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: $2,063 in Montreal versus $3,053 in Iqaluit, NU.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,159 in Montreal versus $4,047 in Iqaluit, NU.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,255 in Montreal versus $5,042 in Iqaluit, NU.

Living in Montreal costs roughly 32% less than in Iqaluit, NU, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Montreal 54% above, Iqaluit, NU 128% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.92 CA$22.05

$31.29 CA$43.33

-49.12%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$73.1 CA$101

$65.7 CA$91.0

11.12%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.15 CA$15.43

$12.97 CA$17.96

-14.03%

Cappuccino

$3.80 CA$5.26

$6.69 CA$9.26

-43.20%

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

$2.18 CA$3.01

$3.99 CA$5.53

-45.36%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.46 CA$2.02

$1.68 CA$2.33

-13.10%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.12 CA$8.48

$6.89 CA$9.53

-11.18%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.78 CA$9.38

$5.99 CA$8.30

13.19%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.33 CA$3.22

$2.44 CA$3.37

-4.51%

White Bread (500g)

$3.39 CA$4.69

$2.69 CA$3.72

26.02%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.73 CA$5.16

$3.00 CA$4.16

24.33%

Eggs

$3.38 CA$4.68

$4.41 CA$6.11

-23.36%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.25 CA$22.50

$12.17 CA$16.85

33.53%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.54 CA$15.98

$13.62 CA$18.86

-15.27%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.24 CA$21.10

$24.77 CA$34.30

-38.47%

Apples (1kg)

$3.74 CA$5.18

$2.03 CA$2.82

84.24%

Banana (1kg)

$1.70 CA$2.36

$2.98 CA$4.12

-42.95%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.11 CA$5.68

$1.97 CA$2.72

108.63%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.35 CA$6.02

$2.03 CA$2.81

114.29%

Potato (1kg)

$2.71 CA$3.75

$2.96 CA$4.10

-8.45%

Onion (1kg)

$2.62 CA$3.62

$3.90 CA$5.41

-32.82%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.25 CA$3.12

$2.99 CA$4.14

-24.75%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.73 CA$2.39

$3.55 CA$4.92

-51.27%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.31 CA$18.43

$14.43 CA$19.98

-7.76%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.78 CA$14.93

$12.80 CA$17.73

-15.78%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.01 CA$4.17

$1.46 CA$2.02

106.16%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.46 CA$4.80

$2.19 CA$3.03

57.99%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.74 CA$3.79

$2.35 CA$3.25

16.60%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$72.7 CA$101

$144 CA$200

-49.61%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.63 CA$5.03

$6.82 CA$9.44

-46.77%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.46 CA$2.02

$0.71 CA$0.98

105.63%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$33.44 CA$46.30

$25.47 CA$35.26

31.29%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.21 CA$1.68

$1.27 CA$1.76

-4.72%

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

$24.6K CA$34.1K

$50.5K CA$70.0K

-51.23%

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

$21.7K CA$30.0K

$45.7K CA$63.3K

-52.54%

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

$76.0 CA$105

$119 CA$164

-36.00%

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

$35.72 CA$49.46

$54.3 CA$75.2

-34.25%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$42.86 CA$59.4

$56.3 CA$77.9

-23.83%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.92 CA$59.4

$42.07 CA$58.3

2.02%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.23 CA$23.86

$22.02 CA$30.49

-21.75%

Cinema Ticket

$11.09 CA$15.35

$8.50 CA$11.77

30.47%

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

$620 CA$858

$1,019 CA$1,411

-39.19%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,834 CA$8,078

$3,997 CA$5,534

45.97%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$62.7 CA$86.8

$62.9 CA$87.0

-0.30%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.41 CA$61.5

$36.88 CA$51.1

20.42%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 CA$139

$103 CA$143

-2.37%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$119 CA$165

$121 CA$167

-1.29%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,211 CA$1,677

$1,687 CA$2,336

-28.21%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$960 CA$1,329

$1,567 CA$2,169

-38.76%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,035 CA$2,818

$3,136 CA$4,342

-35.09%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,589 CA$2,201

$1,838 CA$2,545

-13.54%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,181 CA$7,173

$4,603 CA$6,373

12.55%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,934 CA$5,446

$3,811 CA$5,277

3.21%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,960 CA$4,098

$4,299 CA$5,952

-31.14%

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: May 31, 2026

Last update for Iqaluit, NU: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,211 in Montreal and $1,687 in Iqaluit, NU. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Iqaluit, NU pays 45% 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: $73.0 in Montreal vs $66.0 in Iqaluit, NU. Groceries flip the comparison at $392 vs $414, 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 48% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, Iqaluit, NU earns 45% less. 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: $1,211 in Montreal versus $1,687 in Iqaluit, NU. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $620 in Montreal versus $1,019 in Iqaluit, NU. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 6% higher in Iqaluit, NU. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $2,063 in Montreal versus $3,053 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 48% less than in Iqaluit, NU. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.