Cost of Living Calculator Canada
Compare expenses across provinces & cities with 2025 data
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Annual Expense Breakdown (Destination)
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Estimates based on 2025 CMHC and Statistics Canada data. Actual costs vary by neighborhood and lifestyle.
Last reviewed: · Data sources are listed at the bottom of this page.
Comparing Canadian cities is hard because a salary offer only makes sense next to a realistic monthly budget. The Cost of Living Calculator Canada above estimates the salary you would need in another city to keep the same standard of living, then splits that income into monthly spending categories for your household size and lifestyle. This guide explains how to read the results, what current rent data looks like, and what the calculator deliberately leaves out.
How the Cost of Living Calculator Canada works
- Choose your current city and the city you are considering.
- Enter your annual gross salary in CAD, your household type, and a lifestyle level (budget, moderate, comfortable or premium).
- Press “Calculate” to see the equivalent salary in the destination city and a monthly budget breakdown.
Each city has a relative cost index, with Toronto set to 100. The equivalent salary is your current salary multiplied by the destination index and divided by the origin index. For example, if you earn $75,000 in a city indexed at 100 and move to one indexed at 110, you would need about $82,500 to keep the same purchasing power.
The result is a planning estimate, not a quote. It works with gross (pre-tax) pay, so use the Canada income tax calculator to see what that salary looks like after tax in your province.
What Canadian households actually spend
Statistics Canada’s Survey of Household Spending reports that the average Canadian household spent $76,750 on goods and services in 2023, up 14.3% from 2021. Shelter was the largest category at $24,671 (roughly a third of the total), and transportation averaged $12,090.
These are national averages across every household type, including homeowners, so a single renter or a family of four will land well above or below them. That is the gap the calculator is designed to close: it adjusts for your city, household size and lifestyle instead of using one national figure.
Rent by city: CMHC data for October 2025
Housing is the biggest line in almost every budget. The table below uses CMHC’s Rental Market Survey, which measures what tenants in purpose-built apartment buildings pay on average, including long-term tenants.
| City | Average 2-bedroom rent | Vacancy rate |
|---|---|---|
| Vancouver, BC | $2,363 | 3.7% |
| Toronto, ON | $2,046 | 3.0% |
| Ottawa, ON | $1,926 | 3.0% |
| Calgary, AB | $1,914 | 5.0% |
| Halifax, NS | $1,826 | 2.7% |
| Edmonton, AB | $1,603 | 3.8% |
| Winnipeg, MB | $1,571 | 2.8% |
| Montréal, QC | $1,346 | 2.9% |
| Major centres, national | $1,550 | 3.1% |
Source: CMHC Rental Market Survey, October 2025 (purpose-built rental apartments). Figures are survey averages, so a unit you find today can cost more or less.
Why your rent may differ from these averages
- New leases cost more than existing ones. CMHC’s averages include tenants who have lived in their unit for years. Asking rents for new listings are higher; Rentals.ca and Urbanation reported a national average asking rent of $2,247 for a two-bedroom in November 2025.
- Condos are pricier than purpose-built units. CMHC put the national average for a two-bedroom rental condo at $2,305 in 2025.
- The market has softened. National vacancy rose to 3.1% from 2.2% a year earlier, and CMHC noted that some landlords offered incentives such as a free month of rent. It is worth asking.
If you are also thinking about buying instead of renting, the Canadian mortgage calculator shows what a monthly payment looks like, and the land transfer tax calculator covers one of the largest one-time costs.
Other costs that change by province
- Electricity and heating: Quebec has some of the lowest electricity rates in the country, while heating costs in the Prairies can be much higher in winter than on the BC coast.
- Sales tax: Alberta has no provincial sales tax (only the 5% federal GST), while other provinces add provincial or harmonized taxes. The GST calculator helps with the federal part.
- Transport: Transit passes are cheap relative to car ownership, but car-dependent cities push the transport line up. Check your local transit agency for current pass prices.
- Health costs: Provincial plans generally cover hospital and physician services. Prescription drugs, dental and vision are often paid separately or through an employer plan, and rules vary by province.
- Childcare: Costs and subsidies differ widely between provinces, so check your province’s program before relying on a national average.
How to use your results
- Run your current city against two or three possible destinations, not just one.
- Replace the rent estimate with a real listing in the neighbourhood you would actually live in.
- Convert the equivalent gross salary to take-home pay with the income tax calculator.
- Add one-time costs the calculator does not include: moving, deposits, furniture and flights.
- Use the inflation calculator to see how costs may change over a multi-year lease.
What the calculator does not include
- Income tax and payroll deductions (it works with gross salary).
- One-time settlement and moving costs.
- Private insurance premiums, childcare, debt repayments and vehicle purchase costs.
- Differences between neighbourhoods within a city.
Students and newcomers
For study permit applications submitted on or after September 1, 2026, IRCC requires a single applicant outside Quebec to show at least $23,448 for first-year living expenses, in addition to tuition and travel costs. For Quebec, the single-applicant amount is $24,617 (effective January 1, 2026). Amounts are higher for accompanying family members and are updated annually, so confirm the current figure on the IRCC website.
That figure is a minimum for the permit, not a budget. Real spending depends on city and housing. Students can choose the budget lifestyle setting in the calculator, and anyone borrowing to study can estimate repayments with the student loan calculator. Newcomers should also set aside money for first and last months’ rent or deposits where applicable, which are not part of a monthly budget.
Families
A larger household changes three lines most: groceries, housing (you will likely need a two- or three-bedroom unit) and childcare. Use the two-bedroom rent figures above as a floor, then check local listings for larger units. Switch the household type in the calculator to see how the budget shifts.
Frequently asked questions
How accurate is the Cost of Living Calculator Canada?
It gives planning estimates based on relative city cost indexes and official data from sources such as Statistics Canada and CMHC. Your actual spending will vary with your housing, habits and neighbourhood, so check real listings before signing a lease.
Is the calculator free?
Yes. It is free to use and needs no sign-up, so you can compare as many cities as you like.
Does the calculator include taxes?
No. It works with gross (pre-tax) salary. To estimate take-home pay, use the Canada income tax calculator on this site.
Which major Canadian cities have the lowest rent?
Among the cities in the table above, Montréal had the lowest average two-bedroom rent in October 2025 at $1,346, followed by Winnipeg at $1,571 and Edmonton at $1,603. Vancouver was the highest at $2,363.
How much money do international students need to show for a Canadian study permit?
For applications submitted on or after September 1, 2026, a single applicant outside Quebec must show at least $23,448 for living expenses, in addition to tuition and travel costs. The Quebec amount is $24,617. Always confirm current amounts with IRCC.
Can I use it to plan an immigration budget?
Yes, as a starting point for monthly costs. Also budget separately for one-time costs such as flights, deposits, furniture and application fees, which are not included.
Related tools
Planning a move often involves more than one number. Browse the full set of Canada financial calculators, or see all free financial calculators on Sitnit.
Sources
- CMHC – Rental Market Report (major centres), 2025 survey
- Statistics Canada – How Canadian households spent their money in 2023
- The Canadian Press – CMHC rent report coverage, December 2025 (includes Rentals.ca / Urbanation asking-rent figure)
- IRCC – Study permit: proof of financial support
Estimates are for general planning and are not financial advice.
Written by Shivam D.
Software engineer who builds financial calculators and checks the figures against official sources before publishing.
Estimates are based on 2025 data from CMHC and Statistics Canada. Actual living costs vary by location, lifestyle, and market conditions. Verify official statistics at statcan.gc.ca.