58.22%

Cinema Ticket

$12.37 CA$17.20

$12.28 CA$17.07

0.73%

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

$1,180 CA$1,641

$877 CA$1,220

34.49%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$18.8K CA$26.1K

$15.8K CA$22.0K

18.66%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$62.7 CA$87.2

$53.2 CA$74.0

17.71%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.13 CA$60.0

$27.81 CA$38.67

55.09%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.7 CA$132

$69.3 CA$96.4

36.68%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$118 CA$165

$70.0 CA$97.3

69.20%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,995 CA$2,774

$815 CA$1,134

144.67%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,629 CA$2,266

$730 CA$1,016

123.09%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,589 CA$4,991

$1,406 CA$1,955

155.26%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,769 CA$3,851

$1,201 CA$1,670

130.66%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$9,246 CA$12.9K

$1,371 CA$1,907

574.15%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$7,086 CA$9,854

$1,972 CA$2,742

259.39%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,474 CA$4,831

$2,997 CA$4,168

15.92%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.61

5.71

-1.75%

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

Last update for Vancouver: June 2, 2026

Last update for Medicine Hat: May 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,995 in Vancouver versus $815 in Medicine Hat. 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 16% higher in Vancouver, 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 $78.0 in Vancouver versus $71.0 in Medicine Hat. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $415 vs $319 – making Medicine Hat the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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 Medicine Hat: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Vancouver costs about 51% more than Medicine Hat, with the gap driven mainly by Groceries & Markets. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,247 per month in Vancouver and $2,805 in Medicine Hat. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Monthly expenses with rent come to $2,831 in Vancouver and $1,870 in Medicine Hat. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 66% less in Medicine Hat. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Medicine Hat, where all-in costs run around $1,870, than in Vancouver at $2,831. In Medicine Hat it covers expenses comfortably, while in Vancouver it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

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