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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $3,041 in Iqaluit, NU versus $2,788 in Toronto.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,109 in Iqaluit, NU versus $4,110 in Toronto.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,176 in Iqaluit, NU versus $5,432 in Toronto.

Living in Iqaluit, NU is roughly 9% more expensive than in Toronto, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Iqaluit, NU 128% above, Toronto 109% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$31.86 CA$44.67

$18.51 CA$25.96

72.12%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$67.5 CA$94.6

$83.8 CA$118

-19.50%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.19 CA$18.49

$10.97 CA$15.38

20.24%

Cappuccino

$6.80 CA$9.53

$3.99 CA$5.59

70.43%

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

$3.93 CA$5.51

$2.11 CA$2.96

86.26%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.68 CA$2.35

$1.69 CA$2.37

-0.59%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.69 CA$9.38

$5.92 CA$8.30

13.01%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.74 CA$8.05

$6.48 CA$9.08

-11.42%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.44 CA$3.43

$2.71 CA$3.80

-9.96%

White Bread (500g)

$2.70 CA$3.78

$2.85 CA$4.00

-5.26%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.89 CA$4.06

$3.56 CA$4.99

-18.82%

Eggs

$4.48 CA$6.28

$3.54 CA$4.96

26.55%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.15 CA$17.03

$13.26 CA$18.59

-8.37%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.61 CA$19.09

$13.05 CA$18.29

4.29%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$25.53 CA$35.80

$16.77 CA$23.51

52.24%

Apples (1kg)

$1.96 CA$2.75

$4.11 CA$5.77

-52.31%

Banana (1kg)

$2.95 CA$4.14

$1.14 CA$1.60

158.77%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.98 CA$2.78

$3.40 CA$4.76

-41.76%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.02 CA$2.83

$4.02 CA$5.64

-49.75%

Potato (1kg)

$2.94 CA$4.12

$2.43 CA$3.41

20.99%

Onion (1kg)

$4.04 CA$5.67

$2.94 CA$4.12

37.41%

Lettuce (1 head)

$3.03 CA$4.25

$2.47 CA$3.47

22.67%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$3.60 CA$5.05

$1.92 CA$2.69

87.50%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.96 CA$19.57

$14.99 CA$21.01

-6.87%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.07 CA$16.92

$14.34 CA$20.10

-15.83%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.51 CA$2.11

$2.71 CA$3.80

-44.28%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.22 CA$3.12

$3.12 CA$4.38

-28.85%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.30 CA$3.22

$2.45 CA$3.44

-6.12%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$145 CA$203

$113 CA$158

28.58%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$6.47 CA$9.07

$3.63 CA$5.08

78.24%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.72 CA$1.01

$1.34 CA$1.88

-46.27%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$26.24 CA$36.78

$25.55 CA$35.82

2.70%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 CA$1.84

$1.11 CA$1.55

18.02%

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

$49.4K CA$69.2K

$25.3K CA$35.4K

95.42%

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

$45.7K CA$64.1K

$21.8K CA$30.5K

109.96%

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

$118 CA$166

$117 CA$164

1.47%

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

$56.1 CA$78.7

$37.60 CA$52.7

49.31%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$55.8 CA$78.2

$53.7 CA$75.3

3.89%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.48 CA$58.2

$57.1 CA$80.1

-27.36%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$22.06 CA$30.92

$20.86 CA$29.24

5.75%

Cinema Ticket

$8.50 CA$11.91

$11.56 CA$16.20

-26.47%

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

$989 CA$1,387

$1,125 CA$1,577

-12.08%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,940 CA$5,525

$18.4K CA$25.9K

-78.63%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$62.5 CA$87.6

$57.3 CA$80.4

9.04%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$36.72 CA$51.5

$39.05 CA$54.8

-5.97%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 CA$142

$87.6 CA$123

15.61%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$122 CA$171

$114 CA$159

7.31%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,709 CA$2,396

$1,842 CA$2,582

-7.21%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,615 CA$2,264

$1,531 CA$2,146

5.48%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,034 CA$4,254

$2,925 CA$4,101

3.72%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,786 CA$2,505

$2,502 CA$3,508

-28.61%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,270 CA$5,986

$8,725 CA$12.2K

-51.07%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,563 CA$4,996

$6,867 CA$9,628

-48.11%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,212 CA$5,906

$3,454 CA$4,842

21.96%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

8.1

5.16

56.98%

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

Last update for Iqaluit, NU: July 13, 2026

Last update for Toronto: July 11, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,709 in Iqaluit, NU and $1,842 in Toronto. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Iqaluit, NU pays 22% 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: $67.0 in Iqaluit, NU vs $84.0 in Toronto. Groceries flip the comparison at $416 vs $395, with Toronto 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 Toronto: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Toronto is cheaper overall, especially in Eating Out, Groceries & Markets, Getting Around, Clothing & Footwear, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 9% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 22% 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: $1,709 in Iqaluit, NU versus $1,842 in Toronto. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $989 in Iqaluit, NU versus $1,125 in Toronto. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 5% higher in Iqaluit, NU. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

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

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Expats usually find Toronto gentler on the wallet – expenses run 9% less than in Iqaluit, NU. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.