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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,085 in Montreal versus $3,041 in Iqaluit, NU.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,174 in Montreal versus $4,109 in Iqaluit, NU.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,262 in Montreal versus $5,176 in Iqaluit, NU.

Living in Montreal costs roughly 31% less than in Iqaluit, NU, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Montreal 56% above, Iqaluit, NU 128% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$16.52 CA$23.24

$31.86 CA$44.83

-48.15%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$74.0 CA$104

$67.5 CA$94.9

9.66%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.94 CA$15.40

$13.19 CA$18.56

-17.06%

Cappuccino

$3.84 CA$5.41

$6.80 CA$9.56

-43.53%

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

$2.14 CA$3.01

$3.93 CA$5.53

-45.55%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.45 CA$2.04

$1.68 CA$2.36

-13.69%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.13 CA$8.63

$6.69 CA$9.42

-8.37%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.73 CA$9.47

$5.74 CA$8.08

17.25%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.35 CA$3.31

$2.44 CA$3.44

-3.69%

White Bread (500g)

$3.34 CA$4.69

$2.70 CA$3.80

23.70%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.74 CA$5.27

$2.89 CA$4.07

29.41%

Eggs

$3.39 CA$4.77

$4.48 CA$6.30

-24.33%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.30 CA$22.93

$12.15 CA$17.09

34.16%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.81 CA$16.62

$13.61 CA$19.15

-13.23%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.64 CA$22.01

$25.53 CA$35.93

-38.74%

Apples (1kg)

$3.69 CA$5.20

$1.96 CA$2.76

88.27%

Banana (1kg)

$1.70 CA$2.39

$2.95 CA$4.16

-42.37%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.11 CA$5.79

$1.98 CA$2.79

107.58%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.41 CA$6.20

$2.02 CA$2.84

118.32%

Potato (1kg)

$2.79 CA$3.93

$2.94 CA$4.14

-5.10%

Onion (1kg)

$2.64 CA$3.72

$4.04 CA$5.69

-34.65%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.29 CA$3.22

$3.03 CA$4.26

-24.42%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.78 CA$2.51

$3.60 CA$5.07

-50.56%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.17 CA$18.53

$13.96 CA$19.64

-5.66%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.64 CA$14.97

$12.07 CA$16.98

-11.85%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.99 CA$4.20

$1.51 CA$2.12

98.01%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.44 CA$4.83

$2.22 CA$3.13

54.95%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.81 CA$3.95

$2.30 CA$3.24

22.17%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$72.8 CA$102

$145 CA$204

-49.81%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.52 CA$4.95

$6.47 CA$9.11

-45.60%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.45 CA$2.05

$0.72 CA$1.02

101.39%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$34.29 CA$48.26

$26.24 CA$36.92

30.68%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.22 CA$1.72

$1.31 CA$1.85

-6.87%

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

$25.3K CA$35.5K

$49.4K CA$69.5K

-48.87%

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

$22.1K CA$31.1K

$45.7K CA$64.3K

-51.57%

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

$76.5 CA$108

$118 CA$167

-35.39%

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

$35.60 CA$50.1

$56.1 CA$79.0

-36.59%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$42.96 CA$60.5

$55.8 CA$78.5

-22.98%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$43.39 CA$61.1

$41.48 CA$58.4

4.60%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.83 CA$23.68

$22.06 CA$31.03

-23.71%

Cinema Ticket

$11.09 CA$15.60

$8.50 CA$11.96

30.47%

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

$625 CA$879

$989 CA$1,392

-36.86%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,896 CA$8,296

$3,940 CA$5,545

49.62%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$63.1 CA$88.8

$62.5 CA$88.0

0.96%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.50 CA$62.6

$36.72 CA$51.7

21.19%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 CA$145

$101 CA$142

1.55%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$118 CA$166

$122 CA$172

-3.04%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,207 CA$1,699

$1,709 CA$2,404

-29.36%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$965 CA$1,358

$1,615 CA$2,272

-40.23%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,031 CA$2,858

$3,034 CA$4,269

-33.05%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,577 CA$2,219

$1,786 CA$2,514

-11.73%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,085 CA$7,155

$4,270 CA$6,008

19.10%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,783 CA$5,324

$3,563 CA$5,014

6.18%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,890 CA$4,066

$4,212 CA$5,927

-31.40%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.01

8.1

-38.15%

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

Last update for Montreal: July 11, 2026

Last update for Iqaluit, NU: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,207 in Montreal and $1,709 in Iqaluit, NU. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Iqaluit, NU pays 46% 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: $74.0 in Montreal vs $67.0 in Iqaluit, NU. Groceries flip the comparison at $395 vs $416, 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

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

Montreal is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Getting Around, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 46% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 46% lower in Iqaluit, NU. 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: $1,207 in Montreal versus $1,709 in Iqaluit, NU. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $625 in Montreal versus $989 in Iqaluit, NU. 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.

At $2,085 in Montreal versus $3,041 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, Montreal and Iqaluit, NU 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 46% less than in Iqaluit, NU. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.