Cost of Living Comparison Between Whitehorse and Vancouver Cost of Living Comparison Between Whitehorse and Vancouver

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,790 in Whitehorse versus $2,831 in Vancouver.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,043 in Whitehorse versus $4,231 in Vancouver.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,295 in Whitehorse versus $5,630 in Vancouver.

Living in Whitehorse costs roughly 1% less than in Vancouver, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Whitehorse 108% above, Vancouver 111% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.24 CA$21.19

$18.26 CA$25.39

-16.54%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$89.3 CA$124

$77.8 CA$108

14.82%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.93 CA$12.42

$10.85 CA$15.09

-17.70%

Cappuccino

$4.73 CA$6.57

$3.98 CA$5.54

18.84%

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

$2.50 CA$3.48

$2.12 CA$2.95

17.92%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.25 CA$3.13

$1.78 CA$2.47

26.40%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.10 CA$5.71

$5.77 CA$8.02

-28.94%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.21 CA$7.25

$7.56 CA$10.51

-31.08%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.28 CA$3.17

$2.32 CA$3.23

-1.72%

White Bread (500g)

$3.20 CA$4.45

$3.10 CA$4.31

3.23%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.32 CA$6.00

$3.89 CA$5.40

11.05%

Eggs

$3.87 CA$5.38

$4.53 CA$6.30

-14.57%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.33 CA$19.93

$12.92 CA$17.96

10.91%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$17.64 CA$24.53

$14.14 CA$19.67

24.75%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.37 CA$22.77

$15.74 CA$21.89

4.00%

Apples (1kg)

$4.49 CA$6.25

$4.26 CA$5.92

5.40%

Banana (1kg)

$1.98 CA$2.76

$1.47 CA$2.04

34.69%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.78 CA$3.87

$4.02 CA$5.59

-30.85%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.22 CA$7.26

$5.06 CA$7.04

3.16%

Potato (1kg)

$1.81 CA$2.52

$3.02 CA$4.20

-40.07%

Onion (1kg)

$2.27 CA$3.15

$2.95 CA$4.10

-23.05%

Lettuce (1 head)

$3.26 CA$4.53

$2.60 CA$3.62

25.38%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$6.04 CA$8.40

$1.88 CA$2.62

221.28%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$17.72 CA$24.65

$15.20 CA$21.14

16.58%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.16 CA$25.26

$14.30 CA$19.88

26.99%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.67 CA$5.10

$3.07 CA$4.27

19.54%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.55 CA$6.33

$3.74 CA$5.20

21.66%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.82 CA$2.54

$2.44 CA$3.39

-25.41%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$44.32 CA$61.6

$84.9 CA$118

-47.78%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.66 CA$5.09

$3.74 CA$5.20

-2.14%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.81 CA$3.90

$1.50 CA$2.09

87.33%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$25.38 CA$35.30

$27.43 CA$38.15

-7.47%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.39 CA$1.93

$1.34 CA$1.86

3.73%

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

$19.8K CA$27.6K

$25.1K CA$34.9K

-21.04%

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

$20.2K CA$28.1K

$20.7K CA$28.8K

-2.43%

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

$212 CA$295

$91.8 CA$128

131.02%

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

$47.11 CA$65.5

$39.42 CA$54.8

19.51%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$101 CA$141

$61.1 CA$84.9

65.91%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$54.0 CA$75.2

$44.89 CA$62.4

20.38%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$41.43 CA$57.6

$15.68 CA$21.81

164.22%

Cinema Ticket

$11.87 CA$16.50

$12.37 CA$17.20

-4.04%

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

$145 CA$202

$1,180 CA$1,641

-87.68%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.9K CA$16.6K

$18.8K CA$26.1K

-36.49%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.7 CA$74.7

$62.7 CA$87.2

-14.30%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.66 CA$55.2

$43.13 CA$60.0

-8.05%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.6 CA$119

$94.7 CA$132

-9.64%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 CA$149

$118 CA$165

-9.69%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,590 CA$2,211

$1,995 CA$2,774

-20.31%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,413 CA$1,965

$1,629 CA$2,266

-13.29%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,358 CA$3,280

$3,589 CA$4,991

-34.29%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,205 CA$3,066

$2,769 CA$3,851

-20.38%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,927 CA$8,242

$9,246 CA$12.9K

-35.90%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,007 CA$4,182

$7,086 CA$9,854

-57.57%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,695 CA$5,139

$3,474 CA$4,831

6.37%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

7.09

5.61

26.38%

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

Last update for Whitehorse: June 1, 2026

Last update for Vancouver: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,590 in Whitehorse and $1,995 in Vancouver. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Whitehorse pays 6% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $89.0 in Whitehorse vs $78.0 in Vancouver for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $499 vs $415 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

Whitehorse vs Vancouver: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Whitehorse and Vancouver differ by about 1% in total monthly costs ($2,790 vs $2,831 including rent). Whitehorse is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Whitehorse pays 6% more on average, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,590 in Whitehorse versus $1,995 in Vancouver. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Whitehorse – a meal for two runs $89.0 versus $78.0 in Vancouver. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $2,790 per month in Whitehorse versus $2,831 in Vancouver – 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. Whitehorse 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.

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