Cost of Living Comparison Between Portland, ME and Iqaluit, NU Cost of Living Comparison Between Portland, ME and Iqaluit, NU

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $3,242 in Portland, ME versus $3,011 in Iqaluit, NU.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,727 in Portland, ME versus $4,746 in Iqaluit, NU.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $6,211 in Portland, ME versus $6,482 in Iqaluit, NU.

Living in Portland, ME is roughly 8% more expensive than in Iqaluit, NU, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Portland, ME 135% above, Iqaluit, NU 118% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$25.36 $25.36

$28.42 CA$39.42

-10.77%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$122 $122

$64.3 CA$89.2

90.16%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.95 $11.95

$13.02 CA$18.06

-8.22%

Cappuccino

$3.92 $3.92

$7.28 CA$10.10

-46.15%

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

$3.19 $3.19

$3.76 CA$5.22

-15.16%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.44 $2.44

$1.62 CA$2.24

50.62%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.04 $8.04

$6.75 CA$9.36

19.11%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.84 $7.84

$5.76 CA$7.98

36.11%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.04 $1.04

$2.38 CA$3.31

-56.30%

White Bread (500g)

$4.79 $4.79

$2.67 CA$3.70

79.40%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$8.26 $8.26

$3.31 CA$4.59

149.55%

Eggs

$3.88 $3.88

$3.51 CA$4.87

10.54%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.33 $19.33

$9.95 CA$13.80

94.27%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.02 $10.02

$13.66 CA$18.94

-26.65%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.06 $16.06

$15.01 CA$20.81

7.00%

Apples (1kg)

$5.02 $5.02

$3.83 CA$5.31

31.07%

Banana (1kg)

$1.71 $1.71

$1.37 CA$1.90

24.82%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.90 $5.90

$3.68 CA$5.10

60.33%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.65 $6.65

$3.83 CA$5.32

73.63%

Potato (1kg)

$6.38 $6.38

$2.54 CA$3.52

151.18%

Onion (1kg)

$3.77 $3.77

$2.27 CA$3.14

66.08%

Lettuce (1 head)

$3.15 $3.15

$2.50 CA$3.46

26.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.62 $2.62

$1.64 CA$2.28

59.76%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.08 $11.08

$14.27 CA$19.79

-22.35%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.28 $15.28

$12.77 CA$17.71

19.66%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.96 $1.96

$2.65 CA$3.68

-26.04%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.66 $2.66

$3.08 CA$4.27

-13.64%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.95 $1.95

$2.39 CA$3.32

-18.41%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$60.3 $60.3

$65.4 CA$90.8

-7.79%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.96 $1.96

$6.83 CA$9.47

-71.30%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.52 $1.52

$1.54 CA$2.13

-1.30%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$11.18 $11.18

$20.31 CA$28.17

-44.95%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.96 $0.96

$1.18 CA$1.64

-18.64%

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

$35.7K $35.7K

$39.3K CA$54.5K

-9.13%

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

$25.5K $25.5K

$31.7K CA$44.0K

-19.52%

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

$228 $228

$119 CA$165

91.09%

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

$68.0 $68.0

$39.57 CA$54.9

71.85%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$79.0 $79.0

$55.5 CA$76.9

42.41%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$65.5 $65.5

$41.39 CA$57.4

58.13%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$40.02 $40.02

$18.91 CA$26.23

111.63%

Cinema Ticket

$14.23 $14.23

$8.38 CA$11.62

69.81%

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

$812 $812

$770 CA$1,068

5.54%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$33.4K $33.4K

$12.8K CA$17.8K

160.71%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$51.8 $51.8

$53.6 CA$74.4

-3.47%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$79.8 $79.8

$39.70 CA$55.1

101.08%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 $103

$85.9 CA$119

19.47%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$135 $135

$101 CA$140

33.02%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,237 $2,237

$1,839 CA$2,551

21.63%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,646 $1,646

$1,705 CA$2,365

-3.48%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,307 $3,307

$2,930 CA$4,064

12.86%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,650 $2,650

$3,554 CA$4,929

-25.44%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,121 $4,121

$4,316 CA$5,985

-4.51%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,037 $4,037

$3,737 CA$5,182

8.03%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,571 $4,571

$4,331 CA$6,006

5.55%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.23

5.32

17.11%

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

Last update for Portland, ME: September 5, 2026

Last update for Iqaluit, NU: September 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $2,237 in Portland, ME and $1,839 in Iqaluit, NU. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Portland, ME pays 6% 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: $122 in Portland, ME vs $64.0 in Iqaluit, NU for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $472 vs $369 per month, with Iqaluit, NU cheaper across the board.

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

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

Iqaluit, NU is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Sport & Entertainment. The 8% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 6% higher in Portland, ME, 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: $2,237 in Portland, ME versus $1,839 in Iqaluit, NU. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $812 in Portland, ME versus $770 in Iqaluit, NU. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 28% higher in Portland, ME. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

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

For families, Iqaluit, NU is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Portland, ME, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Portland, ME 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 Iqaluit, NU gentler on the wallet – expenses run 8% less than in Portland, ME. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.