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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,788 in Toronto versus $3,041 in Iqaluit, NU.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,110 in Toronto versus $4,109 in Iqaluit, NU.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,432 in Toronto versus $5,176 in Iqaluit, NU.

Living in Toronto costs roughly 8% less than in Iqaluit, NU, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Toronto 109% above, Iqaluit, NU 128% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.51 CA$26.05

$31.86 CA$44.83

-41.90%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$83.8 CA$118

$67.5 CA$94.9

24.22%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.97 CA$15.44

$13.19 CA$18.56

-16.83%

Cappuccino

$3.99 CA$5.61

$6.80 CA$9.56

-41.32%

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

$2.11 CA$2.98

$3.93 CA$5.53

-46.31%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.69 CA$2.38

$1.68 CA$2.36

0.60%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.92 CA$8.33

$6.69 CA$9.42

-11.51%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.48 CA$9.11

$5.74 CA$8.08

12.89%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.71 CA$3.82

$2.44 CA$3.44

11.07%

White Bread (500g)

$2.85 CA$4.02

$2.70 CA$3.80

5.56%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.56 CA$5.01

$2.89 CA$4.07

23.18%

Eggs

$3.54 CA$4.98

$4.48 CA$6.30

-20.98%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.26 CA$18.66

$12.15 CA$17.09

9.14%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.05 CA$18.36

$13.61 CA$19.15

-4.11%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.77 CA$23.59

$25.53 CA$35.93

-34.31%

Apples (1kg)

$4.11 CA$5.79

$1.96 CA$2.76

109.69%

Banana (1kg)

$1.14 CA$1.60

$2.95 CA$4.16

-61.36%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.40 CA$4.78

$1.98 CA$2.79

71.72%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.02 CA$5.66

$2.02 CA$2.84

99.01%

Potato (1kg)

$2.43 CA$3.42

$2.94 CA$4.14

-17.35%

Onion (1kg)

$2.94 CA$4.13

$4.04 CA$5.69

-27.23%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.47 CA$3.48

$3.03 CA$4.26

-18.48%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.92 CA$2.70

$3.60 CA$5.07

-46.67%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.99 CA$21.09

$13.96 CA$19.64

7.38%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.34 CA$20.17

$12.07 CA$16.98

18.81%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.71 CA$3.81

$1.51 CA$2.12

79.47%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.12 CA$4.39

$2.22 CA$3.13

40.54%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.45 CA$3.45

$2.30 CA$3.24

6.52%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$113 CA$159

$145 CA$204

-22.23%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.63 CA$5.10

$6.47 CA$9.11

-43.89%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.34 CA$1.89

$0.72 CA$1.02

86.11%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$25.55 CA$35.95

$26.24 CA$36.92

-2.63%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.11 CA$1.56

$1.31 CA$1.85

-15.27%

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

$25.3K CA$35.6K

$49.4K CA$69.5K

-48.83%

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

$21.8K CA$30.6K

$45.7K CA$64.3K

-52.37%

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

$117 CA$164

$118 CA$167

-1.44%

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

$37.60 CA$52.9

$56.1 CA$79.0

-33.02%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$53.7 CA$75.6

$55.8 CA$78.5

-3.75%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$57.1 CA$80.3

$41.48 CA$58.4

37.66%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.86 CA$29.35

$22.06 CA$31.03

-5.44%

Cinema Ticket

$11.56 CA$16.26

$8.50 CA$11.96

36.00%

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

$1,125 CA$1,583

$989 CA$1,392

13.74%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$18.4K CA$25.9K

$3,940 CA$5,545

367.92%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.3 CA$80.7

$62.5 CA$88.0

-8.29%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.05 CA$55.0

$36.72 CA$51.7

6.35%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$87.6 CA$123

$101 CA$142

-13.50%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$114 CA$160

$122 CA$172

-6.82%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,842 CA$2,591

$1,709 CA$2,404

7.77%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,531 CA$2,154

$1,615 CA$2,272

-5.20%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,925 CA$4,116

$3,034 CA$4,269

-3.59%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,502 CA$3,521

$1,786 CA$2,514

40.07%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$8,725 CA$12.3K

$4,270 CA$6,008

104.36%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,867 CA$9,663

$3,563 CA$5,014

92.72%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,454 CA$4,860

$4,212 CA$5,927

-18.01%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.16

8.1

-36.30%

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

Last update for Toronto: July 11, 2026

Last update for Iqaluit, NU: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,842 in Toronto and $1,709 in Iqaluit, NU. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Iqaluit, NU pays 22% 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: $84.0 in Toronto vs $67.0 in Iqaluit, NU. Groceries flip the comparison at $395 vs $416, with Toronto 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

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

Toronto is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Getting Around, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 9% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 22% 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: $1,842 in Toronto versus $1,709 in Iqaluit, NU. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $1,125 in Toronto 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.

Both cities are expensive relative to $2,500. Toronto 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 Toronto gentler on the wallet – expenses run 9% less than in Iqaluit, NU. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.