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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $3,053 in Iqaluit, NU versus $2,063 in Montreal.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,047 in Iqaluit, NU versus $3,159 in Montreal.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,042 in Iqaluit, NU versus $4,255 in Montreal.

Living in Iqaluit, NU is roughly 48% more expensive than Montreal, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Iqaluit, NU 128% above, Montreal 54% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$31.29 CA$43.33

$15.92 CA$22.05

96.55%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$65.7 CA$91.0

$73.1 CA$101

-10.01%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.97 CA$17.96

$11.15 CA$15.43

16.32%

Cappuccino

$6.69 CA$9.26

$3.80 CA$5.26

76.05%

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

$3.99 CA$5.53

$2.18 CA$3.01

83.03%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.68 CA$2.33

$1.46 CA$2.02

15.07%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.89 CA$9.53

$6.12 CA$8.48

12.58%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.99 CA$8.30

$6.78 CA$9.38

-11.65%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.44 CA$3.37

$2.33 CA$3.22

4.72%

White Bread (500g)

$2.69 CA$3.72

$3.39 CA$4.69

-20.65%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.00 CA$4.16

$3.73 CA$5.16

-19.57%

Eggs

$4.41 CA$6.11

$3.38 CA$4.68

30.47%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.17 CA$16.85

$16.25 CA$22.50

-25.11%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.62 CA$18.86

$11.54 CA$15.98

18.02%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$24.77 CA$34.30

$15.24 CA$21.10

62.53%

Apples (1kg)

$2.03 CA$2.82

$3.74 CA$5.18

-45.72%

Banana (1kg)

$2.98 CA$4.12

$1.70 CA$2.36

75.29%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.97 CA$2.72

$4.11 CA$5.68

-52.07%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.03 CA$2.81

$4.35 CA$6.02

-53.33%

Potato (1kg)

$2.96 CA$4.10

$2.71 CA$3.75

9.23%

Onion (1kg)

$3.90 CA$5.41

$2.62 CA$3.62

48.85%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.99 CA$4.14

$2.25 CA$3.12

32.89%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$3.55 CA$4.92

$1.73 CA$2.39

105.20%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.43 CA$19.98

$13.31 CA$18.43

8.41%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.80 CA$17.73

$10.78 CA$14.93

18.74%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.46 CA$2.02

$3.01 CA$4.17

-51.50%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.19 CA$3.03

$3.46 CA$4.80

-36.71%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.35 CA$3.25

$2.74 CA$3.79

-14.23%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$144 CA$200

$72.7 CA$101

98.45%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$6.82 CA$9.44

$3.63 CA$5.03

87.88%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.71 CA$0.98

$1.46 CA$2.02

-51.37%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$25.47 CA$35.26

$33.44 CA$46.30

-23.83%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 CA$1.76

$1.21 CA$1.68

4.96%

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

$50.5K CA$70.0K

$24.6K CA$34.1K

105.03%

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

$45.7K CA$63.3K

$21.7K CA$30.0K

110.72%

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

$119 CA$164

$76.0 CA$105

56.25%

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

$54.3 CA$75.2

$35.72 CA$49.46

52.10%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$56.3 CA$77.9

$42.86 CA$59.4

31.29%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.07 CA$58.3

$42.92 CA$59.4

-1.98%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$22.02 CA$30.49

$17.23 CA$23.86

27.80%

Cinema Ticket

$8.50 CA$11.77

$11.09 CA$15.35

-23.35%

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

$1,019 CA$1,411

$620 CA$858

64.46%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,997 CA$5,534

$5,834 CA$8,078

-31.49%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$62.9 CA$87.0

$62.7 CA$86.8

0.30%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$36.88 CA$51.1

$44.41 CA$61.5

-16.96%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 CA$143

$101 CA$139

2.43%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$121 CA$167

$119 CA$165

1.30%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,687 CA$2,336

$1,211 CA$1,677

39.29%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,567 CA$2,169

$960 CA$1,329

63.28%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,136 CA$4,342

$2,035 CA$2,818

54.06%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,838 CA$2,545

$1,589 CA$2,201

15.66%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,603 CA$6,373

$5,181 CA$7,173

-11.15%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,811 CA$5,277

$3,934 CA$5,446

-3.11%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,299 CA$5,952

$2,960 CA$4,098

45.23%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

8.1

5.01

61.68%

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

Last update for Iqaluit, NU: May 31, 2026

Last update for Montreal: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,687 in Iqaluit, NU and $1,211 in Montreal. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Iqaluit, NU pays 45% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $66.0 in Iqaluit, NU vs $73.0 in Montreal. Groceries flip the comparison at $414 vs $392, with Montreal cheaper for home cooking.

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 Montreal: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Montreal is cheaper overall, especially in Eating Out, Groceries & Markets, Getting Around, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 48% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Iqaluit, NU pays 45% more on average, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,687 in Iqaluit, NU versus $1,211 in Montreal. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $1,019 in Iqaluit, NU versus $620 in Montreal. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 6% higher in Iqaluit, NU. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $2,063 in Montreal versus $3,053 in Iqaluit, NU, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Montreal but tight or insufficient in Iqaluit, NU. The gap between the two cities makes Montreal the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Montreal is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Iqaluit, NU, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Iqaluit, NU and Montreal are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Montreal gentler on the wallet – expenses run 48% less than in Iqaluit, NU. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.