Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between the Cook Islands and Canada

For one person, living is cheaper in the Cook Islands: $1,568 a month against $2,310 in Canada, rent and utilities included – about $8,900 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Cook Islands
Canada
🇨🇰 Cook Islands
$1,568
/mo nomad
🇨🇦 Canada
$2,310
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in the Cook Islands and in Canada

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in the Cook Islands and in Canada actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $1,568 per month in the Cook Islands vs $2,310 in Canada, rent included.

  • Cook Islands $1,568
  • Canada $2,310

A couple spends around $2,058 per month in the Cook Islands vs $3,356 in Canada, rent included.

  • Cook Islands $2,058
  • Canada $3,356

A family of three spends $2,548 per month in the Cook Islands vs $4,403 in Canada, rent included.

  • Cook Islands $2,548
  • Canada $4,403

The regional cost range is wider in Canada ($889–$3,737) than in the Cook Islands ($1,117–$1,638), so city choice matters more there.

The cost of living in the Cook Islands is roughly 32% lower than in Canada on average.

Both the Cook Islands and Canada are pricier than the global median – the Cook Islands by 15%, Canada by 70%.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Cook Islands
Canada
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$11.40 NZ$20.32
$18.16 CA$25.49
-37.22%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$55.8 NZ$99.4
$71.2 CA$99.9
-21.67%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$7.18 NZ$12.80
$10.81 CA$15.18
-33.58%
Cappuccino
$3.46 NZ$6.17
$3.78 CA$5.30
-8.47%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.44 NZ$4.34
$2.11 CA$2.97
15.64%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.44 NZ$4.35
$1.66 CA$2.33
46.99%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$5.69 NZ$10.14
$5.62 CA$7.89
1.25%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$5.25 NZ$9.35
$5.72 CA$8.03
-8.22%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Cook Islands
Canada
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$2.32 NZ$4.13
$2.17 CA$3.05
6.91%
White Bread (500g)
$3.15 NZ$5.62
$2.60 CA$3.66
21.15%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.68 NZ$2.99
$3.65 CA$5.13
-53.97%
Eggs
$5.56 NZ$9.92
$3.63 CA$5.09
53.17%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$9.19 NZ$16.39
$10.76 CA$15.11
-14.59%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$7.76 NZ$13.82
$11.90 CA$16.70
-34.79%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$10.14 NZ$18.08
$15.42 CA$21.64
-34.24%
Apples (1kg)
$2.87 NZ$5.11
$4.03 CA$5.65
-28.78%
Banana (1kg)
$1.67 NZ$2.98
$1.38 CA$1.94
21.01%
Oranges (1kg)
$3.45 NZ$6.14
$3.88 CA$5.44
-11.08%
Tomato (1kg)
$8.98 NZ$16.01
$4.08 CA$5.73
120.10%
Potato (1kg)
$2.83 NZ$5.04
$2.57 CA$3.60
10.12%
Onion (1kg)
$2.30 NZ$4.10
$2.48 CA$3.48
-7.26%
Lettuce (1 head)
$2.25 NZ$4.00
$2.65 CA$3.71
-15.09%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$2.83 NZ$5.04
$1.71 CA$2.41
65.50%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$11.25 NZ$20.06
$14.32 CA$20.10
-21.44%
Wine (Bottle)
$12.70 NZ$22.63
$13.49 CA$18.93
-5.86%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$3.32 NZ$5.92
$2.84 CA$3.99
16.90%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.68 NZ$8.33
$3.30 CA$4.64
41.82%
🚌 Getting Around
Cook Islands
Canada
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$2.91 NZ$5.18
$2.55 CA$3.58
14.12%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
-
$71.9 CA$101
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$20.18 NZ$35.97
$3.18 CA$4.46
534.59%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
-
$1.54 CA$2.16
-
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$34.06 NZ$60.7
$26.69 CA$37.46
27.61%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.88 NZ$3.35
$1.24 CA$1.75
51.61%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$11.3K NZ$20.2K
$27.9K CA$39.1K
-59.30%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
-
$21.1K CA$29.6K
-
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Cook Islands
Canada
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$105 NZ$187
$147 CA$207
-28.97%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$48.58 NZ$86.6
$41.80 CA$58.7
16.22%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$103 NZ$183
$60.2 CA$84.5
70.79%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Cook Islands
Canada
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
-
$39.01 CA$54.8
-
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
-
$19.06 CA$26.75
-
Cinema Ticket
-
$11.21 CA$15.73
-
🧸 Childcare & Education
Cook Islands
Canada
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
-
$721 CA$1,012
-
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
-
$14.8K CA$20.8K
-
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Cook Islands
Canada
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
-
$55.3 CA$77.6
-
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
-
$38.95 CA$54.7
-
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
-
$87.4 CA$123
-
Men's Leather Business Shoes
-
$101 CA$142
-
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Cook Islands
Canada
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$723 NZ$1,289
$1,290 CA$1,811
-43.96%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$696 NZ$1,241
$1,130 CA$1,586
-38.40%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$393 NZ$700
$2,036 CA$2,857
-80.71%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$634 NZ$1,129
$1,731 CA$2,429
-63.40%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
-
$4,769 CA$6,693
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$956 NZ$1,704
$3,730 CA$5,234
-74.36%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Cook Islands
Canada
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$3,953 NZ$7,045
$3,070 CA$4,308
28.77%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
0
4.87
-

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for the Cook Islands: October 26, 2026

Last update for Canada: October 26, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Cook Islands
–
Canada
$1.1K
Groceries & Markets
Cook Islands
–
Canada
$371
Eating Out
Cook Islands
–
Canada
$278
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Cook Islands
–
Canada
$249
Clothing & Footwear
Cook Islands
–
Canada
$127
Getting Around
Cook Islands
–
Canada
$93
Sport & Entertainment
Cook Islands
–
Canada
$61

Cost Breakdown

Average rent: $707 in the Cook Islands vs $1,250 in Canada. For reference, capital cities sit at $968 in Avarua and $1,434 in Ottawa.

Average salary: $3,985 in the Cook Islands vs $2,968 in Canada. The income gap affects purchasing power and how far your budget stretches in each country.

Cost Highlights

Rent is 77% higher in Canada.

Dining out costs 16% more in Canada.

Salaries are 34% higher in the Cook Islands, and purchasing power comes out stronger in the Cook Islands.

Good to know
🇨🇰 Cook Islands
🇨🇦 Canada
🕒 Local time
08:20 8:20 AM
14:20 2:20 PM
6 h ahead of the Cook Islands
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
14,222
36,991,981
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

CAD, USD, EUR to NZD – New Zealand Dollar Converter

New Zealand Dollar exchange rates as of October 28, 2026: 1 USD = 1.78 NZD (1 NZD = 0.561 USD). 1 EUR = 1.98 NZD (1 NZD = 0.504 EUR).

Canadian Dollar exchange rates as of October 28, 2026: 1 USD = 1.4 CAD (1 CAD = 0.713 USD). 1 EUR = 1.56 CAD (1 CAD = 0.64 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Cook Islands Canada 11,230 km ≈ 15 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Cook Islands
  • Canada

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
Cook Islands vs Canada: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Canada more expensive than the Cook Islands?
The Cook Islands is the cheaper option – living costs run roughly 32% lower on average.
Which country has higher housing costs?
Housing costs more in Canada: a central one-bedroom averages $1,250 versus $707 in the Cook Islands.
Should I move to Canada or to the Cook Islands?
The Cook Islands is the budget-friendly choice for expats. But cost isn’t everything: visa policies, language, healthcare quality, and job markets all weigh in too.

Cook Islands vs other spots: cost of living compared

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