Cost of Living Index by City
| City |
Index (Toronto=100) |
Monthly Cost (Single) |
Monthly Cost (Family) |
| Vancouver |
107 |
$4,100 |
$7,500 |
| Toronto |
100 |
$3,850 |
$7,100 |
| Victoria |
95 |
$3,650 |
$6,700 |
| Calgary |
85 |
$3,250 |
$6,000 |
| Ottawa |
84 |
$3,200 |
$5,900 |
| Edmonton |
79 |
$3,050 |
$5,600 |
| Halifax |
78 |
$3,000 |
$5,500 |
| Hamilton |
77 |
$2,950 |
$5,400 |
| Kitchener |
75 |
$2,900 |
$5,300 |
| Montreal |
73 |
$2,800 |
$5,200 |
| London |
72 |
$2,750 |
$5,100 |
| Winnipeg |
68 |
$2,600 |
$4,800 |
| Quebec City |
66 |
$2,550 |
$4,700 |
| Saskatoon |
66 |
$2,550 |
$4,700 |
Index compares overall cost of living. Toronto = 100 as baseline.
Housing Costs by City
Average Rent (1-Bedroom)
| City |
1-Bedroom |
2-Bedroom |
Change YoY |
| Vancouver |
$2,700 |
$3,600 |
+5% |
| Toronto |
$2,500 |
$3,300 |
+4% |
| Victoria |
$2,100 |
$2,800 |
+6% |
| Calgary |
$1,800 |
$2,300 |
+8% |
| Ottawa |
$1,900 |
$2,500 |
+3% |
| Montreal |
$1,600 |
$2,100 |
+7% |
| Edmonton |
$1,400 |
$1,800 |
+10% |
| Winnipeg |
$1,200 |
$1,500 |
+5% |
| Halifax |
$1,900 |
$2,400 |
+4% |
| Quebec City |
$1,100 |
$1,400 |
+6% |
Average Home Prices
| City |
Detached Home |
Condo |
Benchmark Price |
| Vancouver |
$1,950,000 |
$750,000 |
$1,200,000 |
| Toronto |
$1,400,000 |
$680,000 |
$1,100,000 |
| Victoria |
$1,100,000 |
$550,000 |
$900,000 |
| Calgary |
$720,000 |
$280,000 |
$580,000 |
| Ottawa |
$750,000 |
$420,000 |
$650,000 |
| Montreal |
$650,000 |
$420,000 |
$550,000 |
| Edmonton |
$450,000 |
$200,000 |
$400,000 |
| Winnipeg |
$380,000 |
$220,000 |
$360,000 |
| Halifax |
$580,000 |
$410,000 |
$530,000 |
Detailed City Comparisons
Vancouver
| Expense |
Monthly Cost |
| Rent (1BR) |
$2,700 |
| Utilities |
$150 |
| Groceries |
$550 |
| Transportation |
$130 (transit pass) |
| Cell phone |
$60 |
| Internet |
$80 |
| Entertainment |
$200 |
| Total |
$3,870 |
Income needed: $70,000-90,000 (single), $120,000+ (family with children)
Toronto
| Expense |
Monthly Cost |
| Rent (1BR) |
$2,500 |
| Utilities |
$130 |
| Groceries |
$550 |
| Transportation |
$156 (TTC pass) |
| Cell phone |
$60 |
| Internet |
$75 |
| Entertainment |
$200 |
| Total |
$3,671 |
Income needed: $65,000-85,000 (single), $110,000+ (family with children)
Calgary
| Expense |
Monthly Cost |
| Rent (1BR) |
$1,800 |
| Utilities |
$180 |
| Groceries |
$500 |
| Transportation |
$115 (transit) / $350 (car) |
| Cell phone |
$60 |
| Internet |
$70 |
| Entertainment |
$175 |
| Total |
$2,900-$3,135 |
Income needed: $55,000-70,000 (single), $90,000+ (family)
Advantage: No provincial sales tax, lower housing.
Montreal
| Expense |
Monthly Cost |
| Rent (1BR) |
$1,600 |
| Utilities |
$100 (hydro cheap) |
| Groceries |
$500 |
| Transportation |
$94 (STM pass) |
| Cell phone |
$45 (QC plans cheaper) |
| Internet |
$60 |
| Entertainment |
$175 |
| Total |
$2,574 |
Income needed: $50,000-65,000 (single), $85,000+ (family)
Advantage: Cheap electricity, affordable rent, low childcare ($10/day).
Winnipeg
| Expense |
Monthly Cost |
| Rent (1BR) |
$1,200 |
| Utilities |
$200 (high heating) |
| Groceries |
$475 |
| Transportation |
$105 (transit) |
| Cell phone |
$55 |
| Internet |
$65 |
| Entertainment |
$150 |
| Total |
$2,250 |
Income needed: $45,000-55,000 (single), $75,000+ (family)
Advantage: Very affordable housing, lower overall costs.
Groceries Comparison
| Item |
Vancouver |
Toronto |
Montreal |
Calgary |
Winnipeg |
| Milk (4L) |
$6.99 |
$6.79 |
$6.49 |
$5.99 |
$5.79 |
| Bread (loaf) |
$3.99 |
$3.79 |
$3.49 |
$3.29 |
$3.19 |
| Eggs (dozen) |
$5.49 |
$5.29 |
$4.99 |
$4.99 |
$4.59 |
| Chicken (kg) |
$14.99 |
$14.49 |
$13.99 |
$12.99 |
$12.49 |
| Apples (kg) |
$4.99 |
$4.79 |
$4.49 |
$4.29 |
$3.99 |
| Rice (kg) |
$4.49 |
$4.29 |
$3.99 |
$3.99 |
$3.79 |
Monthly grocery budget (single): $450-600 depending on city
Transportation Costs
| City |
Transit Pass |
Gas (L) |
Insurance (Annual) |
| Vancouver |
$130 |
$1.70 |
$1,800-2,400 |
| Toronto |
$156 |
$1.55 |
$2,000-3,000 |
| Calgary |
$115 |
$1.40 |
$1,400-1,800 |
| Edmonton |
$100 |
$1.38 |
$1,400-1,800 |
| Montreal |
$94 |
$1.65 |
$800-1,200 |
| Ottawa |
$125 |
$1.50 |
$1,600-2,200 |
| Winnipeg |
$105 |
$1.45 |
$1,200-1,600 |
Note: Quebec and Manitoba have public auto insurance (cheaper).
Childcare Costs
| Province |
Average Monthly Cost |
Subsidized |
| Quebec |
$10/day (~$200/month) |
Yes (universal) |
| Other provinces |
$1,000-2,000/month |
Varies |
| Federal $10/day goal |
Rolling out |
By 2026 target |
Quebec’s $10/day childcare saves families $15,000-20,000/year compared to other provinces.
Taxes by Province
| Province |
Top Marginal Rate |
Sales Tax |
Tax Advantage |
| Alberta |
48% |
5% (GST only) |
Lowest sales tax |
| Ontario |
53.5% |
13% HST |
— |
| BC |
53.5% |
12% (GST+PST) |
— |
| Quebec |
53.3% |
14.975% |
Higher, but services |
| Manitoba |
50.4% |
12% |
— |
| Saskatchewan |
47.5% |
11% |
Lower income tax |
Quality of Life Factors
| City |
Weather |
Transit |
Safety |
Healthcare |
Jobs |
| Vancouver |
Mild, rainy |
Good |
Good |
Good |
Tech, film |
| Toronto |
Variable |
Good |
Good |
Good |
Finance, tech |
| Calgary |
Cold, sunny |
Fair |
Good |
Good |
Oil & gas, tech |
| Montreal |
Cold |
Excellent |
Good |
Good |
Aerospace, AI |
| Ottawa |
Cold |
Good |
Excellent |
Good |
Government, tech |
| Halifax |
Moderate |
Fair |
Excellent |
Good |
Education, military |
| Winnipeg |
Very cold |
Fair |
Fair |
Good |
Manufacturing, agriculture |
Best City for Your Situation
| Situation |
Recommended City |
| Highest salary potential |
Toronto, Vancouver |
| Best affordability |
Winnipeg, Quebec City |
| Balance of both |
Calgary, Ottawa, Montreal |
| Young family |
Montreal (childcare), Calgary (space) |
| Outdoor lifestyle |
Vancouver, Calgary, Victoria |
| New immigrants |
Toronto, Vancouver (communities) |
| Retirees |
Victoria, Halifax, small-town BC/QC |