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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,906 in Vancouver versus $3,041 in Iqaluit, NU.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,209 in Vancouver versus $4,109 in Iqaluit, NU.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,513 in Vancouver versus $5,176 in Iqaluit, NU.

Living in Vancouver costs roughly 4% less than in Iqaluit, NU, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Vancouver 118% above, Iqaluit, NU 128% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.62 CA$26.20

$31.86 CA$44.83

-41.56%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$77.9 CA$110

$67.5 CA$94.9

15.44%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.84 CA$15.26

$13.19 CA$18.56

-17.82%

Cappuccino

$3.93 CA$5.53

$6.80 CA$9.56

-42.21%

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

$2.24 CA$3.16

$3.93 CA$5.53

-43.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.75 CA$2.46

$1.68 CA$2.36

4.17%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.05 CA$8.51

$6.69 CA$9.42

-9.57%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.30 CA$10.27

$5.74 CA$8.08

27.18%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.30 CA$3.24

$2.44 CA$3.44

-5.74%

White Bread (500g)

$3.07 CA$4.32

$2.70 CA$3.80

13.70%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.77 CA$5.30

$2.89 CA$4.07

30.45%

Eggs

$4.32 CA$6.08

$4.48 CA$6.30

-3.57%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.57 CA$17.69

$12.15 CA$17.09

3.46%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.74 CA$19.34

$13.61 CA$19.15

0.96%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.99 CA$22.49

$25.53 CA$35.93

-37.37%

Apples (1kg)

$4.26 CA$6.00

$1.96 CA$2.76

117.35%

Banana (1kg)

$1.52 CA$2.14

$2.95 CA$4.16

-48.47%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.92 CA$5.52

$1.98 CA$2.79

97.98%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.08 CA$7.15

$2.02 CA$2.84

151.49%

Potato (1kg)

$3.20 CA$4.50

$2.94 CA$4.14

8.84%

Onion (1kg)

$3.09 CA$4.34

$4.04 CA$5.69

-23.51%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.60 CA$3.65

$3.03 CA$4.26

-14.19%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.88 CA$2.65

$3.60 CA$5.07

-47.78%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$15.45 CA$21.74

$13.96 CA$19.64

10.67%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.89 CA$20.95

$12.07 CA$16.98

23.36%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.12 CA$4.39

$1.51 CA$2.12

106.62%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.80 CA$5.35

$2.22 CA$3.13

71.17%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.42 CA$3.40

$2.30 CA$3.24

5.22%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$83.0 CA$117

$145 CA$204

-42.81%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.76 CA$5.28

$6.47 CA$9.11

-41.89%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.48 CA$2.09

$0.72 CA$1.02

105.56%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$26.97 CA$37.95

$26.24 CA$36.92

2.78%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.30 CA$1.82

$1.31 CA$1.85

-0.76%

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

$25.2K CA$35.4K

$49.4K CA$69.5K

-49.00%

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

$20.6K CA$28.9K

$45.7K CA$64.3K

-55.02%

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

$91.8 CA$129

$118 CA$167

-22.45%

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

$39.34 CA$55.4

$56.1 CA$79.0

-29.93%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$60.6 CA$85.3

$55.8 CA$78.5

8.66%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.58 CA$62.7

$41.48 CA$58.4

7.47%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$15.88 CA$22.35

$22.06 CA$31.03

-28.01%

Cinema Ticket

$12.18 CA$17.13

$8.50 CA$11.96

43.29%

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

$1,185 CA$1,667

$989 CA$1,392

19.78%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$18.5K CA$26.1K

$3,940 CA$5,545

370.25%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$62.5 CA$87.9

$62.5 CA$88.0

-0.02%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.38 CA$59.6

$36.72 CA$51.7

15.41%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$95.0 CA$134

$101 CA$142

-6.14%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$115 CA$162

$122 CA$172

-5.80%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,979 CA$2,785

$1,709 CA$2,404

15.82%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,644 CA$2,313

$1,615 CA$2,272

1.78%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,577 CA$5,033

$3,034 CA$4,269

17.88%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,782 CA$3,915

$1,786 CA$2,514

55.75%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$8,754 CA$12.3K

$4,270 CA$6,008

105.03%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$7,087 CA$9,972

$3,563 CA$5,014

98.89%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,380 CA$4,756

$4,212 CA$5,927

-19.75%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.61

8.1

-30.74%

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

Last update for Vancouver: July 14, 2026

Last update for Iqaluit, NU: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,979 in Vancouver and $1,709 in Iqaluit, NU. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Iqaluit, NU pays 25% 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: $78.0 in Vancouver vs $67.0 in Iqaluit, NU. Groceries flip the comparison at $414 vs $416, with Vancouver 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

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

Vancouver is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Getting Around, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 5% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 25% 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: $1,979 in Vancouver versus $1,709 in Iqaluit, NU. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $1,185 in Vancouver 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 1% higher in Iqaluit, NU. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

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 5% less than in Iqaluit, NU. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.