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: $2,628 in Toronto versus $2,981 in Iqaluit, NU.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,848 in Toronto versus $4,655 in Iqaluit, NU.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,067 in Toronto versus $6,330 in Iqaluit, NU.

Living in Toronto costs roughly 12% less than in Iqaluit, NU, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Toronto 91% above, Iqaluit, NU 117% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.88 CA$24.66

$28.40 CA$39.16

-37.04%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$87.9 CA$121

$66.1 CA$91.2

32.95%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.93 CA$15.08

$12.89 CA$17.78

-15.21%

Cappuccino

$4.06 CA$5.60

$7.01 CA$9.66

-42.08%

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

$2.18 CA$3.01

$3.71 CA$5.12

-41.24%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.70 CA$2.34

$1.67 CA$2.30

1.80%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.69 CA$9.22

$6.73 CA$9.29

-0.59%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.35 CA$10.13

$5.67 CA$7.82

29.63%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.78 CA$3.83

$2.49 CA$3.43

11.65%

White Bread (500g)

$2.89 CA$3.99

$2.58 CA$3.56

12.02%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.56 CA$3.54

$3.39 CA$4.67

-24.48%

Eggs

$3.79 CA$5.22

$3.59 CA$4.96

5.57%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.17 CA$14.02

$10.13 CA$13.96

0.39%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.95 CA$16.48

$13.53 CA$18.65

-11.68%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.12 CA$22.23

$14.67 CA$20.23

9.88%

Apples (1kg)

$3.89 CA$5.37

$3.95 CA$5.45

-1.52%

Banana (1kg)

$1.27 CA$1.76

$1.35 CA$1.86

-5.93%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.88 CA$5.35

$3.83 CA$5.28

1.31%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.33 CA$5.97

$3.89 CA$5.37

11.31%

Potato (1kg)

$1.83 CA$2.52

$2.56 CA$3.53

-28.52%

Onion (1kg)

$1.50 CA$2.06

$2.28 CA$3.15

-34.21%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.28 CA$3.14

$2.49 CA$3.43

-8.43%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.44 CA$1.98

$1.63 CA$2.24

-11.66%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.20 CA$19.58

$14.27 CA$19.68

-0.49%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.24 CA$19.64

$12.71 CA$17.53

12.04%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.25 CA$3.10

$2.79 CA$3.84

-19.35%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.53 CA$3.49

$3.20 CA$4.42

-20.94%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.47 CA$3.41

$2.31 CA$3.18

6.93%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$112 CA$154

$64.4 CA$88.8

73.77%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.05 CA$4.20

$6.62 CA$9.14

-53.93%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.24 CA$1.70

$1.42 CA$1.95

-12.68%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$22.44 CA$30.94

$24.39 CA$33.63

-8.00%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.24 CA$1.70

$1.13 CA$1.55

9.73%

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

$27.5K CA$37.9K

$38.8K CA$53.5K

-29.08%

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

$21.1K CA$29.2K

$32.0K CA$44.1K

-33.95%

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

$128 CA$176

$117 CA$161

9.08%

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

$33.79 CA$46.59

$39.60 CA$54.6

-14.67%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$49.25 CA$67.9

$57.6 CA$79.4

-14.42%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.93 CA$56.5

$42.22 CA$58.2

-3.06%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$24.62 CA$33.95

$18.32 CA$25.27

34.39%

Cinema Ticket

$13.16 CA$18.15

$8.42 CA$11.61

56.29%

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

$792 CA$1,093

$776 CA$1,070

2.11%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$24.1K CA$33.3K

$13.6K CA$18.8K

76.97%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.5 CA$75.2

$53.4 CA$73.7

2.02%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.11 CA$59.5

$38.32 CA$52.9

12.50%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 CA$140

$86.9 CA$120

16.87%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$123 CA$170

$103 CA$142

19.99%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,653 CA$2,279

$1,827 CA$2,519

-9.51%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,452 CA$2,002

$1,708 CA$2,355

-14.99%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,694 CA$3,716

$2,929 CA$4,038

-7.99%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,149 CA$2,964

$3,445 CA$4,751

-37.62%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$8,347 CA$11.5K

$4,330 CA$5,971

92.79%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,816 CA$9,399

$3,729 CA$5,142

82.79%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,614 CA$4,984

$4,205 CA$5,799

-14.06%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.49

5.32

-15.60%

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

Last update for Toronto: August 30, 2026

Last update for Iqaluit, NU: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,653 in Toronto and $1,827 in Iqaluit, NU. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Iqaluit, NU pays 16% 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: $88.0 in Toronto vs $66.0 in Iqaluit, NU. Groceries flip the comparison at $365 vs $371, 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, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 13% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 16% 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: $1,653 in Toronto versus $1,827 in Iqaluit, NU. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $792 in Toronto 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 2% 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 13% less than in Iqaluit, NU. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.