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: $2,981 in Iqaluit, NU versus $2,056 in Montreal.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,655 in Iqaluit, NU versus $3,112 in Montreal.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $6,330 in Iqaluit, NU versus $4,167 in Montreal.

Living in Iqaluit, NU is roughly 45% more expensive than in Montreal, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Iqaluit, NU 117% above, Montreal 50% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$28.40 CA$39.16

$17.85 CA$24.62

59.10%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$66.1 CA$91.2

$72.3 CA$99.7

-8.59%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.89 CA$17.78

$10.92 CA$15.06

18.04%

Cappuccino

$7.01 CA$9.66

$3.97 CA$5.47

76.57%

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

$3.71 CA$5.12

$2.07 CA$2.86

79.23%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.67 CA$2.30

$1.55 CA$2.13

7.74%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.73 CA$9.29

$6.41 CA$8.85

4.99%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.67 CA$7.82

$7.29 CA$10.05

-22.22%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.49 CA$3.43

$2.39 CA$3.29

4.18%

White Bread (500g)

$2.58 CA$3.56

$3.21 CA$4.42

-19.63%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.39 CA$4.67

$3.07 CA$4.23

10.42%

Eggs

$3.59 CA$4.96

$3.68 CA$5.07

-2.45%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.13 CA$13.96

$13.57 CA$18.72

-25.35%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.53 CA$18.65

$11.63 CA$16.03

16.34%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.67 CA$20.23

$13.97 CA$19.27

5.01%

Apples (1kg)

$3.95 CA$5.45

$3.68 CA$5.08

7.34%

Banana (1kg)

$1.35 CA$1.86

$1.56 CA$2.15

-13.46%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.83 CA$5.28

$3.41 CA$4.70

12.32%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.89 CA$5.37

$3.03 CA$4.17

28.38%

Potato (1kg)

$2.56 CA$3.53

$1.98 CA$2.74

29.29%

Onion (1kg)

$2.28 CA$3.15

$1.82 CA$2.52

25.27%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.49 CA$3.43

$2.56 CA$3.53

-2.73%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.63 CA$2.24

$1.39 CA$1.92

17.27%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.27 CA$19.68

$11.49 CA$15.85

24.19%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.71 CA$17.53

$10.92 CA$15.06

16.39%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.79 CA$3.84

$2.26 CA$3.12

23.45%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.20 CA$4.42

$3.01 CA$4.15

6.31%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.31 CA$3.18

$2.69 CA$3.71

-14.13%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$64.4 CA$88.8

$75.3 CA$104

-14.48%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$6.62 CA$9.14

$3.35 CA$4.62

97.61%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.42 CA$1.95

$1.50 CA$2.07

-5.33%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$24.39 CA$33.63

$33.70 CA$46.47

-27.63%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.13 CA$1.55

$1.29 CA$1.78

-12.40%

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

$38.8K CA$53.5K

$28.3K CA$39.0K

37.14%

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

$32.0K CA$44.1K

$20.0K CA$27.5K

60.41%

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

$117 CA$161

$80.4 CA$111

45.54%

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

$39.60 CA$54.6

$34.23 CA$47.21

15.69%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$57.6 CA$79.4

$41.39 CA$57.1

39.04%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.22 CA$58.2

$29.24 CA$40.32

44.39%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.32 CA$25.27

$19.89 CA$27.43

-7.89%

Cinema Ticket

$8.42 CA$11.61

$11.71 CA$16.15

-28.10%

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

$776 CA$1,070

$564 CA$778

37.55%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.6K CA$18.8K

$16.8K CA$23.2K

-19.06%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.4 CA$73.7

$59.5 CA$82.1

-10.20%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.32 CA$52.9

$42.13 CA$58.1

-9.04%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$86.9 CA$120

$107 CA$148

-18.97%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$103 CA$142

$111 CA$153

-7.31%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,827 CA$2,519

$1,284 CA$1,770

42.28%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,708 CA$2,355

$990 CA$1,365

72.44%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,929 CA$4,038

$2,260 CA$3,116

29.58%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,445 CA$4,751

$1,667 CA$2,299

106.66%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,330 CA$5,971

$5,287 CA$7,291

-18.11%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,729 CA$5,142

$3,813 CA$5,258

-2.20%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,205 CA$5,799

$3,019 CA$4,163

39.29%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.32

4.41

20.63%

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

Last update for Iqaluit, NU: August 30, 2026

Last update for Montreal: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,827 in Iqaluit, NU and $1,284 in Montreal. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Iqaluit, NU pays 39% 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 $72.0 in Montreal. Groceries flip the comparison at $371 vs $356, 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, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Sport & Entertainment. The 45% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 39% higher in Iqaluit, NU, 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: $1,827 in Iqaluit, NU versus $1,284 in Montreal. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $776 in Iqaluit, NU versus $564 in Montreal. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 4% higher in Iqaluit, NU. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $2,056 in Montreal versus $2,981 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 45% less than in Iqaluit, NU. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.