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Cost of Living in Halifax: Rent, Bills and Take-Home Pay

Updated

Halifax’s costs come down to rent, in a market where 2.5% of purpose-built apartments stood empty in October 2025, home prices above Nova Scotia’s provincial averages, and energy: electricity from Nova Scotia Power and, in homes without electric heat, fuels such as heating oil. Below, each cost is taken from its official source, followed by a one-person budget and a comparison with other cities. All city pages are listed in the cost of living guides; provincial totals are in cost of living by province.

Renting

New tenants in the Halifax area were quoted an average of $1,880 for a one-bedroom and $2,400 for a two-bedroom in the second quarter of 2026; the one-bedroom figure changed by 4.4% over the year (Statistics Canada, which marks the year-earlier figure “use with caution”). CMHC’s October 2025 count of purpose-built units, sitting tenants included, gave an average rent of $1,550 for a one-bedroom and a 2.5% vacancy rate.

CMHC considers housing affordable when it costs less than 30% of before-tax household income, counting the rent (or mortgage payments, property tax and condo fees) plus electricity, heat, water and other municipal services. On the asking rent alone, before utilities, the average one-bedroom needs a gross household income of roughly $75,200. Nova Scotia caps increases for sitting tenants at 5% a year until December 31, 2027. Unit-by-unit rents and the vacancy trend are on the Halifax rental market page.

Home prices

The Nova Scotia Association of REALTORS reports province-wide figures. For August 2026, the average home price across Nova Scotia was $467,585 and the provincial MLS benchmark $435,000. Halifax Regional Municipality runs above that: a third-party estimate built from the board’s data put the HRM average at about $593,000.

On a home at that HRM estimate, 20% down with a 25-year amortization means a monthly payment of roughly $3,059 at the 6.09% posted 5-year conventional rate (Bank of Canada, week of September 30, 2026). Uninsured fixed-rate mortgages of 5 years or more that chartered banks funded in July 2026, counting new loans, renewals and refinancing, averaged 4.49%. First-time buyers of a newly built home can check Nova Scotia’s rebate of up to $3,000 on the Nova Scotia HST page, and market trends are on the Halifax housing market page.

Electricity and heating fuel

Nova Scotia Power’s standard residential rate from May 1, 2026 is 19.128¢ per kWh with a $20.08 monthly charge. Hydro-Québec’s comparison of major-city bills, using rates in effect April 1, 2025, priced a Halifax bill at $158.38 for 750 kWh and $204.78 for 1,000 kWh, before tax.

Nova Scotia household spending, 2023Per month
Electricity$163
Other home fuels, such as heating oil$87
Natural gas$4.50
Water and sewage$26
Internet$92

Statistics Canada’s survey averages every household, including renters whose landlord pays these bills, so the averages understate what a household paying its own heating bill spends. Across Canada, natural gas averaged $57.42 a month per household in the same survey. Halifax Stanfield airport’s January lows average -10.1°C (1991-2020 normals). Other provinces’ bills: utility bills in Canada.

Getting around Halifax

Halifax Transit’s adult monthly pass is $90.00, and seniors and youth pay $66.00 (fares as of September 2026); passes cover conventional buses and the ferries (Halifax Transit fares). Drivers paid 181.4¢ a litre for regular gasoline in Halifax in August 2026, against a 173.8¢ national average, and the Atlantic provinces’ average car insurance premium was $1,259 a year (Statistics Canada, 2025 study) (Statistics Canada).

Groceries, HST and pay

Statistics Canada prices groceries province-wide: in July 2026, 4 litres of milk averaged $7.27 in Nova Scotia against $6.99 nationally, and 2 kg of white rice $10.46 against $9.62. More on food costs: the grocery bill page.

Taxable purchases carry 14% HST. On $55,000 of employment income, a Nova Scotia employee keeps about $41,523 a year after 2026 federal and provincial income tax, CPP and EI; the brackets are on the Nova Scotia income tax page. Tax returns put the median total income of Halifax-area residents with income at $47,320 for 2023 (Statistics Canada).

Sample budget: one person in a one-bedroom

A single renter in an average-priced one-bedroom, paying electricity but not heat, riding the bus and spending the national one-person averages on food, internet and a phone. Heating, clothing, insurance, health, savings and debt aren’t in it.

LineMonthlyFigure used
Rent$1,880Halifax one-bedroom asking rent
Food$383One-person households’ food from stores, 2023
Power$158750 kWh Halifax bill (Hydro-Québec)
Internet$70One-person households, national
Phone$69One-person households, national
Bus pass$90Halifax Transit adult monthly (fares as of September 2026)
Total$2,650

At $55,000 a year, take-home pay in Nova Scotia (2026 tax rules) is about $3,460 a month; after the lines above, $810 remains.

Halifax and other cities

City1-bed asking rentAdult transit passSales taxPay after 2026 tax on $80,000
Halifax$1,880$90.0014%$56,439
Ottawa$1,900$138.5013%$60,303
Montreal$1,480$110.0014.975%$57,012
Quebec City$1,210$102.5014.975%$57,012
Toronto$2,090$155.10 (TTC cap)13%$60,303

Asking rents from Statistics Canada, second quarter of 2026; transit passes at each agency’s fares (Halifax Transit fares as of September 2026, OC Transpo fares as of September 2026, ARTM fares as of September 2026, RTC fares from July 1, 2026, TTC fares as of September 2026); pay after 2026 income tax, CPP or QPP, EI and, in Quebec, QPIP, for one employee. Halifax’s one-bedroom asking rent was 10% below Toronto’s and 1% below Ottawa’s; the pay column shows how much of the same salary each province leaves after tax.

Sources

The figures and rules on this page come from these sources, last checked against them between September 24, 2026 and October 6, 2026. How we check facts.