Vancouver vs Washington, D.C. Cost of Living
Vancouver (Canada) · Overall index 67.8 — Washington, D.C. (United States) · Overall index 80.0
Summary
- Overall, Washington, D.C. is 18% more expensive than Vancouver.
- Transport in Washington, D.C. is 28% more expensive than in Vancouver.
- Dining out in Washington, D.C. is 25% more expensive than in Vancouver.
| Item | Vancouver | Washington, D.C. | Diff |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rent | +21% | ||
| 1-bedroom apartment, city centre (monthly) | $2,238 | $2,331 | +4% |
| 1-bedroom apartment, outside centre (monthly) | $1,452 | $1,599 | +10% |
| 3-bedroom apartment, city centre (monthly) | $3,668 | $5,225 | +42% |
| 3-bedroom apartment, outside centre (monthly) | $2,620 | $3,423 | +31% |
| Groceries | +15% | ||
| Milk (1L) | $1.13 | $1.39 | +23% |
| White bread (500g) | $3.03 | $3.7 | +22% |
| Rice (1kg) | $4.07 | $4.74 | +16% |
| Eggs (12) | $3.5 | $5.18 | +48% |
| Local cheese (1kg) | $12.4 | $12 | -3% |
| Chicken fillets (1kg) | $11.4 | $11.3 | -1% |
| Beef round (1kg) | $15.3 | $19.7 | +29% |
| Apples (1kg) | $4.33 | $5.27 | +22% |
| Bananas (1kg) | $1.87 | $2.21 | +18% |
| Oranges (1kg) | $3.85 | $4.62 | +20% |
| Tomatoes (1kg) | $4.99 | $5.84 | +17% |
| Potatoes (1kg) | $2.7 | $2.67 | -1% |
| Onions (1kg) | $2.44 | $2.47 | +1% |
| Lettuce (1 head) | $2.27 | $2.27 | 0% |
| Water (1.5L bottle) | $1.83 | $2.35 | +28% |
| Bottle of wine (mid-range) | $12.8 | $14.6 | +14% |
| Transport | +28% | ||
| Public transport, one-way ticket | $2.09 | $2.22 | +6% |
| Public transport, monthly pass | $103 | $110 | +7% |
| Taxi, base fare | $2.83 | $4.03 | +42% |
| Taxi, per km | $1.43 | $1.88 | +31% |
| Gasoline (1L) | $0.7 | $0.98 | +40% |
| New compact car (e.g., VW Golf) | $20,323 | $28,701 | +41% |
| Dining out | +25% | ||
| Meal, inexpensive restaurant | $18.3 | $20.2 | +10% |
| Meal for 2, mid-range restaurant (3 courses) | $96.1 | $119 | +24% |
| Fast food combo meal | $8.11 | $12.2 | +50% |
| Cappuccino | $4.64 | $5.03 | +8% |
| Coke/Pepsi (0.33L, restaurant) | $1.84 | $2.52 | +37% |
| Domestic beer (0.5L, restaurant) | $6.06 | $6.73 | +11% |
| Imported beer (0.33L, restaurant) | $6.37 | $8.64 | +36% |
| Water (0.33L, restaurant) | $1.63 | $2.16 | +33% |
| Telecom | +11% | ||
| Mobile plan, calls + 10GB+ data (monthly) | $47.5 | $55.6 | +17% |
| Broadband internet 60Mbps+ (monthly) | $62.1 | $61.4 | -1% |
| Prepaid mobile tariff (1 min) | $0.28 | $0.34 | +21% |
| Video streaming subscription (monthly) | $13.4 | $14.5 | +8% |
| Utilities & household | +9% | ||
| Basic utilities, 85m² apartment (monthly) | $156 | $162 | +4% |
| Electricity (1 kWh) | $0.19 | $0.2 | +5% |
| Tap water (1m³) | $4.27 | $4.19 | -2% |
| Natural gas (1m³) | $1.21 | $1.43 | +18% |
| Waste collection (monthly) | $18 | $21.6 | +20% |
| Fitness club (monthly) | $74.4 | $79.5 | +7% |
| Cinema ticket (1 seat) | $13.6 | $14.6 | +7% |
| Men's haircut | $25.1 | $28.3 | +13% |
| Domestic cleaning (1 hour) | $22.4 | $23.4 | +4% |
| Private kindergarten (monthly) | $1,656 | $1,887 | +14% |
3,101 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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