Cost of Living Comparison Between Iqaluit, NU and Baerum Cost of Living Comparison Between Iqaluit, NU and Baerum

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,981 per month in Iqaluit, NU vs $3,237 in Baerum, rent included.

A couple spends around $4,655 per month in Iqaluit, NU vs $4,958 in Baerum, rent included.

A family of three spends $6,330 per month in Iqaluit, NU vs $6,679 in Baerum, rent included.

Iqaluit, NU is about 8% cheaper than Baerum, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Iqaluit, NU and Baerum sit above the global median – Iqaluit, NU by 117%, Baerum by 136%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$28.40 CA$39.32

$21.09 NOK 197

34.66%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$66.1 CA$91.5

$130 NOK 1,213

-49.22%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.89 CA$17.85

$16.22 NOK 151

-20.53%

Cappuccino

$7.01 CA$9.70

$5.94 NOK 55.3

18.01%

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

$3.71 CA$5.14

$4.15 NOK 38.69

-10.60%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.67 CA$2.31

$3.55 NOK 33.05

-52.96%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.73 CA$9.33

$11.95 NOK 111

-43.68%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.67 CA$7.85

$12.60 NOK 117

-55.00%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.49 CA$3.45

$2.51 NOK 23.37

-0.80%

White Bread (500g)

$2.58 CA$3.57

$3.82 NOK 35.59

-32.46%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.39 CA$4.69

$4.70 NOK 43.76

-27.87%

Eggs

$3.59 CA$4.98

$5.84 NOK 54.4

-38.53%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.13 CA$14.02

$10.92 NOK 102

-7.23%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.53 CA$18.73

$15.69 NOK 146

-13.77%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.67 CA$20.32

$30.26 NOK 282

-51.52%

Apples (1kg)

$3.95 CA$5.47

$2.74 NOK 25.50

44.16%

Banana (1kg)

$1.35 CA$1.87

$2.10 NOK 19.59

-35.71%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.83 CA$5.31

$2.12 NOK 19.77

80.66%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.89 CA$5.39

$4.22 NOK 39.34

-7.82%

Potato (1kg)

$2.56 CA$3.54

$1.67 NOK 15.59

53.29%

Onion (1kg)

$2.28 CA$3.16

$2.89 NOK 26.90

-21.11%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.49 CA$3.45

$3.19 NOK 29.70

-21.94%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.63 CA$2.25

$2.51 NOK 23.34

-35.06%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.27 CA$19.76

$19.29 NOK 180

-26.02%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.71 CA$17.60

$16.53 NOK 154

-23.11%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.79 CA$3.86

$3.48 NOK 32.46

-19.83%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.20 CA$4.44

$4.26 NOK 39.68

-24.88%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.31 CA$3.19

$4.47 NOK 41.62

-48.32%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$64.4 CA$89.2

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$6.62 CA$9.17

$12.37 NOK 115

-46.48%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.42 CA$1.96

$1.86 NOK 17.30

-23.66%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$24.39 CA$33.77

$70.9 NOK 661

-65.61%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.13 CA$1.56

$2.34 NOK 21.77

-51.71%

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

$38.8K CA$53.7K

$28.4K NOK 264.2K

36.78%

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

$32.0K CA$44.3K

$25.4K NOK 236.3K

26.24%

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

$117 CA$162

$349 NOK 3,254

-66.52%

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

$39.60 CA$54.8

$32.91 NOK 307

20.33%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$57.6 CA$79.7

$58.7 NOK 547

-1.93%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.22 CA$58.5

$54.5 NOK 508

-22.59%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.32 CA$25.37

Cinema Ticket

$8.42 CA$11.65

$15.74 NOK 147

-46.51%

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

$776 CA$1,075

$252 NOK 2,350

207.72%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.6K CA$18.9K

$15.6K NOK 145.7K

-12.80%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.4 CA$74.0

$104 NOK 969

-48.63%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.32 CA$53.1

$62.7 NOK 584

-38.90%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$86.9 CA$120

$137 NOK 1,275

-36.51%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$103 CA$142

$159 NOK 1,485

-35.53%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,827 CA$2,529

$1,739 NOK 16.2K

5.02%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,708 CA$2,364

$1,510 NOK 14.1K

13.11%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,929 CA$4,055

$3,501 NOK 32.6K

-16.36%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,445 CA$4,770

$2,979 NOK 27.8K

15.64%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,330 CA$5,995

$11.3K NOK 105.0K

-61.57%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,729 CA$5,163

$10.5K NOK 97.9K

-64.50%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,205 CA$5,823

$5,568 NOK 51.9K

-24.48%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.32

4.6

15.65%

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

Last update for Iqaluit, NU: August 30, 2026

Last update for Baerum: September 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,827 in Iqaluit, NU versus $1,739 in Baerum. 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 32% higher in Baerum, 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 $66.0 in Iqaluit, NU versus $130 in Baerum. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $371 vs $476 – making Iqaluit, NU 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

Iqaluit, NU vs Baerum: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Baerum is pricier by about 9%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,471 per month in Iqaluit, NU and $4,855 in Baerum. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Iqaluit, NU, 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 $2,981 in Iqaluit, NU and $3,237 in Baerum. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $776 per month in Iqaluit, NU and $252 in Baerum. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

$2,500 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $2,981 in Iqaluit, NU and $3,237 in Baerum. You'll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

Families tend to lean toward Iqaluit, NU – 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 Iqaluit, NU. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Baerum makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.