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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,960 in Yellowknife versus $2,831 in Vancouver.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,236 in Yellowknife versus $4,231 in Vancouver.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,511 in Yellowknife versus $5,630 in Vancouver.

Living in Yellowknife is roughly 5% more expensive than Vancouver, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Yellowknife 121% above, Vancouver 111% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$16.77 CA$23.22

$18.26 CA$25.28

-8.16%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$86.9 CA$120

$77.8 CA$108

11.72%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.64 CA$10.58

$10.85 CA$15.02

-29.59%

Cappuccino

$3.83 CA$5.30

$3.98 CA$5.51

-3.77%

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

$2.63 CA$3.64

$2.12 CA$2.93

24.06%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.11 CA$2.92

$1.78 CA$2.46

18.54%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.08 CA$8.42

$5.77 CA$7.99

5.37%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.22 CA$10.00

$7.56 CA$10.46

-4.50%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.52 CA$3.49

$2.32 CA$3.21

8.62%

White Bread (500g)

$2.68 CA$3.71

$3.10 CA$4.29

-13.55%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.76 CA$6.59

$3.89 CA$5.38

22.37%

Eggs

$3.36 CA$4.65

$4.53 CA$6.27

-25.83%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.30 CA$10.11

$12.92 CA$17.88

-43.50%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$16.83 CA$23.30

$14.14 CA$19.58

19.02%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.36 CA$22.66

$15.74 CA$21.80

3.94%

Apples (1kg)

$5.05 CA$6.99

$4.26 CA$5.89

18.54%

Banana (1kg)

$1.53 CA$2.13

$1.47 CA$2.03

4.08%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.56 CA$7.70

$4.02 CA$5.57

38.31%

Tomato (1kg)

$7.71 CA$10.68

$5.06 CA$7.01

52.37%

Potato (1kg)

$4.76 CA$6.58

$3.02 CA$4.18

57.62%

Onion (1kg)

$3.75 CA$5.19

$2.95 CA$4.09

27.12%

Lettuce (1 head)

$3.63 CA$5.03

$2.60 CA$3.60

39.62%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.15 CA$1.59

$1.88 CA$2.60

-38.83%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$17.61 CA$24.38

$15.20 CA$21.04

15.86%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.32 CA$19.82

$14.30 CA$19.80

0.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.40 CA$6.09

$3.07 CA$4.26

43.32%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.48 CA$8.97

$3.74 CA$5.18

73.26%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.24 CA$3.11

$2.44 CA$3.37

-8.20%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$56.3 CA$77.9

$84.9 CA$118

-33.72%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.22 CA$4.46

$3.74 CA$5.18

-13.90%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.39 CA$1.93

$1.50 CA$2.08

-7.33%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$25.28 CA$35.00

$27.43 CA$37.98

-7.84%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.22 CA$1.69

$1.34 CA$1.86

-8.96%

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

$25.2K CA$34.8K

$25.1K CA$34.8K

0.22%

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

$20.7K CA$28.7K

0.03%

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

$395 CA$547

$91.8 CA$127

330.22%

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

$60.3 CA$83.5

$39.42 CA$54.6

52.89%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$110 CA$152

$61.1 CA$84.6

79.42%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$74.7 CA$103

$44.89 CA$62.2

66.38%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$15.68 CA$21.71

Cinema Ticket

$10.37 CA$14.36

$12.37 CA$17.12

-16.17%

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

$629 CA$871

$1,180 CA$1,634

-46.71%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.8K CA$16.4K

$18.8K CA$26.0K

-36.91%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$66.5 CA$92.1

$62.7 CA$86.8

6.11%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$37.52 CA$52.0

$43.13 CA$59.7

-13.01%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$105 CA$145

$94.7 CA$131

10.57%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$119 CA$165

$118 CA$164

0.73%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,503 CA$2,080

$1,995 CA$2,762

-24.67%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,426 CA$1,975

$1,629 CA$2,256

-12.47%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,457 CA$3,401

$3,589 CA$4,969

-31.55%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,167 CA$3,000

$2,769 CA$3,834

-21.76%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,158 CA$4,373

$9,246 CA$12.8K

-65.84%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,906 CA$4,024

$7,086 CA$9,811

-58.98%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,098 CA$5,674

$3,474 CA$4,810

17.97%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.46

5.61

15.15%

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

Last update for Yellowknife: May 31, 2026

Last update for Vancouver: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,503 in Yellowknife and $1,995 in Vancouver. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Yellowknife pays 18% 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: $87.0 in Yellowknife vs $78.0 in Vancouver for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $449 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

Yellowknife vs Vancouver: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yellowknife and Vancouver differ by about 5% in total monthly costs ($2,960 vs $2,831 including rent). Vancouver is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Yellowknife pays 18% 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: $1,503 in Yellowknife 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 Vancouver – a meal for two runs $78.0 versus $87.0 in Yellowknife. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $2,960 per month in Yellowknife versus $2,831 in Vancouver – a 5% 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.

Expats usually find Vancouver gentler on the wallet – expenses run 5% less than in Yellowknife. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.