For one person, living is cheaper in Canada: $2,310 a month against $2,462 in the United Kingdom, rent and utilities included – about $1,800 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.
How much you'll spend in Canada and in the United Kingdom
Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Canada and in the United Kingdom actually costs, broken down by who's living it.
A single person spends $2,310 per month in Canada vs $2,462 in the United Kingdom, rent included.
Canada $2,310
United Kingdom $2,462
A couple spends around $3,356 per month in Canada vs $3,600 in the United Kingdom, rent included.
Canada $3,356
United Kingdom $3,600
A family of three spends $4,403 per month in Canada vs $4,738 in the United Kingdom, rent included.
Canada $4,403
United Kingdom $4,738
📏
Cost ranges are similar: Canada spans $889–$3,737, the United Kingdom $1,126–$4,646. City choice affects budget similarly in either country.
🌍
The cost of living in Canada is roughly 6% lower than in the United Kingdom on average.
📊
Both Canada and the United Kingdom are pricier than the global median – Canada by 70%, the United Kingdom by 81%.
Currency
No currencies found
🍽 Eating Out
Canada
United Kingdom
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$18.16CA$25.52
$21.48£16.15
-15.46%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$71.2CA$100
$85.7£64.4
-16.95%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$10.81CA$15.19
$10.61£7.98
1.89%
Cappuccino
$3.78CA$5.31
$4.91£3.69
-23.01%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.11CA$2.97
$2.66£2.00
-20.68%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.66CA$2.33
$1.87£1.40
-11.23%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$5.62CA$7.89
$6.63£4.98
-15.23%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$5.72CA$8.04
$6.84£5.14
-16.37%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Canada
United Kingdom
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$2.17CA$3.06
$1.68£1.26
29.17%
White Bread(500g)
$2.60CA$3.66
$1.72£1.29
51.16%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$3.65CA$5.13
$2.17£1.63
68.20%
Eggs
$3.63CA$5.10
$4.00£3.01
-9.25%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$10.76CA$15.12
$9.42£7.08
14.23%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$11.90CA$16.72
$9.19£6.90
29.49%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$15.42CA$21.67
$14.77£11.10
4.40%
Apples(1kg)
$4.03CA$5.66
$2.97£2.23
35.69%
Banana(1kg)
$1.38CA$1.95
$1.62£1.22
-14.81%
Oranges(1kg)
$3.88CA$5.44
$2.85£2.15
36.14%
Tomato(1kg)
$4.08CA$5.74
$3.52£2.65
15.91%
Potato(1kg)
$2.57CA$3.61
$1.83£1.38
40.44%
Onion(1kg)
$2.48CA$3.48
$1.61£1.21
54.04%
Lettuce(1 head)
$2.65CA$3.72
$1.25£0.94
112.00%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$1.71CA$2.41
$1.66£1.25
3.01%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$14.32CA$20.12
$23.65£17.77
-39.45%
Wine(Bottle)
$13.49CA$18.95
$10.50£7.89
28.48%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$2.84CA$3.99
$2.98£2.24
-4.70%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.30CA$4.64
$3.51£2.64
-5.98%
🚌 Getting Around
Canada
United Kingdom
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$2.55CA$3.59
$3.98£2.99
-35.93%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$71.9CA$101
$107£80.7
-33.04%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$3.18CA$4.47
$5.18£3.89
-38.61%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$1.54CA$2.16
$2.35£1.76
-34.47%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$26.69CA$37.50
$26.84£20.17
-0.56%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.24CA$1.75
$1.99£1.49
-37.69%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$27.9KCA$39.2K
$39.4K£29.6K
-29.33%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$21.1KCA$29.6K
$40.5K£30.4K
-47.96%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Canada
United Kingdom
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$147CA$207
$327£246
-54.95%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$41.80CA$58.7
$18.21£13.69
129.54%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$60.2CA$84.6
$43.60£32.77
38.12%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Canada
United Kingdom
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$39.01CA$54.8
$42.36£31.83
-7.91%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$19.06CA$26.78
$18.22£13.69
4.61%
Cinema Ticket
$11.21CA$15.75
$13.85£10.41
-19.06%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Canada
United Kingdom
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$721CA$1,013
$1,868£1,404
-61.40%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$14.8KCA$20.9K
$22.6K£17.0K
-34.40%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Canada
United Kingdom
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$55.3CA$77.7
$92.9£69.8
-40.53%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$38.95CA$54.7
$45.92£34.51
-15.18%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$87.4CA$123
$102£76.4
-14.01%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$101CA$142
$102£76.8
-0.94%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Canada
United Kingdom
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$1,290CA$1,813
$1,342£1,009
-3.87%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$1,130CA$1,588
$1,073£807
5.28%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$2,036CA$2,861
$2,231£1,677
-8.76%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$1,731CA$2,432
$1,742£1,309
-0.64%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$4,769CA$6,700
$5,601£4,210
-14.86%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$3,730CA$5,240
$4,265£3,205
-12.55%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Canada
United Kingdom
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$3,070CA$4,313
$3,349£2,517
-8.35%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
4.87
5.32
-8.46%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Canada: October 26, 2026
Last update for the United Kingdom: October 26, 2026
Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Share of the monthly basket for a family of three, rent included.
🏠Accommodation & Living
Canada
$1.1K 48.9%
United Kingdom
$1.1K 43.6% ↓ 5%$57
🛒Groceries & Markets
Canada
$371 16.1%
United Kingdom
$307 12.5% ↓ 17.2%$64
🍽Eating Out
Canada
$278 12%
United Kingdom
$328 13.3% ↑ 18%$50
🧾Monthly Utilities & Internet
Canada
$249 10.8%
United Kingdom
$389 15.8% ↑ 56%$140
👕👟Clothing & Footwear
Canada
$127 5.5%
United Kingdom
$154 6.3% ↑ 21.1%$27
🚌Getting Around
Canada
$93 4%
United Kingdom
$140 5.7% ↑ 50.8%$47
🎉Sport & Entertainment
Canada
$61 2.7%
United Kingdom
$70 2.9% ↑ 14%$8.6
🏠Accommodation & Living
Canada
$1.7K 39.3%
United Kingdom
$1.7K 36.8% ↑ 0.6%$11
🛒Groceries & Markets
Canada
$847 19.2%
United Kingdom
$705 14.9% ↓ 16.7%$141
🍽Eating Out
Canada
$918 20.9%
United Kingdom
$1.1K 23.1% ↑ 19.1%$176
🧾Monthly Utilities & Internet
Canada
$291 6.6%
United Kingdom
$407 8.6% ↑ 39.8%$116
👕👟Clothing & Footwear
Canada
$283 6.4%
United Kingdom
$343 7.2% ↑ 21.1%$60
🚌Getting Around
Canada
$191 4.3%
United Kingdom
$288 6.1% ↑ 50.9%$97
🎉Sport & Entertainment
Canada
$142 3.2%
United Kingdom
$158 3.3% ↑ 11.5%$16
Cost Breakdown
🏠Average rent: $1,250 in Canada vs $1,287 in the United Kingdom. For reference, capital cities sit at $1,434 in Ottawa and $2,811 in London.
💰Average salary: $2,968 in Canada vs $3,251 in the United Kingdom. The income gap affects purchasing power and how far your budget stretches in each country.
Cost Highlights
⭐Dining out costs 30% more in the United Kingdom.
⭐Public transport is 53% more expensive in the United Kingdom.
Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.
City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)
The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.
Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index
Canada vs United Kingdom: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Canada more expensive than the United Kingdom?
Canada is the cheaper option – living costs run roughly 6% lower on average.
Which country has higher housing costs?
Housing costs more in the United Kingdom: a central one-bedroom averages $1,287 versus $1,250 in Canada.
Should I move to Canada or to the United Kingdom?
Canada is the budget-friendly choice for expats. But cost isn’t everything: visa policies, language, healthcare quality, and job markets all weigh in too.