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Crunching costs, sorting signals, rendering insights.
Crunching costs, sorting signals, rendering insights.
Ranking of cities in Canada for 2026. Charlottetown leads with a cost index of 88 and rent of $1,200/month.
Ranking of cities in Canada for 2026. Charlottetown leads with a cost index of 88 and rent of $1,200/month.
| # | City | Cost Index | Rent/mo | Income |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Charlottetown | 88 | $1,200 | $56,000 |
| 2 | Quebec City | 92 | $1,200 | $60,000 |
| 3 | Ottawa | 108 | $1,900 | $82,000 |
| 4 | Victoria | 115 | $2,100 | $72,000 |
| 5 | Fredericton | 88 | $1,150 | $58,000 |
| 6 | Mississauga | 112 | $2,200 | $76,000 |
| 7 | Laval | 96 | $1,350 | $64,000 |
| 8 | Halifax | 95 | $1,550 | $62,000 |
| 9 | Calgary | 108 | $1,800 | $82,000 |
| 10 | St. John's | 90 | $1,100 | $62,000 |
| 11 | Vancouver | 128 | $2,600 | $76,000 |
| 12 | Montreal | 98 | $1,500 | $62,000 |
| 13 | Toronto | 120 | $2,500 | $78,000 |
| 14 | London | 96 | $1,500 | $65,000 |
| 15 | Hamilton | 105 | $1,700 | $72,000 |
| 16 | Surrey | 118 | $2,200 | $70,000 |
| 17 | Saint John | 86 | $1,100 | $56,000 |
| 18 | Edmonton | 102 | $1,600 | $78,000 |
| 19 | Saskatoon | 92 | $1,350 | $68,000 |
| 20 | Regina | 90 | $1,250 | $66,000 |
Charlottetown ranks #1 with a cost index of 88 and rent of $1,200/month.
The median city is Vancouver — cost index 128, rent $2,600/mo.
Average cost index across these cities: 101 (0 vs national average of 101).
Average quality of life: 63/100. Top: Charlottetown at 70/100.
Safest city: Charlottetown (80/100 safety score).
Here's the surprising part: Charlottetown stands out as the top-ranked city in this analysis. With a cost index of 88 and median income of $56,000, it offers below-average costs relative to the rest of Canada. That's a strong position by any measure.
And here's the trade-off: the spread across all 21 cities is 1 points on the cost index. Winnipeg sits at the other end with index 89 and rent of $1,300/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. But here's the flip side: affordability and QoL don't always move in the same direction, and Canada is a good example of that tension.
Charlottetown — cost index 88, rent $1,200/mo, income $56,000, QoL 70/100.
Quebec City — cost index 92, rent $1,200/mo, income $60,000, QoL 71/100.
Ottawa — cost index 108, rent $1,900/mo, income $82,000, QoL 65/100.
Victoria — cost index 115, rent $2,100/mo, income $72,000, QoL 67/100.
Fredericton — cost index 88, rent $1,150/mo, income $58,000, QoL 68/100.
Charlottetown scores highest for families due to its below-average cost of living, rent of $1,200/mo, and quality of life score of 70/100.
The country average QoL score is 63/100. Charlottetown leads with 70/100, 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.
Charlottetown (ranked #1) has a cost index of 88 and rent of $1,200/mo. Winnipeg (#21) has index 89 and rent $1,300/mo — a 1-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.