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: $3,019 in Yellowknife versus $2,731 in Vancouver.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,249 in Yellowknife versus $3,956 in Vancouver.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,479 in Yellowknife versus $5,181 in Vancouver.

Living in Yellowknife is roughly 11% more expensive than in Vancouver, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Yellowknife 120% above, Vancouver 99% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$19.49 CA$27.08

$18.36 CA$25.52

6.15%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$86.1 CA$120

$72.9 CA$101

18.11%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.88 CA$12.33

$10.88 CA$15.11

-18.38%

Cappuccino

$4.37 CA$6.07

$4.25 CA$5.91

2.82%

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

$2.38 CA$3.31

$2.12 CA$2.95

12.26%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.08 CA$2.90

$1.69 CA$2.35

23.08%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.69 CA$9.30

$5.75 CA$7.98

16.35%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.25 CA$10.07

$6.65 CA$9.24

9.02%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.93 CA$4.07

$2.14 CA$2.98

36.92%

White Bread (500g)

$2.69 CA$3.74

$2.55 CA$3.55

5.49%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.69 CA$6.51

$4.41 CA$6.13

6.35%

Eggs

$3.22 CA$4.48

$4.24 CA$5.90

-24.06%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.47 CA$10.39

$12.14 CA$16.87

-38.47%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$16.46 CA$22.87

$13.66 CA$18.99

20.50%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.00 CA$22.23

$20.78 CA$28.88

-23.00%

Apples (1kg)

$4.97 CA$6.90

$4.31 CA$5.98

15.31%

Banana (1kg)

$1.48 CA$2.06

$1.39 CA$1.93

6.47%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.36 CA$7.45

$4.00 CA$5.55

34.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$7.34 CA$10.19

$4.06 CA$5.65

80.79%

Potato (1kg)

$4.62 CA$6.42

$2.82 CA$3.92

63.83%

Onion (1kg)

$3.52 CA$4.89

$2.95 CA$4.09

19.32%

Lettuce (1 head)

$3.58 CA$4.97

$2.77 CA$3.85

29.24%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.11 CA$1.54

$1.63 CA$2.26

-31.90%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$17.59 CA$24.45

$16.06 CA$22.32

9.53%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.70 CA$20.43

$14.54 CA$20.20

1.10%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.26 CA$5.92

$2.73 CA$3.79

56.04%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.34 CA$8.81

$3.07 CA$4.26

106.51%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.21 CA$3.08

$2.55 CA$3.54

-13.33%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$54.2 CA$75.3

$85.1 CA$118

-36.32%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.16 CA$4.40

$2.71 CA$3.76

16.61%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.41 CA$1.96

$1.64 CA$2.28

-14.02%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$31.75 CA$44.12

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 CA$1.77

$1.43 CA$1.99

-11.19%

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

$24.9K CA$34.5K

$28.9K CA$40.2K

-14.00%

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

$19.2K CA$26.7K

$19.7K CA$27.3K

-2.21%

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

$364 CA$506

$77.6 CA$108

369.32%

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

$58.5 CA$81.3

$35.35 CA$49.12

65.40%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$99.5 CA$138

$51.6 CA$71.8

92.66%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$74.1 CA$103

$46.26 CA$64.3

60.25%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$13.37 CA$18.59

Cinema Ticket

$10.20 CA$14.17

$11.55 CA$16.05

-11.69%

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

$599 CA$833

$1,137 CA$1,580

-47.29%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$21.2K CA$29.5K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$65.1 CA$90.5

$59.3 CA$82.3

9.94%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$36.21 CA$50.3

$35.02 CA$48.66

3.40%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$104 CA$145

$90.1 CA$125

15.85%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$118 CA$164

$96.3 CA$134

22.58%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,459 CA$2,027

$1,845 CA$2,564

-20.92%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,419 CA$1,972

$1,595 CA$2,216

-11.01%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,163 CA$3,006

$3,271 CA$4,546

-33.88%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,117 CA$2,942

$2,499 CA$3,473

-15.28%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,098 CA$4,305

$9,039 CA$12.6K

-65.72%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,840 CA$3,946

$6,985 CA$9,707

-59.35%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,117 CA$5,721

$3,659 CA$5,084

12.54%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.32

4.23

25.77%

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

Last update for Yellowknife: August 30, 2026

Last update for Vancouver: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,459 in Yellowknife and $1,845 in Vancouver. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Yellowknife pays 13% 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: $86.0 in Yellowknife vs $73.0 in Vancouver for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $444 vs $409 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 11% in total monthly costs ($3,019 vs $2,731 including rent). Vancouver is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 13% higher in Yellowknife, 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: $1,459 in Yellowknife versus $1,845 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 $73.0 versus $86.0 in Yellowknife. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $3,019 per month in Yellowknife versus $2,731 in Vancouver – a 11% 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 11% less than in Yellowknife. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.