A taxi fare in British Columbia comes from a meter that adds a flag fee, a charge for each kilometre and a charge for time spent waiting or crawling. For a rough cab fare estimate, multiply the distance by the company’s per-kilometre rate and add the flag fee. Ten kilometres in Metro Vancouver on a $3.75 flag and $2.18 per kilometre comes to about $25.55 before any waiting.
Where the numbers come from
Taxi companies can only charge rates approved by the Passenger Transportation Board. The Board sets rate rules for eight geographic areas, including the Victoria area and Metro Vancouver, so the same ten kilometres can cost a little more or less depending on where the meter starts. Outside those areas, each company has its own approved rates, which is why you will not find one price list for the whole province.
These are tariffs companies publish on their own sites, as of October 2026:
- Whalley Taxi and Royal City Taxi in Metro Vancouver: flag $3.75, $2.18 per kilometre, waiting about $38 per hour.
- Yellow Cab in Nanaimo: flag $3.90, $2.72 per kilometre, waiting $48.74 per hour.
- Oceanside Taxi: starts at $4.40 plus $2.50 per kilometre.
A worked example
Take a 20 km ride in Nanaimo with Yellow Cab. The flag fee is $3.90 and 20 kilometres at $2.72 is $54.40, so the meter shows about $58.30 if the car never waits. Add a few minutes at a red light or a stop on the way and the time charge pushes it up a little. A tip, if you leave one, goes on top.
The same 20 km in Metro Vancouver at $3.75 and $2.18 per kilometre is $3.75 plus $43.60, or $47.35.
Get an estimate without doing the sums
Our taxi fare estimator does this for you. Enter the distance or pick one of the ready made routes, choose a tariff, add waiting time and a tip, and read a low, typical and high figure. If you also want to see what a rideshare might cost for the same trip, the Uber estimate calculator takes the same inputs.
For routes people ask about often, the route price pages already show both numbers, for example the airport to downtown and ferry terminal to town.
Ways to keep the fare predictable
- Ask the dispatcher for an estimate when you call. Dispatchers can often give you a figure.
- For long trips, ask for a fixed price. Comox Taxi, for example, lists $60 for a ride to Cumberland.
- Tell the driver about stops before you start, because waiting is charged by time.
- Ask whether the price includes airport or other fees.
Every number on this page is an estimate. The meter in the car is what counts, and the company can tell you its rates if you ask.
Want to pay less rather than predict the fare? Our guide to cab fare in Canada covers apps, flat rates and off-peak trips.