Sometimes, but not always. Uber can come out cheaper on a quiet trip across Vancouver, while a taxi can win when Uber is surging. The only fair way to compare is to look at the Uber price in the app and an estimate for the same trip with a taxi, at the time you plan to travel.
How taxis set fares
Taxi meters in Metro Vancouver follow rates set by the Passenger Transportation Board. As of 2025 the flag drop is $3.75, and the distance charge works out to $2.18 per kilometre, with GST included. Waiting time is charged at $38.93 per hour. The same rates apply at any time of day, so demand does not change a taxi fare. Some pickups, such as Vancouver International Airport and the Canada Place cruise terminal, use flat fare zones instead of the meter. Use the taxi fare estimator to get a rough figure for your route.
How Uber sets fares
Uber uses upfront pricing. The price in the app is the total for the trip, based on expected time and distance, traffic and how busy the area is. When demand is high the price includes a surge, and the app flags that the price is higher than usual. When Uber launched in Vancouver in January 2020, reports gave its rates as a $4.50 base fare including booking fee, $0.70 per kilometre and $0.33 per minute. Uber has since moved to upfront pricing, so those figures describe the launch only and the app is the number to trust today.
When each one tends to win
- Off-peak, short trips: Uber often shows a lower price, since there is no surge.
- Busy evenings, events and bad weather: Uber prices can climb, while the taxi meter keeps its usual rate.
- Slow traffic: a taxi meter keeps counting waiting time, so a fare can grow in a jam. An Uber price is fixed up front unless the trip changes a lot.
- Airport trips: check the flat fare for taxis and compare it with the Uber price at that moment.
Tips for comparing
- Check the Uber price at the exact time you plan to travel, and ask a local company for a rough estimate for the same route.
- See the Lyft and Uber comparison if you also want a second app to check against.
- Ask about extra charges such as tolls or luggage fees before you set off.
Rideshare prices move and taxi rates do not, so neither one is always cheaper.