Cost of Living Comparison Between Vancouver and Yellowknife Cost of Living Comparison Between Vancouver and Yellowknife

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,735 in Vancouver versus $2,973 in Yellowknife.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,984 in Vancouver versus $4,225 in Yellowknife.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,234 in Vancouver versus $5,476 in Yellowknife.

Living in Vancouver costs roughly 8% less than in Yellowknife, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Vancouver 100% above, Yellowknife 117% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.82 CA$24.93

$19.97 CA$27.93

-10.77%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$72.4 CA$101

$87.6 CA$123

-17.33%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.93 CA$15.30

$8.86 CA$12.39

23.36%

Cappuccino

$4.19 CA$5.86

$4.54 CA$6.35

-7.71%

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

$2.22 CA$3.11

$2.43 CA$3.40

-8.64%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.64 CA$2.29

$2.09 CA$2.93

-21.53%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.89 CA$8.23

$6.59 CA$9.22

-10.62%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.51 CA$9.11

$7.23 CA$10.11

-9.96%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.12 CA$2.96

$2.82 CA$3.94

-24.82%

White Bread (500g)

$2.64 CA$3.69

$2.68 CA$3.75

-1.49%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.44 CA$6.21

$4.87 CA$6.81

-8.83%

Eggs

$4.21 CA$5.89

$3.32 CA$4.64

26.81%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.04 CA$16.85

$7.29 CA$10.20

65.16%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.91 CA$19.46

$16.10 CA$22.52

-13.60%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$20.62 CA$28.85

$16.02 CA$22.41

28.71%

Apples (1kg)

$4.29 CA$6.00

$4.78 CA$6.69

-10.25%

Banana (1kg)

$1.34 CA$1.88

$1.49 CA$2.09

-10.07%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.88 CA$5.43

$5.35 CA$7.48

-27.48%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.08 CA$5.70

$7.51 CA$10.51

-45.67%

Potato (1kg)

$2.88 CA$4.03

$4.66 CA$6.52

-38.20%

Onion (1kg)

$2.93 CA$4.09

$3.59 CA$5.02

-18.38%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.63 CA$3.68

$3.41 CA$4.77

-22.87%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.70 CA$2.38

$1.12 CA$1.56

51.79%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$15.66 CA$21.91

$17.80 CA$24.91

-12.02%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.23 CA$19.91

$14.17 CA$19.82

0.42%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.78 CA$3.89

$4.19 CA$5.86

-33.65%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.05 CA$4.27

$6.32 CA$8.84

-51.74%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.53 CA$3.54

$2.19 CA$3.07

15.53%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$85.5 CA$120

$54.6 CA$76.3

56.79%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.67 CA$3.73

$3.25 CA$4.55

-17.85%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.61 CA$2.25

$1.40 CA$1.96

15.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$32.34 CA$45.24

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.40 CA$1.96

$1.22 CA$1.70

14.75%

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

$28.6K CA$40.0K

$24.2K CA$33.8K

18.24%

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

$19.8K CA$27.7K

$19.0K CA$26.6K

4.31%

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

$78.8 CA$110

$370 CA$517

-78.67%

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

$35.70 CA$49.94

$58.8 CA$82.2

-39.23%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$51.1 CA$71.5

$102 CA$143

-50.00%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.37 CA$59.3

$74.3 CA$104

-42.97%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$13.04 CA$18.24

Cinema Ticket

$11.68 CA$16.34

$10.00 CA$13.99

16.80%

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

$1,108 CA$1,549

$594 CA$832

86.33%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$19.9K CA$27.8K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.0 CA$79.7

$63.8 CA$89.2

-10.65%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.01 CA$48.98

$36.31 CA$50.8

-3.58%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$88.0 CA$123

$101 CA$141

-12.85%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$91.2 CA$128

$119 CA$166

-23.26%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,843 CA$2,579

$1,404 CA$1,964

31.31%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,530 CA$2,140

$1,431 CA$2,002

6.93%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,156 CA$4,415

$2,101 CA$2,939

50.22%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,476 CA$3,464

$2,130 CA$2,979

16.28%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$8,675 CA$12.1K

$3,111 CA$4,352

178.86%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,528 CA$9,132

$2,833 CA$3,963

130.42%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,726 CA$5,213

$4,136 CA$5,786

-9.92%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.21

5.32

-20.86%

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

Last update for Vancouver: September 13, 2026

Last update for Yellowknife: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,843 in Vancouver and $1,404 in Yellowknife. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Yellowknife pays 11% 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: $72.0 in Vancouver vs $88.0 in Yellowknife for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $409 vs $440 per month, with Vancouver 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 Yellowknife: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Vancouver and Yellowknife differ by about 9% in total monthly costs ($2,735 vs $2,973 including rent). Vancouver is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 11% lower in Yellowknife. 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: $1,843 in Vancouver versus $1,404 in Yellowknife. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Vancouver – a meal for two runs $72.0 versus $88.0 in Yellowknife. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $2,735 per month in Vancouver versus $2,973 in Yellowknife – a 9% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $2,735 in Vancouver versus $2,973 in Yellowknife, a $3,000 budget is realistic in Vancouver but tight or insufficient in Yellowknife. The gap between the two cities makes Vancouver 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 Vancouver gentler on the wallet – expenses run 9% less than in Yellowknife. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.