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Crunching costs, sorting signals, rendering insights.
Crunching costs, sorting signals, rendering insights.
Ranking of cities in Canada for 2026. Saint John leads with a cost index of 90 and rent of $1,210/month.
Ranking of cities in Canada for 2026. Saint John leads with a cost index of 90 and rent of $1,210/month.
Saint John ranks #1 with a cost index of 90 and rent of $1,210/month.
The median city is Montreal — cost index 104, rent $1,700/mo.
Average cost index across these cities: 106 (0 vs national average of 106).
Average quality of life: 61/100. Top: Saint John at 62/100.
Safest city: Charlottetown (80/100 safety score).
| # | City | Cost Index | Rent/mo | Income |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Saint John | 90 | $1,210 | $59,000 |
| 2 | Fredericton | 92 | $1,260 | $61,000 |
| 3 | Winnipeg | 93 | $1,420 | $67,500 |
| 4 | Regina | 94 | $1,370 | $70,000 |
| 5 | St. John's | 94 | $1,200 | $65,500 |
| 6 | Charlottetown | 93 | $1,340 | $59,500 |
| 7 | Saskatoon | 96 | $1,480 | $72,000 |
| 8 | Quebec City | 96 | $1,350 | $63,500 |
| 9 | London | 101 | $1,660 | $68,500 |
| 10 | Halifax | 100 | $1,720 | $66,000 |
| 11 | Montreal | 104 | $1,700 | $66,000 |
| 12 | Laval | 101 | $1,500 | $67,500 |
| 13 | Hamilton | 110 | $1,880 | $76,000 |
| 14 | Edmonton | 108 | $1,800 | $82,000 |
| 15 | Ottawa | 113 | $2,100 | $86,000 |
| 16 | Calgary | 114 | $2,050 | $86,500 |
| 17 | Mississauga | 118 | $2,450 | $80,000 |
| 18 | Victoria | 120 | $2,300 | $76,000 |
| 19 | Surrey | 124 | $2,420 | $74,000 |
| 20 | Toronto | 126 | $2,750 | $82,000 |
If you remember nothing else from this page, remember this: Saint John stands out as the top-ranked city in this analysis. With a cost index of 90 and median income of $59,000, it offers below-average costs relative to the rest of Canada. This combination is rare — and valuable.
Now for the nuance: the spread across all 21 cities is 44 points on the cost index. Vancouver sits at the other end with index 134 and rent of $2,850/mo. That's a difference you notice every single month.
On quality of life, Quebec City leads with a composite score of 70/100 — reflecting its safety (78), healthcare (78), and walkability (68) metrics. Now for the nuance: affordability and QoL don't always move in the same direction, and Canada is a good example of that tension.
Saint John — cost index 90, rent $1,210/mo, income $59,000, QoL 62/100.
Fredericton — cost index 92, rent $1,260/mo, income $61,000, QoL 67/100.
Winnipeg — cost index 93, rent $1,420/mo, income $67,500, QoL 58/100.
Regina — cost index 94, rent $1,370/mo, income $70,000, QoL 57/100.
St. John's — cost index 94, rent $1,200/mo, income $65,500, QoL 63/100.
The country average QoL score is 61/100. Saint John leads with 62/100, reflecting safety, healthcare access, walkability, and green space.
Our index is benchmarked to 100 (national median). Sub-categories cover housing, food, transport, utilities, and healthcare. Data sources include Statistics Canada, CMHC, CRA.
Saint John (ranked #1) has a cost index of 90 and rent of $1,210/mo. Vancouver (#21) has index 134 and rent $2,850/mo — a 44-point gap.
This analysis uses data from Statistics Canada, CMHC, CRA to rank cities in Canada. The cost of living index is benchmarked to 100 (national median). Quality of life scores combine safety, healthcare, walkability, air quality, green space, and transit metrics. Salary ranges use national occupation data adjusted for local cost differences. Data is updated regularly to reflect current market conditions.