Cost of Living Comparison Between Ilford and Gatineau Cost of Living Comparison Between Ilford and Gatineau

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $3,110 per month in Ilford vs $2,075 in Gatineau, rent included.

A couple spends around $4,035 per month in Ilford vs $3,120 in Gatineau, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,960 per month in Ilford vs $4,166 in Gatineau, rent included.

Ilford costs about 50% more than Gatineau, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Ilford and Gatineau sit above the global median – Ilford by 133%, Gatineau by 55%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.67 £15.37

$13.20 CA$18.50

56.59%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$87.0 £64.7

$88.3 CA$124

-1.46%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.74 £7.98

$10.92 CA$15.31

-1.65%

Cappuccino

$4.66 £3.47

$3.25 CA$4.56

43.38%

Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.51 £1.12

$1.49 CA$2.09

1.34%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.05 £0.78

$1.45 CA$2.04

-27.59%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.47 £4.06

$4.48 CA$6.28

22.10%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.06 £4.50

$6.42 CA$9.01

-5.61%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.41 £1.05

$1.98 CA$2.78

-28.79%

White Bread (500g)

$1.41 £1.05

$3.05 CA$4.27

-53.77%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.12 £1.58

$4.98 CA$6.98

-57.43%

Eggs

$3.63 £2.70

$3.52 CA$4.94

3.12%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.25 £6.14

$11.80 CA$16.55

-30.08%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.10 £6.02

$10.49 CA$14.71

-22.78%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.21 £9.82

$11.44 CA$16.04

15.47%

Apples (1kg)

$3.27 £2.43

$4.63 CA$6.49

-29.37%

Banana (1kg)

$1.49 £1.11

$1.38 CA$1.93

7.97%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.00 £2.23

$4.84 CA$6.78

-38.02%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.83 £2.10

$3.73 CA$5.23

-24.13%

Potato (1kg)

$1.77 £1.31

$1.98 CA$2.77

-10.61%

Onion (1kg)

$1.52 £1.13

$2.23 CA$3.13

-31.84%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.30 £0.97

$2.18 CA$3.05

-40.37%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.42 £1.06

$2.78 CA$3.89

-48.92%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$20.84 £15.49

$12.11 CA$16.98

72.09%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.07 £6.74

$12.13 CA$17.01

-25.23%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.77 £2.06

$2.41 CA$3.37

14.94%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.41 £1.79

$2.89 CA$4.06

-16.61%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.34 £2.49

$3.39 CA$4.75

-1.47%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$87.3 £64.9

$81.6 CA$114

7.01%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.86 £4.36

$3.86 CA$5.41

51.81%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.17 £1.62

$1.48 CA$2.08

46.62%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.03 £21.58

$33.60 CA$47.10

-13.60%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.87 £1.39

$1.18 CA$1.65

58.47%

Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)

$38.3K £28.5K

$24.9K CA$34.9K

53.64%

Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)

$39.9K £29.7K

$20.5K CA$28.7K

95.03%

Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)

$320 £238

$112 CA$157

184.82%

SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)

$16.32 £12.13

$39.33 CA$55.1

-58.50%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$35.52 £26.41

$50.3 CA$70.5

-29.40%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$28.72 £21.35

$43.93 CA$61.6

-34.62%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$30.26 CA$42.42

Cinema Ticket

$20.57 £15.29

$11.08 CA$15.54

85.65%

Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)

$1,910 £1,420

$581 CA$814

228.81%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$22.3K £16.6K

$11.6K CA$16.2K

93.16%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$103 £76.5

$63.2 CA$88.6

62.76%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.30 £29.96

$43.67 CA$61.2

-7.72%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$89.8 £66.8

$78.4 CA$110

14.60%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$99.8 £74.2

$121 CA$170

-17.72%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,421 £1,056

$1,098 CA$1,539

29.46%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,779 £1,323

$1,004 CA$1,408

77.15%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,080 £2,289

$1,674 CA$2,346

84.03%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,141 £1,591

$1,606 CA$2,251

33.30%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,411 £4,023

$5,298 CA$7,428

2.13%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,114 CA$8,572

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,500 £2,602

$2,624 CA$3,679

33.40%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.45

6.5

-16.15%

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

Last update for Ilford: July 14, 2026

Last update for Gatineau: July 11, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,421 in Ilford versus $1,098 in Gatineau. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 33% higher in Ilford, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $87.0 in Ilford versus $88.0 in Gatineau. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $275 vs $370 – making Ilford the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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

Ilford vs Gatineau: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Ilford costs about 50% more than Gatineau, with the gap driven mainly by Groceries & Markets. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,666 per month in Ilford and $3,113 in Gatineau. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Gatineau, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $3,110 in Ilford and $2,075 in Gatineau. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 7% less in Gatineau. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Gatineau, where all-in costs run around $2,075, than in Ilford at $3,110. In Gatineau it covers expenses comfortably, while in Ilford it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Gatineau – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Gatineau. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Ilford makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.