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Crunching costs, sorting signals, rendering insights.
Crunching costs, sorting signals, rendering insights.
Ranking of cities in Canada for 2026. Winnipeg leads with a cost index of 89 and rent of $1,300/month.
Ranking of cities in Canada for 2026. Winnipeg leads with a cost index of 89 and rent of $1,300/month.
Winnipeg ranks #1 with a cost index of 89 and rent of $1,300/month.
The median city is Laval — cost index 96, rent $1,350/mo.
Average cost index across these cities: 101 (0 vs national average of 101).
Average quality of life: 63/100. Top: Winnipeg at 59/100.
Safest city: Charlottetown (80/100 safety score).
| # | City | Cost Index | Rent/mo | Income |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Winnipeg | 89 | $1,300 | $64,000 |
| 2 | Regina | 90 | $1,250 | $66,000 |
| 3 | Saint John | 86 | $1,100 | $56,000 |
| 4 | Fredericton | 88 | $1,150 | $58,000 |
| 5 | Charlottetown | 88 | $1,200 | $56,000 |
| 6 | Quebec City | 92 | $1,200 | $60,000 |
| 7 | St. John's | 90 | $1,100 | $62,000 |
| 8 | London | 96 | $1,500 | $65,000 |
| 9 | Saskatoon | 92 | $1,350 | $68,000 |
| 10 | Halifax | 95 | $1,550 | $62,000 |
| 11 | Laval | 96 | $1,350 | $64,000 |
| 12 | Montreal | 98 | $1,500 | $62,000 |
| 13 | Edmonton | 102 | $1,600 | $78,000 |
| 14 | Ottawa | 108 | $1,900 | $82,000 |
| 15 | Hamilton | 105 | $1,700 | $72,000 |
| 16 | Calgary | 108 | $1,800 | $82,000 |
| 17 | Mississauga | 112 | $2,200 | $76,000 |
| 18 | Victoria | 115 | $2,100 | $72,000 |
| 19 | Surrey | 118 | $2,200 | $70,000 |
| 20 | Toronto | 120 | $2,500 | $78,000 |
Let's cut to what actually matters here. Winnipeg stands out as the top-ranked city in this analysis. With a cost index of 89 and median income of $64,000, it offers below-average costs relative to the rest of Canada. Financially, that's significant.
Context matters here. the spread across all 21 cities is 39 points on the cost index. Vancouver sits at the other end with index 128 and rent of $2,600/mo. That's a strong position by any measure.
On quality of life, Quebec City leads with a composite score of 71/100 — reflecting its safety (78), healthcare (78), and walkability (68) metrics. Here's where it gets complicated: affordability and QoL don't always move in the same direction, and Canada is a good example of that tension.
Winnipeg — cost index 89, rent $1,300/mo, income $64,000, QoL 59/100.
Regina — cost index 90, rent $1,250/mo, income $66,000, QoL 58/100.
Saint John — cost index 86, rent $1,100/mo, income $56,000, QoL 63/100.
Fredericton — cost index 88, rent $1,150/mo, income $58,000, QoL 68/100.
Charlottetown — cost index 88, rent $1,200/mo, income $56,000, QoL 70/100.
The country average QoL score is 63/100. Winnipeg leads with 59/100, reflecting its 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.
Winnipeg (ranked #1) has a cost index of 89 and rent of $1,300/mo. Vancouver (#21) has index 128 and rent $2,600/mo — a 39-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.