Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Vancouver and Valdez, AK

For one person, living costs are similar in Vancouver and in Valdez, AK: $2,684 and $2,724 a month, rent and utilities included.

128

Cost of Living Index in Vancouver
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Vancouver Living Index
133

Cost of Living Index in Valdez, AK
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Valdez, AK Living Index

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Vancouver

🇨🇦 Canada

$2,684

/mo nomad

Valdez, AK

🇺🇸 United States

$2,724

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Vancouver and in Valdez, 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 Valdez, AK actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,684 in Vancouver versus $2,724 in Valdez, AK.

Vancouver $2,684
Valdez, AK $2,724

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,878 in Vancouver versus $4,067 in Valdez, AK.

Vancouver $3,878
Valdez, AK $4,067

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,072 in Vancouver versus $5,410 in Valdez, AK.

Vancouver $5,072
Valdez, AK $5,410

Living in Vancouver costs roughly 1% less than in Valdez, AK, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Vancouver 100% above, Valdez, AK 103% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.30 CA$24.61

$24.01 $24.01

-27.95%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$69.0 CA$98.1

$102 $102

-32.34%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.56 CA$15.02

$19.75 $19.75

-46.53%

Cappuccino

$3.89 CA$5.53

$4.16 $4.16

-6.49%

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

$2.05 CA$2.92

$2.49 $2.49

-17.67%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.62 CA$2.31

$2.23 $2.23

-27.35%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.54 CA$7.89

$6.93 $6.93

-20.06%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.33 CA$9.00

$9.13 $9.13

-30.67%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.31 CA$3.29

$1.02 $1.02

126.47%

White Bread (500g)

$2.50 CA$3.56

$3.55 $3.55

-29.58%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.44 CA$6.32

$4.37 $4.37

1.60%

Eggs

$4.07 CA$5.79

$4.27 $4.27

-4.68%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.28 CA$16.04

$12.61 $12.61

-10.55%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.42 CA$19.09

$11.38 $11.38

17.93%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$20.10 CA$28.59

$16.77 $16.77

19.86%

Apples (1kg)

$4.06 CA$5.77

$5.01 $5.01

-18.96%

Banana (1kg)

$1.33 CA$1.89

$1.63 $1.63

-18.40%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.91 CA$5.56

$4.20 $4.20

-6.90%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.05 CA$5.77

$4.73 $4.73

-14.38%

Potato (1kg)

$2.72 CA$3.87

$2.87 $2.87

-5.23%

Onion (1kg)

$2.89 CA$4.11

$2.92 $2.92

-1.03%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.53 CA$3.60

$2.18 $2.18

16.06%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.62 CA$2.30

$2.28 $2.28

-28.95%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$15.57 CA$22.15

$10.11 $10.11

54.01%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.05 CA$19.99

$14.95 $14.95

-6.02%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.69 CA$3.82

$2.03 $2.03

32.51%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.99 CA$4.26

$3.38 $3.38

-11.54%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.44 CA$3.47

$2.04 $2.04

19.61%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$83.4 CA$119

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.71 CA$3.86

$3.64 $3.64

-25.55%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.57 CA$2.23

$1.61 $1.61

-2.48%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$31.39 CA$44.65

$27.73 $27.73

13.20%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.38 CA$1.96

$1.34 $1.34

2.99%

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

$28.1K CA$39.9K

$34.6K $34.6K

-18.91%

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

$19.8K CA$28.2K

$25.2K $25.2K

-21.39%

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

$81.2 CA$115

$309 $309

-73.70%

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

$37.45 CA$53.3

$57.8 $57.8

-35.22%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$51.4 CA$73.1

$97.8 $97.8

-47.44%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$43.47 CA$61.8

$41.96 $41.96

3.60%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$12.53 CA$17.82

Cinema Ticket

$12.54 CA$17.84

$14.07 $14.07

-10.87%

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

$1,094 CA$1,557

$1,567 $1,567

-30.16%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$19.9K CA$28.3K

$23.1K $23.1K

-13.67%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.0 CA$81.1

$57.6 $57.6

-0.97%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.73 CA$46.56

$35.87 $35.87

-8.75%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$92.6 CA$132

$92.0 $92.0

0.66%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$94.2 CA$134

$127 $127

-25.96%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,745 CA$2,483

$1,580 $1,580

10.47%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,484 CA$2,111

$1,307 $1,307

13.57%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,998 CA$4,264

$2,688 $2,688

11.51%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,422 CA$3,446

$2,432 $2,432

-0.38%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$8,002 CA$11.4K

$2,351 $2,351

240.35%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,457 CA$9,184

$2,178 $2,178

196.41%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,799 CA$5,404

$7,523 $7,523

-49.50%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.28

6.57

-34.86%

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

Last update for Vancouver: October 3, 2026

Last update for Valdez, AK: October 5, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Vancouver

$1.5K 56.6%

Valdez, AK

$1.3K 47.1% 11.9% $177

Groceries & Markets

Vancouver

$399 15.2%

Valdez, AK

$398 14.4% 0.2% $0.8

Eating Out

Vancouver

$272 10.4%

Valdez, AK

$373 13.5% 37.2% $101

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Vancouver

$170 6.5%

Valdez, AK

$464 16.7% 173% $294

Clothing & Footwear

Vancouver

$124 4.8%

Valdez, AK

$141 5.1% 13.1% $16

Getting Around

Vancouver

$104 4%

Valdez, AK

$20 * 0.7% 80.8% $84

Sport & Entertainment

Vancouver

$69 2.6%

Valdez, AK

$70 2.5% 2.2% $1.5

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

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,745 in Vancouver and $1,580 in Valdez, AK. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Valdez, AK pays 98% 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: $69.0 in Vancouver vs $102 in Valdez, AK. Groceries flip the comparison at $399 vs $398, with Valdez, AK cheaper for home cooking.

Good to know

🇨🇦 Vancouver

🇺🇸 Valdez, AK

🕒 Local time

04:36 4:36 AM

03:36 3:36 AM

1 h behind Vancouver

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

631,486

4,000

💱 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 →

On the map

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Between locations

Vancouver Valdez, AK 1,960 km ≈ 3 h nonstop flight

From you

Vancouver
Valdez, 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 Valdez, AK: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Vancouver is cheaper overall, especially in eating out, clothing, and utilities. The 1% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 98% lower in Valdez, AK. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,745 in Vancouver versus $1,580 in Valdez, AK. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Shoppers in Valdez, AK pay roughly 0% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

All in, you'll spend $2,684 per month in Vancouver versus $2,724 in Valdez, AK – a 1% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

Both cities are expensive relative to $3,000. Vancouver is the more realistic option, but even there you'll need to be disciplined with housing, food, and fun money.

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.

Safety-wise, Vancouver and Valdez, AK are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Vancouver gentler on the wallet – expenses run 1% less than in Valdez, AK. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.