Vancouver vs Chicago Cost of Living
Vancouver (Canada) · Overall index 67.8 — Chicago (United States) · Overall index 74.6
Summary
- Overall, Chicago is 10% more expensive than Vancouver.
- Dining out in Chicago is 15% more expensive than in Vancouver.
- Transport in Chicago is 15% more expensive than in Vancouver.
| Item | Vancouver | Chicago | Diff |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rent | +7% | ||
| 1-bedroom apartment, city centre (monthly) | $2,238 | $2,414 | +8% |
| 1-bedroom apartment, outside centre (monthly) | $1,452 | $1,482 | +2% |
| 3-bedroom apartment, city centre (monthly) | $3,668 | $4,031 | +10% |
| 3-bedroom apartment, outside centre (monthly) | $2,620 | $2,862 | +9% |
| Groceries | +10% | ||
| Milk (1L) | $1.13 | $1.25 | +11% |
| White bread (500g) | $3.03 | $3.47 | +15% |
| Rice (1kg) | $4.07 | $4.76 | +17% |
| Eggs (12) | $3.5 | $4.23 | +21% |
| Local cheese (1kg) | $12.4 | $13 | +5% |
| Chicken fillets (1kg) | $11.4 | $10.4 | -9% |
| Beef round (1kg) | $15.3 | $19.2 | +25% |
| Apples (1kg) | $4.33 | $5.05 | +17% |
| Bananas (1kg) | $1.87 | $1.88 | +1% |
| Oranges (1kg) | $3.85 | $4.74 | +23% |
| Tomatoes (1kg) | $4.99 | $5.43 | +9% |
| Potatoes (1kg) | $2.7 | $2.6 | -4% |
| Onions (1kg) | $2.44 | $2.33 | -5% |
| Lettuce (1 head) | $2.27 | $2.27 | 0% |
| Water (1.5L bottle) | $1.83 | $2.2 | +20% |
| Bottle of wine (mid-range) | $12.8 | $15.8 | +23% |
| Transport | +15% | ||
| Public transport, one-way ticket | $2.09 | $2.26 | +8% |
| Public transport, monthly pass | $103 | $108 | +5% |
| Taxi, base fare | $2.83 | $3.52 | +24% |
| Taxi, per km | $1.43 | $1.59 | +11% |
| Gasoline (1L) | $0.7 | $0.82 | +17% |
| New compact car (e.g., VW Golf) | $20,323 | $24,668 | +21% |
| Dining out | +15% | ||
| Meal, inexpensive restaurant | $18.3 | $20.5 | +12% |
| Meal for 2, mid-range restaurant (3 courses) | $96.1 | $118 | +23% |
| Fast food combo meal | $8.11 | $9.8 | +21% |
| Cappuccino | $4.64 | $4.47 | -4% |
| Coke/Pepsi (0.33L, restaurant) | $1.84 | $2.58 | +40% |
| Domestic beer (0.5L, restaurant) | $6.06 | $5.87 | -3% |
| Imported beer (0.33L, restaurant) | $6.37 | $7.42 | +16% |
| Water (0.33L, restaurant) | $1.63 | $2.09 | +28% |
| Telecom | +9% | ||
| Mobile plan, calls + 10GB+ data (monthly) | $47.5 | $54.4 | +15% |
| Broadband internet 60Mbps+ (monthly) | $62.1 | $66.4 | +7% |
| Prepaid mobile tariff (1 min) | $0.28 | $0.29 | +4% |
| Video streaming subscription (monthly) | $13.4 | $15 | +12% |
| Utilities & household | +6% | ||
| Basic utilities, 85m² apartment (monthly) | $156 | $152 | -3% |
| Electricity (1 kWh) | $0.19 | $0.2 | +5% |
| Tap water (1m³) | $4.27 | $4.14 | -3% |
| Natural gas (1m³) | $1.21 | $1.24 | +2% |
| Waste collection (monthly) | $18 | $21.7 | +21% |
| Fitness club (monthly) | $74.4 | $74.1 | 0% |
| Cinema ticket (1 seat) | $13.6 | $15 | +10% |
| Men's haircut | $25.1 | $30 | +20% |
| Domestic cleaning (1 hour) | $22.4 | $24.1 | +8% |
| Private kindergarten (monthly) | $1,656 | $1,761 | +6% |
3,219 total data points · Price data as of 2026-07-01 · Exchange rates as of 2026-07-15
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Estimates for reference only — not official statistics.
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