Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Vancouver and Iqaluit, NU

For one person, living is cheaper in Vancouver: $2,662 a month against $2,950 in Iqaluit, NU, rent and utilities included – about $3,500 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

129

Cost of Living Index in Vancouver
Learn more

Vancouver Living Index
143

Cost of Living Index in Iqaluit, NU
Learn more

Iqaluit, NU Living Index

Jump to prices

Vancouver

🇨🇦 Canada

$2,662

/mo nomad

Iqaluit, NU

🇨🇦 Canada

$2,950

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Vancouver and in Iqaluit, NU

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,662 in Vancouver versus $2,950 in Iqaluit, NU.

Vancouver $2,662
Iqaluit, NU $2,950

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,916 in Vancouver versus $4,618 in Iqaluit, NU.

Vancouver $3,916
Iqaluit, NU $4,618

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,170 in Vancouver versus $6,286 in Iqaluit, NU.

Vancouver $5,170
Iqaluit, NU $6,286

Living in Vancouver costs roughly 10% less than in Iqaluit, NU, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Vancouver 96% above, Iqaluit, NU 118% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.01 CA$25.46

$27.52 CA$38.91

-34.56%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$71.0 CA$100

$64.8 CA$91.6

9.56%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.83 CA$15.31

$12.90 CA$18.24

-16.05%

Cappuccino

$3.94 CA$5.56

$7.04 CA$9.95

-44.03%

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

$2.13 CA$3.01

$3.63 CA$5.14

-41.32%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.66 CA$2.34

$1.63 CA$2.31

1.84%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.73 CA$8.10

$6.57 CA$9.29

-12.79%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.40 CA$9.04

$5.82 CA$8.23

9.97%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.15 CA$3.04

$2.42 CA$3.41

-11.16%

White Bread (500g)

$2.55 CA$3.61

$2.52 CA$3.56

1.19%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.56 CA$6.45

$3.38 CA$4.78

34.91%

Eggs

$4.06 CA$5.74

$3.45 CA$4.88

17.68%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.14 CA$17.17

$9.91 CA$14.01

22.50%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.23 CA$18.71

$13.57 CA$19.19

-2.51%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$20.24 CA$28.62

$14.93 CA$21.10

35.57%

Apples (1kg)

$4.05 CA$5.73

$3.67 CA$5.19

10.35%

Banana (1kg)

$1.42 CA$2.00

$1.27 CA$1.80

11.81%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.97 CA$5.62

$3.68 CA$5.20

7.88%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.91 CA$5.53

$3.87 CA$5.47

1.03%

Potato (1kg)

$2.64 CA$3.74

$2.42 CA$3.43

9.09%

Onion (1kg)

$2.82 CA$3.98

$2.17 CA$3.06

29.95%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.48 CA$3.51

$2.46 CA$3.48

0.81%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.59 CA$2.24

$1.60 CA$2.26

-0.63%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$15.30 CA$21.64

$13.78 CA$19.48

11.03%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.32 CA$20.24

$12.58 CA$17.79

13.83%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.57 CA$3.63

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.91 CA$4.12

$3.15 CA$4.45

-7.62%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.55 CA$3.60

$2.33 CA$3.29

9.44%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$84.6 CA$120

$61.3 CA$86.7

37.88%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.64 CA$3.73

$6.43 CA$9.09

-58.94%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.63 CA$2.31

$1.47 CA$2.08

10.88%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$31.77 CA$44.91

$25.63 CA$36.23

23.96%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.42 CA$2.01

$1.21 CA$1.71

17.36%

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

$27.1K CA$38.3K

$37.2K CA$52.6K

-27.21%

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

$21.6K CA$30.5K

$31.3K CA$44.3K

-31.06%

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

$81.3 CA$115

$117 CA$166

-30.56%

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

$37.20 CA$52.6

$38.21 CA$54.0

-2.64%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$52.6 CA$74.4

$54.4 CA$76.8

-3.20%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.34 CA$62.7

$41.12 CA$58.1

7.83%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$12.37 CA$17.49

$18.00 CA$25.45

-31.28%

Cinema Ticket

$12.62 CA$17.85

$7.98 CA$11.28

58.15%

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

$1,093 CA$1,544

$698 CA$986

56.61%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$20.0K CA$28.2K

$13.2K CA$18.7K

51.27%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.5 CA$82.7

$52.9 CA$74.8

10.55%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$33.35 CA$47.14

$38.72 CA$54.7

-13.87%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$96.3 CA$136

$84.5 CA$120

13.91%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$95.6 CA$135

$103 CA$146

-7.38%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,765 CA$2,495

$1,834 CA$2,593

-3.78%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,508 CA$2,132

$1,701 CA$2,404

-11.31%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,122 CA$4,414

$2,902 CA$4,103

7.59%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,469 CA$3,490

$3,459 CA$4,890

-28.63%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$8,173 CA$11.6K

$4,284 CA$6,056

90.80%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,354 CA$8,982

$3,562 CA$5,035

78.39%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,592 CA$5,078

$4,205 CA$5,944

-14.57%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.28

5.32

-19.55%

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

Last update for Vancouver: October 17, 2026

Last update for Iqaluit, NU: October 18, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Vancouver

$1.5K 56.7%

Iqaluit, NU

$1.7K 57.6% 12.7% $192

Groceries & Markets

Vancouver

$399 15%

Iqaluit, NU

$364 12.3% 8.8% $35

Eating Out

Vancouver

$280 10.5%

Iqaluit, NU

$409 13.9% 45.8% $128

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Vancouver

$171 6.4%

Iqaluit, NU

$210 7.1% 22.5% $39

Clothing & Footwear

Vancouver

$128 4.8%

Iqaluit, NU

$126 4.3% 1.5% $2

Getting Around

Vancouver

$106 4%

Iqaluit, NU

$84 2.9% 20% $21

Sport & Entertainment

Vancouver

$70 2.6%

Iqaluit, NU

$57 1.9% 18% $13

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,765 in Vancouver and $1,834 in Iqaluit, NU. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Iqaluit, NU pays 17% 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: $71.0 in Vancouver vs $65.0 in Iqaluit, NU for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $399 vs $364 per month, with Iqaluit, NU cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇨🇦 Vancouver

🇨🇦 Iqaluit, NU

🕒 Local time

10:03 10:03 AM

13:03 1:03 PM

3 h ahead of Vancouver

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

631,486

8,000

💱 Currency

Canadian Dollar CAD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 CAD = 0.707 USD

1 CAD = 0.629 EUR

1 CAD = 0.707 USD

1 CAD = 0.629 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Vancouver Iqaluit, NU 3,570 km ≈ 5 h nonstop flight

From you

Vancouver
Iqaluit, NU

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

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

Vancouver is cheaper overall, especially in eating out and utilities. The 11% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 17% 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: $1,765 in Vancouver versus $1,834 in Iqaluit, NU. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $1,093 in Vancouver versus $698 in Iqaluit, NU. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Shoppers in Iqaluit, NU pay roughly 10% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

Both cities are expensive relative to $3,000. Vancouver 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 Vancouver gentler on the wallet – expenses run 11% less than in Iqaluit, NU. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.