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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $3,041 in Iqaluit, NU versus $2,906 in Vancouver.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,109 in Iqaluit, NU versus $4,209 in Vancouver.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,176 in Iqaluit, NU versus $5,513 in Vancouver.

Living in Iqaluit, NU is roughly 5% more expensive than in Vancouver, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Iqaluit, NU 128% above, Vancouver 118% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$31.86 CA$44.67

$18.62 CA$26.10

71.11%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$67.5 CA$94.6

$77.9 CA$109

-13.38%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.19 CA$18.49

$10.84 CA$15.20

21.68%

Cappuccino

$6.80 CA$9.53

$3.93 CA$5.51

73.03%

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

$3.93 CA$5.51

$2.24 CA$3.15

75.45%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.68 CA$2.35

$1.75 CA$2.45

-4.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.69 CA$9.38

$6.05 CA$8.48

10.58%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.74 CA$8.05

$7.30 CA$10.23

-21.37%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.44 CA$3.43

$2.30 CA$3.23

6.09%

White Bread (500g)

$2.70 CA$3.78

$3.07 CA$4.31

-12.05%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.89 CA$4.06

$3.77 CA$5.28

-23.34%

Eggs

$4.48 CA$6.28

$4.32 CA$6.06

3.70%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.15 CA$17.03

$12.57 CA$17.63

-3.34%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.61 CA$19.09

$13.74 CA$19.27

-0.95%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$25.53 CA$35.80

$15.99 CA$22.41

59.66%

Apples (1kg)

$1.96 CA$2.75

$4.26 CA$5.98

-53.99%

Banana (1kg)

$2.95 CA$4.14

$1.52 CA$2.13

94.08%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.98 CA$2.78

$3.92 CA$5.50

-49.49%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.02 CA$2.83

$5.08 CA$7.13

-60.24%

Potato (1kg)

$2.94 CA$4.12

$3.20 CA$4.48

-8.13%

Onion (1kg)

$4.04 CA$5.67

$3.09 CA$4.33

30.74%

Lettuce (1 head)

$3.03 CA$4.25

$2.60 CA$3.64

16.54%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$3.60 CA$5.05

$1.88 CA$2.64

91.49%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.96 CA$19.57

$15.45 CA$21.66

-9.64%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.07 CA$16.92

$14.89 CA$20.88

-18.94%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.51 CA$2.11

$3.12 CA$4.37

-51.60%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.22 CA$3.12

$3.80 CA$5.33

-41.58%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.30 CA$3.22

$2.42 CA$3.39

-4.96%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$145 CA$203

$83.0 CA$116

74.86%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$6.47 CA$9.07

$3.76 CA$5.27

72.07%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.72 CA$1.01

$1.48 CA$2.08

-51.35%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$26.24 CA$36.78

$26.97 CA$37.81

-2.71%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 CA$1.84

$1.30 CA$1.82

0.77%

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

$49.4K CA$69.2K

$25.2K CA$35.3K

96.06%

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

$45.7K CA$64.1K

$20.6K CA$28.8K

122.30%

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

$118 CA$166

$91.8 CA$129

28.95%

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

$56.1 CA$78.7

$39.34 CA$55.2

42.70%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$55.8 CA$78.2

$60.6 CA$85.0

-7.97%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.48 CA$58.2

$44.58 CA$62.5

-6.95%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$22.06 CA$30.92

$15.88 CA$22.27

38.92%

Cinema Ticket

$8.50 CA$11.91

$12.18 CA$17.07

-30.21%

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

$989 CA$1,387

$1,185 CA$1,661

-16.52%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,940 CA$5,525

$18.5K CA$26.0K

-78.73%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$62.5 CA$87.6

0.02%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$36.72 CA$51.5

$42.38 CA$59.4

-13.36%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 CA$142

$95.0 CA$133

6.55%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$122 CA$171

$115 CA$161

6.16%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,709 CA$2,396

$1,979 CA$2,775

-13.66%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,615 CA$2,264

$1,644 CA$2,304

-1.75%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,034 CA$4,254

$3,577 CA$5,015

-15.17%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,786 CA$2,505

$2,782 CA$3,901

-35.80%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,270 CA$5,986

$8,754 CA$12.3K

-51.23%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,563 CA$4,996

$7,087 CA$9,936

-49.72%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,212 CA$5,906

$3,380 CA$4,739

24.62%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

8.1

5.61

44.39%

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

Last update for Iqaluit, NU: July 13, 2026

Last update for Vancouver: July 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,709 in Iqaluit, NU and $1,979 in Vancouver. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Iqaluit, NU pays 25% 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 $78.0 in Vancouver. Groceries flip the comparison at $416 vs $414, with Vancouver 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 Vancouver: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Vancouver is cheaper overall, especially in Eating Out, Groceries & Markets, Getting Around, Clothing & Footwear, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 5% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 25% 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 $1,979 in Vancouver. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $989 in Iqaluit, NU versus $1,185 in Vancouver. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 1% higher in Iqaluit, NU. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Both cities are expensive relative to $3,000. Vancouver 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 Vancouver gentler on the wallet – expenses run 5% less than in Iqaluit, NU. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.