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Crunching costs, sorting signals, rendering insights.
Crunching costs, sorting signals, rendering insights.
Ranking of cities in Canada for 2026. Montreal leads with a cost index of 104 and rent of $1,700/month.
Ranking of cities in Canada for 2026. Montreal leads with a cost index of 104 and rent of $1,700/month.
Montreal ranks #1 with a cost index of 104 and rent of $1,700/month.
The median city is Hamilton — cost index 110, rent $1,880/mo.
Average cost index across these cities: 106 (0 vs national average of 106).
Average quality of life: 61/100. Top: Montreal at 64/100.
Safest city: Charlottetown (80/100 safety score).
Most comparisons stop at rent. We didn't. Montreal stands out as the top-ranked city in this analysis. With a cost index of 104 and median income of $66,000, it offers below-average costs relative to the rest of Canada. That gap is hard to ignore.
And there's one more thing: the spread across all 21 cities is 10 points on the cost index. Regina sits at the other end with index 94 and rent of $1,370/mo. This combination is rare — and valuable.
On quality of life, Quebec City leads with a composite score of 70/100 — reflecting its safety (78), healthcare (78), and walkability (68) metrics. Zooming out, affordability and QoL don't always move in the same direction, and Canada is a good example of that tension.
For digital nomads specifically, Montreal earns a DN score of 75/100, powered by 85 Mbps internet, walkability of 78/100, and a nightlife score of 92/100. This stands out as genuinely impressive.
| # | City | Cost Index | Rent/mo | Income |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Montreal | 104 | $1,700 | $66,000 |
| 2 | Quebec City | 96 | $1,350 | $63,500 |
| 3 | Halifax | 100 | $1,720 | $66,000 |
| 4 | Toronto | 126 | $2,750 | $82,000 |
| 5 | Ottawa | 113 | $2,100 | $86,000 |
| 6 | Victoria | 120 | $2,300 | $76,000 |
| 7 | Vancouver | 134 | $2,850 | $80,000 |
| 8 | Calgary | 114 | $2,050 | $86,500 |
| 9 | Laval | 101 | $1,500 | $67,500 |
| 10 | Edmonton | 108 | $1,800 | $82,000 |
| 11 | Hamilton | 110 | $1,880 | $76,000 |
| 12 | Mississauga | 118 | $2,450 | $80,000 |
| 13 | London | 101 | $1,660 | $68,500 |
| 14 | Fredericton | 92 | $1,260 | $61,000 |
| 15 | Charlottetown | 93 | $1,340 | $59,500 |
| 16 | Winnipeg | 93 | $1,420 | $67,500 |
| 17 | Saint John | 90 | $1,210 | $59,000 |
| 18 | St. John's | 94 | $1,200 | $65,500 |
| 19 | Saskatoon | 96 | $1,480 | $72,000 |
| 20 | Surrey | 124 | $2,420 | $74,000 |
Montreal — cost index 104, rent $1,700/mo, income $66,000, QoL 64/100.
Quebec City — cost index 96, rent $1,350/mo, income $63,500, QoL 70/100.
Halifax — cost index 100, rent $1,720/mo, income $66,000, QoL 67/100.
Toronto — cost index 126, rent $2,750/mo, income $82,000, QoL 56/100.
Ottawa — cost index 113, rent $2,100/mo, income $86,000, QoL 64/100.
Montreal scores highest for digital nomads due to its below-average cost of living, rent of $1,700/mo, and quality of life score of 64/100.
The country average QoL score is 61/100. Montreal leads with 64/100, 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.
Montreal (ranked #1) has a cost index of 104 and rent of $1,700/mo. Regina (#21) has index 94 and rent $1,370/mo — a 10-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.