Cost of living in Canada
Summary of cost of living in Canada
- Family of four estimated monthly costs: C$6,938
- Single person estimated monthly costs: C$3,750
- Cost of living in Canada is more expensive than in 85% of countries in the World (10 out of 60)
Food | |||
---|---|---|---|
Basic lunchtime menu (including a drink) in the business district | C$26 | ||
Combo meal in fast food restaurant (big mac meal or similar) | C$15 | ||
500 gr (1 lb.) of boneless chicken breast | C$11 | ||
1 liter (1 qt.) of whole fat milk | C$3.03 | ||
12 eggs, large | C$5.61 | ||
1 kg (2 lb.) of tomatoes | C$5.74 | ||
500 gr (16 oz.) of local cheese | C$13 | ||
1 kg (2 lb.) of apples | C$5.43 | ||
1 kg (2 lb.) of potatoes | C$4.19 | ||
0.5 l (16 oz) domestic beer in the supermarket | C$4.04 | ||
1 bottle of red table wine, good quality | C$23 | ||
2 liters of coca-cola | C$3.30 | ||
Bread for 2 people for 1 day | C$2.69 | ||
Housing | |||
Monthly rent for 85 m2 (900 sqft) furnished accommodation in expensive area | C$2,886 | ||
Monthly rent for 85 m2 (900 sqft) furnished accommodation in normal area | C$2,380 | ||
Utilities 1 month (heating, electricity, gas ...) for 2 people in 85m2 flat | C$257 | ||
Monthly rent for a 45 m2 (480 sqft) furnished studio in expensive area | C$2,167 | ||
Monthly rent for a 45 m2 (480 sqft) furnished studio in normal area | C$1,701 | ||
Utilities 1 month (heating, electricity, gas ...) for 1 person in 45 m2 (480 sqft) studio | C$119 | ||
Internet 8 mbps (1 month) | C$71 | ||
40” flat screen tv | C$361 | ||
Microwave 800/900 watt (bosch, panasonic, lg, sharp, or equivalent brands) | C$205 | ||
Laundry detergent (3 l. ~ 100 oz.) | C$17 | ||
Hourly rate for cleaning help | C$33 | ||
Clothes | |||
1 pair of jeans (levis 501 or similar) | C$87 | ||
1 summer dress in a high street store (zara, h&m or similar retailers) | C$69 | ||
1 pair of sport shoes (nike, adidas, or equivalent brands) | C$132 | ||
1 pair of men’s leather business shoes | C$175 | ||
Transportation | |||
Volkswagen golf 1.4 tsi 150 cv (or equivalent), with no extras, new | C$35,675 | ||
1 liter (1/4 gallon) of gas | C$1.64 | ||
Monthly ticket public transport | C$112 | ||
Personal Care | |||
Cold medicine for 6 days (tylenol, frenadol, coldrex, or equivalent brands) | C$12 | ||
1 box of antibiotics (12 doses) | C$29 | ||
Short visit to private doctor (15 minutes) | C$174 | ||
1 box of 32 tampons (tampax, ob, ...) | C$10 | ||
Deodorant, roll-on (50ml ~ 1.5 oz.) | C$8 | ||
Hair shampoo 2-in-1 (400 ml ~ 12 oz.) | C$8 | ||
4 rolls of toilet paper | C$4.50 | ||
Tube of toothpaste | C$4.05 | ||
Standard men's haircut in expat area of the city | C$32 | ||
Entertainment | |||
Basic dinner out for two in neighborhood pub | C$75 | ||
2 tickets to the movies | C$36 | ||
2 tickets to the theater (best available seats) | C$186 | ||
Dinner for two at an italian restaurant in the expat area including appetisers, main course, wine and dessert | C$141 | ||
1 cocktail drink in downtown club | C$15 | ||
Cappuccino in expat area of the city | C$5.70 | ||
1 beer in neighbourhood pub (500ml or 1pt.) | C$8 | ||
Ipad wi-fi 128gb | C$660 | ||
1 min. of prepaid mobile tariff (no discounts or plans) | C$0.43 | ||
1 month of gym membership in business district | C$58 | ||
1 package of marlboro cigarettes | C$19 |
Moving to Canada with your children?
International Schools in Canada
Map of Cost of Living in Canada

This map shows only the top cities in Canada. We also have on this page a list of all the cities available in Expatistan:
List of all the cities available in Expatistan
The color of each marker corresponds with the cost of living in the city red markers show more expensive cities green ones show cheaper cities
Moving the mouse on top of a city will show its name and the Cost of Living Index of that city.
What is the Cost of Living Index? To calculate each city's Price Index value, we start by assigning a value of 100 to a
central reference city (that happens to be Prague).
Once the reference point has been established, the Price Index value of every other city in the
database is calculated by comparing their cost of living to the cost of living in Prague.
Therefore, if a city has a Price Index of 134, that means that living there is 34% more expensive than living in Prague.
Cost of Living Ranking in Canada
(top cities by data quality)
Ranking | City | Price Index * |
---|---|---|
1st | Vancouver | 179 |
2nd | Toronto | 173 |
3rd | Victoria | 151 |
4th | Ottawa | 150 |
5th | Calgary | 149 |
6th | Montreal | 145 |
7th | London, Ontario | 134 |
8th | Kelowna | 133 |
9th | Edmonton | 132 |
10th | Whitehorse | 131 |
11th | Barrie | 126 |
12th | Oshawa | 123 |
13th | Guelph | 119 |
14th | Nanaimo, British Columbia | 117 |
15th | Kingston, Canada | 114 |
16th | Windsor | 108 |
17th | Kamloops | 107 |
18th | Abbotsford | 107 |
19th | Greater Sudbury | 100 |
20th | Sherbrooke | 97 |
Price Index:
To calculate each city's Price Index value, we start by assigning a value of 100 to a central reference city (that happens to be Prague). Once the reference point has been established, the Price Index value of every other city in the database is calculated by comparing their cost of living to the cost of living in Prague.Therefore, if a city has a Price Index of 134, that means that living there is 34% more expensive than living in Prague.
Are you moving to Canada? Do you know how much money you will need there to maintain your current standard of living?
Find out what is the real equivalent in Canada of your current salary and improve your chances of a happy relocation.
Get a salary calculation for:
List of all cities available in Canada
Recent Comparisons
- Cost of living in Vancouver is 203% more expensive than in Buenos Aires
- Cost of living in Vancouver is about the same as in Toronto
- Cost of living in Toronto is 49% cheaper than in New York City
- Cost of living in Montreal is 16% cheaper than in Toronto
- Cost of living in Toronto is about the same as in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
- Cost of living in Toronto is 6% cheaper than in Sydney
- Cost of living in Toronto is 10% cheaper than in Chicago, Illinois
- Cost of living in Montreal is 31% more expensive than in Prince George
- Cost of living in Montreal is 57% more expensive than in Santiago, Chile
- Cost of living in Toronto is 90% more expensive than in Mexico City
- Cost of living in Toronto is 29% cheaper than in London
- Cost of living in Vancouver is 730% more expensive than in Río Cuarto
- Cost of living in Toronto is about the same as in Dubai
- Cost of living in Edmonton is 137% more expensive than in Rasht
- Cost of living in Ottawa is 13% cheaper than in Toronto
- Cost of living in Vancouver is 30% more expensive than in Winnipeg
- Cost of living in Toronto is 60% more expensive than in Prince George
- Cost of living in Windsor is 36% cheaper than in Toronto
- Cost of living in Toronto is 61% more expensive than in Lisbon
- Cost of living in Edmonton is 130% more expensive than in Buenos Aires
Compare other countries
Prices recently added
- Nice dinner at an italian restaurant, dinner for two in Windsor costs C$100 (1 day ago)
- 1 ticket to the movies in Windsor costs C$36 (1 day ago)
- Hourly rate for babysitter services in Windsor costs C$15 (1 day ago)
- Standard men's haircut in expat area of the city in Windsor costs C$20 (1 day ago)
- 40ml deodorant, roll-on in Windsor costs C$6 (1 day ago)
- 24 tablets box of cold medicine (tylenol, frenadol, coldrex, or equivalent brands) in Windsor costs C$6.00 (1 day ago)
- 1 liter of gasoline in Windsor costs C$1.50 (1 day ago)
- Sport shoes (nike, adidas, or equivalent brands) in Windsor costs C$130 (1 day ago)
- Summer dress in a high street store (zara, h&m or similar retailers) in Windsor costs C$55 (1 day ago)
- Jeans (levis 501 or similar) in Windsor costs C$75 (1 day ago)