Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between the United Kingdom and Canada

Name: Canada
Address: CA

For one person, living is cheaper in Canada: $2,310 a month against $2,462 in the United Kingdom, rent and utilities included – about $1,800 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

119

Cost of Living Index in the United Kingdom
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United Kingdom Living Index
111

Cost of Living Index in Canada
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Canada Living Index

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🇬🇧 United Kingdom

$2,462

/mo nomad

🇨🇦 Canada

$2,310

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in the United Kingdom and in Canada

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in the United Kingdom and in Canada actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $2,462 per month in the United Kingdom vs $2,310 in Canada, rent included.

United Kingdom $2,462
Canada $2,310

A couple spends around $3,600 per month in the United Kingdom vs $3,356 in Canada, rent included.

United Kingdom $3,600
Canada $3,356

A family of three spends $4,738 per month in the United Kingdom vs $4,403 in Canada, rent included.

United Kingdom $4,738
Canada $4,403

Cost ranges are similar: the United Kingdom spans $1,126–$4,646, Canada $889–$3,737. City choice affects budget similarly in either country.

The cost of living in the United Kingdom is about 7% higher than in Canada on average.

Both the United Kingdom and Canada are pricier than the global median – the United Kingdom by 81%, Canada by 70%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$21.48 £16.15

$18.16 CA$25.52

18.28%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$85.7 £64.4

$71.2 CA$100

20.40%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.61 £7.98

$10.81 CA$15.19

-1.85%

Cappuccino

$4.91 £3.69

$3.78 CA$5.31

29.89%

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

$2.66 £2.00

$2.11 CA$2.97

26.07%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.87 £1.40

$1.66 CA$2.33

12.65%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.63 £4.98

$5.62 CA$7.89

17.97%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.84 £5.14

$5.72 CA$8.04

19.58%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.68 £1.26

$2.17 CA$3.06

-22.58%

White Bread (500g)

$1.72 £1.29

$2.60 CA$3.66

-33.85%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.17 £1.63

$3.65 CA$5.13

-40.55%

Eggs

$4.00 £3.01

$3.63 CA$5.10

10.19%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.42 £7.08

$10.76 CA$15.12

-12.45%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.19 £6.90

$11.90 CA$16.72

-22.77%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.77 £11.10

$15.42 CA$21.67

-4.22%

Apples (1kg)

$2.97 £2.23

$4.03 CA$5.66

-26.30%

Banana (1kg)

$1.62 £1.22

$1.38 CA$1.95

17.39%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.85 £2.15

$3.88 CA$5.44

-26.55%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.52 £2.65

$4.08 CA$5.74

-13.73%

Potato (1kg)

$1.83 £1.38

$2.57 CA$3.61

-28.79%

Onion (1kg)

$1.61 £1.21

$2.48 CA$3.48

-35.08%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.25 £0.94

$2.65 CA$3.72

-52.83%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.66 £1.25

$1.71 CA$2.41

-2.92%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$23.65 £17.77

$14.32 CA$20.12

65.15%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.50 £7.89

$13.49 CA$18.95

-22.16%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.98 £2.24

$2.84 CA$3.99

4.93%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.51 £2.64

$3.30 CA$4.64

6.36%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.98 £2.99

$2.55 CA$3.59

56.08%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$107 £80.7

$71.9 CA$101

49.34%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.18 £3.89

$3.18 CA$4.47

62.89%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.35 £1.76

$1.54 CA$2.16

52.60%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$26.84 £20.17

$26.69 CA$37.50

0.56%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.99 £1.49

$1.24 CA$1.75

60.48%

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

$39.4K £29.6K

$27.9K CA$39.2K

41.51%

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

$40.5K £30.4K

$21.1K CA$29.6K

92.17%

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

$327 £246

$147 CA$207

122.00%

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

$18.21 £13.69

$41.80 CA$58.7

-56.44%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$43.60 £32.77

$60.2 CA$84.6

-27.60%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.36 £31.83

$39.01 CA$54.8

8.59%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.22 £13.69

$19.06 CA$26.78

-4.41%

Cinema Ticket

$13.85 £10.41

$11.21 CA$15.75

23.55%

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

$1,868 £1,404

$721 CA$1,013

159.06%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$22.6K £17.0K

$14.8K CA$20.9K

52.43%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$92.9 £69.8

$55.3 CA$77.7

68.14%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$45.92 £34.51

$38.95 CA$54.7

17.89%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 £76.4

$87.4 CA$123

16.29%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$102 £76.8

$101 CA$142

0.95%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,342 £1,009

$1,290 CA$1,813

4.02%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,073 £807

$1,130 CA$1,588

-5.02%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,231 £1,677

$2,036 CA$2,861

9.60%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,742 £1,309

$1,731 CA$2,432

0.65%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,601 £4,210

$4,769 CA$6,700

17.45%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,265 £3,205

$3,730 CA$5,240

14.36%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,349 £2,517

$3,070 CA$4,313

9.12%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.32

4.87

9.24%

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

Last update for the United Kingdom: October 26, 2026

Last update for Canada: October 26, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

United Kingdom

$1.1K 43.6%

Canada

$1.1K 48.9% 5.3% $57

Monthly Utilities & Internet

United Kingdom

$389 15.8%

Canada

$249 10.8% 35.9% $140

Eating Out

United Kingdom

$328 13.3%

Canada

$278 12% 15.2% $50

Groceries & Markets

United Kingdom

$307 12.5%

Canada

$371 16.1% 20.7% $64

Clothing & Footwear

United Kingdom

$154 6.3%

Canada

$127 5.5% 17.5% $27

Getting Around

United Kingdom

$140 5.7%

Canada

$93 4% 33.7% $47

Sport & Entertainment

United Kingdom

$70 2.9%

Canada

$61 2.7% 12.3% $8.6

Cost Breakdown

Average rent: $1,287 in the United Kingdom vs $1,250 in Canada. For reference, capital cities sit at $2,811 in London and $1,434 in Ottawa.

Average salary: $3,251 in the United Kingdom vs $2,968 in Canada. The income gap affects purchasing power and how far your budget stretches in each country.

Cost Highlights

Dining out costs 30% more in the United Kingdom.

Public transport is 53% more expensive in the United Kingdom.

Salaries are 10% higher in the United Kingdom.

Good to know

🇬🇧 United Kingdom

🇨🇦 Canada

🕒 Local time

05:18 5:18 AM

01:18 1:18 AM

4 h behind the United Kingdom

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

67,326,569

36,991,981

💱 Currency

British Pound GBP £

Canadian Dollar CAD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 GBP = 1.33 USD

1 GBP = 1.19 EUR

1 CAD = 0.712 USD

1 CAD = 0.638 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

CAD, USD, EUR to GBP – British Pound Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇬🇧 British Pound (£)

British Pound exchange rates as of October 28, 2026: 1 USD = 0.752 GBP (1 GBP = 1.33 USD). 1 EUR = 0.838 GBP (1 GBP = 1.19 EUR).

Canadian Dollar exchange rates as of October 28, 2026: 1 USD = 1.4 CAD (1 CAD = 0.712 USD). 1 EUR = 1.57 CAD (1 CAD = 0.638 EUR).

USD to GBP in detail →

On the map

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Between locations

United Kingdom Canada 5,360 km ≈ 7 h nonstop flight

From you

United Kingdom
Canada

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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

United Kingdom vs Canada: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Canada is the cheaper option – living costs run roughly 6% lower on average.

Housing costs more in the United Kingdom: a central one-bedroom averages $1,287 versus $1,250 in Canada.

Canada is the budget-friendly choice for expats. But cost isn’t everything: visa policies, language, healthcare quality, and job markets all weigh in too.