Assembling your view…
Crunching costs, sorting signals, rendering insights.
Crunching costs, sorting signals, rendering insights.
Edmonton vs Fredericton in 2026: cost index 102 vs 88, rent $1,600 vs $1,150, income $78,000 vs $58,000, QoL 59 vs 68.
Edmonton vs Fredericton in 2026: cost index 102 vs 88, rent $1,600 vs $1,150, income $78,000 vs $58,000, QoL 59 vs 68.
Edmonton ranks #1 with a cost index of 102 and rent of $1,600/month.
Average cost index across these cities: 95 (-6 vs national average of 101).
Average quality of life: 64/100. Top: Edmonton at 59/100.
Safest city: Fredericton (72/100 safety score).
Here's the finding that keeps coming up in different analyses: Edmonton stands out as the top-ranked city in this analysis. With a cost index of 102 and median income of $78,000, it offers competitive value despite costs slightly above the national median. This combination is rare — and valuable.
On quality of life, Fredericton leads with a composite score of 68/100 — reflecting its safety (72), healthcare (66), and walkability (58) metrics. Context matters here. affordability and QoL don't always move in the same direction, and Canada is a good example of that tension.
The country average QoL score is 63/100. Edmonton 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.
Edmonton (ranked #1) has a cost index of 102 and rent of $1,600/mo. Fredericton (#2) has index 88 and rent $1,150/mo — a 14-point gap.