Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Iqaluit, NU and Portland, ME

For one person, living is cheaper in Iqaluit, NU: $2,950 a month against $3,240 in Portland, ME, rent and utilities included – about $3,500 less a year. Other living expenses account for most of the difference.

143

Cost of Living Index in Iqaluit, NU
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Iqaluit, NU Living Index
157

Cost of Living Index in Portland, ME
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Portland, ME Living Index

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Iqaluit, NU

🇨🇦 Canada

$2,950

/mo nomad

Portland, ME

🇺🇸 United States

$3,240

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Iqaluit, NU and in Portland, ME

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,950 in Iqaluit, NU versus $3,240 in Portland, ME.

Iqaluit, NU $2,950
Portland, ME $3,240

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,618 in Iqaluit, NU versus $4,789 in Portland, ME.

Iqaluit, NU $4,618
Portland, ME $4,789

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $6,286 in Iqaluit, NU versus $6,339 in Portland, ME.

Iqaluit, NU $6,286
Portland, ME $6,339

Living in Iqaluit, NU costs roughly 9% less than in Portland, ME, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Iqaluit, NU 118% above, Portland, ME 139% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$27.52 CA$38.91

$24.68 $24.68

11.51%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$64.8 CA$91.6

$120 $120

-46.10%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.90 CA$18.24

$12.16 $12.16

6.09%

Cappuccino

$7.04 CA$9.95

$6.04 $6.04

16.56%

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

$3.63 CA$5.14

$3.18 $3.18

14.15%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.63 CA$2.31

$2.46 $2.46

-33.74%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.57 CA$9.29

$7.79 $7.79

-15.66%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.82 CA$8.23

$7.88 $7.88

-26.14%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.42 CA$3.41

$1.06 $1.06

128.30%

White Bread (500g)

$2.52 CA$3.56

$4.76 $4.76

-47.06%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.38 CA$4.78

$8.38 $8.38

-59.67%

Eggs

$3.45 CA$4.88

$4.02 $4.02

-14.18%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.91 CA$14.01

$18.75 $18.75

-47.15%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.57 CA$19.19

$10.10 $10.10

34.36%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.93 CA$21.10

$16.07 $16.07

-7.09%

Apples (1kg)

$3.67 CA$5.19

$4.83 $4.83

-24.02%

Banana (1kg)

$1.27 CA$1.80

$1.70 $1.70

-25.29%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.68 CA$5.20

$6.05 $6.05

-39.17%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.87 CA$5.47

$6.94 $6.94

-44.24%

Potato (1kg)

$2.42 CA$3.43

$6.43 $6.43

-62.36%

Onion (1kg)

$2.17 CA$3.06

$3.76 $3.76

-42.29%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.46 CA$3.48

$3.17 $3.17

-22.40%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.60 CA$2.26

$2.48 $2.48

-35.48%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.78 CA$19.48

$12.42 $12.42

10.95%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.58 CA$17.79

$14.91 $14.91

-15.63%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.57 CA$3.63

$1.94 $1.94

32.47%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.15 CA$4.45

$2.54 $2.54

24.02%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.33 CA$3.29

$1.95 $1.95

19.49%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$61.3 CA$86.7

$60.5 $60.5

1.37%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$6.43 CA$9.09

$1.94 $1.94

231.44%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.47 CA$2.08

$1.51 $1.51

-2.65%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$25.63 CA$36.23

$11.12 $11.12

130.49%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.21 CA$1.71

$1.05 $1.05

15.24%

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

$37.2K CA$52.6K

$27.3K $27.3K

36.38%

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

$31.3K CA$44.3K

$26.6K $26.6K

17.96%

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

$117 CA$166

$227 $227

-48.46%

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

$38.21 CA$54.0

$69.1 $69.1

-44.74%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$54.4 CA$76.8

$76.8 $76.8

-29.21%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.12 CA$58.1

$65.8 $65.8

-37.51%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.00 CA$25.45

$40.03 $40.03

-55.03%

Cinema Ticket

$7.98 CA$11.28

$14.27 $14.27

-44.08%

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

$698 CA$986

$815 $815

-14.41%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.2K CA$18.7K

$32.9K $32.9K

-59.92%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$52.9 CA$74.8

$52.9 $52.9

-0.02%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.72 CA$54.7

$78.9 $78.9

-50.89%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.5 CA$120

$103 $103

-18.19%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$103 CA$146

$134 $134

-22.87%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,834 CA$2,593

$2,210 $2,210

-17.03%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,701 CA$2,404

$1,675 $1,675

1.53%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,902 CA$4,103

$3,348 $3,348

-13.33%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,459 CA$4,890

$2,693 $2,693

28.45%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,284 CA$6,056

$4,171 $4,171

2.71%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,562 CA$5,035

$3,954 $3,954

-9.93%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,205 CA$5,944

$4,584 $4,584

-8.26%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.32

6.5

-18.15%

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

Last update for Iqaluit, NU: October 18, 2026

Last update for Portland, ME: October 18, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Iqaluit, NU

$1.7K 57.6%

Portland, ME

$1.7K 51.7% 1.5% $26

Eating Out

Iqaluit, NU

$409 13.9%

Portland, ME

$384 11.8% 6.2% $25

Groceries & Markets

Iqaluit, NU

$364 12.3%

Portland, ME

$470 14.5% 29% $106

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Iqaluit, NU

$210 7.1%

Portland, ME

$373 11.5% 78% $163

Clothing & Footwear

Iqaluit, NU

$126 4.3%

Portland, ME

$166 5.1% 32% $40

Getting Around

Iqaluit, NU

$84 2.9%

Portland, ME

$78 2.4% 7.9% $6.7

Sport & Entertainment

Iqaluit, NU

$57 1.9%

Portland, ME

$94 2.9% 65.3% $37

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,834 in Iqaluit, NU and $2,210 in Portland, ME. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Portland, ME pays 9% 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: $65.0 in Iqaluit, NU vs $120 in Portland, ME for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $364 vs $470 per month, with Iqaluit, NU cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇨🇦 Iqaluit, NU

🇺🇸 Portland, ME

🕒 Local time

06:53 6:53 AM

Same time as Iqaluit, NU

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

8,000

652,503

💱 Currency

Canadian Dollar CAD $

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 CAD = 0.707 USD

1 CAD = 0.629 EUR

1 USD = 0.89 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

USD, EUR to CAD – Canadian Dollar Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇨🇦 Canadian Dollar ($)

Canadian Dollar exchange rates as of October 20, 2026: 1 USD = 1.41 CAD (1 CAD = 0.707 USD). 1 EUR = 1.59 CAD (1 CAD = 0.629 EUR).

United States Dollar exchange rates as of October 20, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.89 EUR).

USD to CAD in detail →

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Between locations

Iqaluit, NU Portland, ME 2,240 km ≈ 3 h 15 min nonstop flight

From you

Iqaluit, NU
Portland, ME

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

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

Iqaluit, NU is cheaper overall, especially in groceries, clothing, and utilities. The 10% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 9% lower in Portland, ME. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,834 in Iqaluit, NU versus $2,210 in Portland, ME. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $698 in Iqaluit, NU versus $815 in Portland, ME. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 29% higher in Portland, ME. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Both cities are expensive relative to $2,500. Iqaluit, NU is the more realistic option, but even there you'll need to be disciplined with housing, food, and fun money.

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

Safety-wise, Iqaluit, NU and Portland, ME 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 Iqaluit, NU gentler on the wallet – expenses run 10% less than in Portland, ME. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.