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: $2,056 in Montreal versus $2,981 in Iqaluit, NU.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,112 in Montreal versus $4,655 in Iqaluit, NU.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,167 in Montreal versus $6,330 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 50% above, Iqaluit, NU 117% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.85 CA$24.62

$28.40 CA$39.16

-37.15%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$72.3 CA$99.7

$66.1 CA$91.2

9.39%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.92 CA$15.06

$12.89 CA$17.78

-15.28%

Cappuccino

$3.97 CA$5.47

$7.01 CA$9.66

-43.37%

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

$2.07 CA$2.86

$3.71 CA$5.12

-44.20%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.55 CA$2.13

$1.67 CA$2.30

-7.19%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.41 CA$8.85

$6.73 CA$9.29

-4.75%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.29 CA$10.05

$5.67 CA$7.82

28.57%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.39 CA$3.29

$2.49 CA$3.43

-4.02%

White Bread (500g)

$3.21 CA$4.42

$2.58 CA$3.56

24.42%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.07 CA$4.23

$3.39 CA$4.67

-9.44%

Eggs

$3.68 CA$5.07

$3.59 CA$4.96

2.51%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.57 CA$18.72

$10.13 CA$13.96

33.96%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.63 CA$16.03

$13.53 CA$18.65

-14.04%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.97 CA$19.27

$14.67 CA$20.23

-4.77%

Apples (1kg)

$3.68 CA$5.08

$3.95 CA$5.45

-6.84%

Banana (1kg)

$1.56 CA$2.15

$1.35 CA$1.86

15.56%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.41 CA$4.70

$3.83 CA$5.28

-10.97%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.03 CA$4.17

$3.89 CA$5.37

-22.11%

Potato (1kg)

$1.98 CA$2.74

$2.56 CA$3.53

-22.66%

Onion (1kg)

$1.82 CA$2.52

$2.28 CA$3.15

-20.18%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.56 CA$3.53

$2.49 CA$3.43

2.81%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.39 CA$1.92

$1.63 CA$2.24

-14.72%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.49 CA$15.85

$14.27 CA$19.68

-19.48%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.92 CA$15.06

$12.71 CA$17.53

-14.08%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.26 CA$3.12

$2.79 CA$3.84

-19.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.01 CA$4.15

$3.20 CA$4.42

-5.94%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.69 CA$3.71

$2.31 CA$3.18

16.45%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$75.3 CA$104

$64.4 CA$88.8

16.93%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.35 CA$4.62

$6.62 CA$9.14

-49.40%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.50 CA$2.07

$1.42 CA$1.95

5.63%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$33.70 CA$46.47

$24.39 CA$33.63

38.17%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.29 CA$1.78

$1.13 CA$1.55

14.16%

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

$28.3K CA$39.0K

$38.8K CA$53.5K

-27.08%

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

$20.0K CA$27.5K

$32.0K CA$44.1K

-37.66%

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

$80.4 CA$111

$117 CA$161

-31.29%

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

$34.23 CA$47.21

$39.60 CA$54.6

-13.56%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$41.39 CA$57.1

$57.6 CA$79.4

-28.08%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$29.24 CA$40.32

$42.22 CA$58.2

-30.74%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.89 CA$27.43

$18.32 CA$25.27

8.57%

Cinema Ticket

$11.71 CA$16.15

$8.42 CA$11.61

39.07%

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

$564 CA$778

$776 CA$1,070

-27.30%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.8K CA$23.2K

$13.6K CA$18.8K

23.55%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.5 CA$82.1

$53.4 CA$73.7

11.36%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.13 CA$58.1

$38.32 CA$52.9

9.94%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$107 CA$148

$86.9 CA$120

23.41%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$111 CA$153

$103 CA$142

7.88%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,284 CA$1,770

$1,827 CA$2,519

-29.72%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$990 CA$1,365

$1,708 CA$2,355

-42.01%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,260 CA$3,116

$2,929 CA$4,038

-22.83%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,667 CA$2,299

$3,445 CA$4,751

-51.61%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,287 CA$7,291

$4,330 CA$5,971

22.12%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,813 CA$5,258

$3,729 CA$5,142

2.25%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,019 CA$4,163

$4,205 CA$5,799

-28.21%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.41

5.32

-17.11%

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

Last update for Montreal: August 31, 2026

Last update for Iqaluit, NU: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,284 in Montreal and $1,827 in Iqaluit, NU. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Iqaluit, NU pays 39% 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: $72.0 in Montreal vs $66.0 in Iqaluit, NU. Groceries flip the comparison at $356 vs $371, 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, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Sport & Entertainment. The 45% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 39% 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: $1,284 in Montreal versus $1,827 in Iqaluit, NU. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $564 in Montreal versus $776 in Iqaluit, NU. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 4% higher in Iqaluit, NU. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $2,056 in Montreal versus $2,981 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 45% less than in Iqaluit, NU. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.