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Crunching costs, sorting signals, rendering insights.
Crunching costs, sorting signals, rendering insights.
Ranking of cities in Canada for 2026. Edmonton leads with a cost index of 108 and rent of $1,800/month.
Ranking of cities in Canada for 2026. Edmonton leads with a cost index of 108 and rent of $1,800/month.
Edmonton: cost index 108 (+2 vs national avg 106), rent $1,800/month.
Alberta region average cost index: 121. Edmonton is -13 vs region peers.
Quality of life: 58/100 — safety 55, healthcare 76, walkability 48.
Safety score: 55/100 (crime rate 72.8/1k). National average: 63/100.
Here's the surprising part: Edmonton has a cost index of 108 — 2 points above the Canada national average of 106. Median income is $82,000 with rent at $1,800/month, putting the rent-to-income ratio at 26%. This is an advantage that compounds over time.
On quality of life, Edmonton scores a composite score of 58/100 — reflecting its safety (55), healthcare (76), and walkability (48) metrics. Context matters here. affordability and QoL don't always move in the same direction, and Canada is a good example of that tension.
For digital nomads specifically, Edmonton earns a DN score of 64/100, powered by 82 Mbps internet, walkability of 48/100, and a nightlife score of 58/100. That's a strong position by any measure.
Edmonton — cost index 108, rent $1,800/mo, income $82,000, QoL 58/100.
Vancouver — cost index 134, rent $2,850/mo, income $80,000, QoL 59/100.
Edmonton has a cost index of 108 (national avg: 106), rent $1,800/mo, median income $82,000/yr, and a quality of life score of 58/100.
The Alberta region of average QoL score is 59/100. Edmonton leads with 58/100, 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.
Edmonton: cost index 108, rent $1,800/mo, income $82,000/yr, QoL 58/100. Vancouver: cost index 134, rent $2,850/mo, income $80,000/yr, QoL 59/100.
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.