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Crunching costs, sorting signals, rendering insights.
Crunching costs, sorting signals, rendering insights.
Ranking of cities in Canada for 2026. London leads with a cost index of 96 and rent of $1,500/month.
Ranking of cities in Canada for 2026. London leads with a cost index of 96 and rent of $1,500/month.
London ranks #1 with a cost index of 96 and rent of $1,500/month.
Average cost index across these cities: 94 (-7 vs national average of 101).
Average quality of life: 66/100. Top: London at 61/100.
Safest city: Quebec City (78/100 safety score).
| # | City | Cost Index | Rent/mo | Income |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | London | 96 | $1,500 | $65,000 |
| 2 | Quebec City | 92 | $1,200 | $60,000 |
The conventional wisdom says one thing. The data says another: London stands out as the top-ranked city in this analysis. With a cost index of 96 and median income of $65,000, it offers below-average costs relative to the rest of Canada. Financially, that's significant.
On quality of life, Quebec City leads with a composite score of 71/100 — 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.
London — cost index 96, rent $1,500/mo, income $65,000, QoL 61/100.
Quebec City — cost index 92, rent $1,200/mo, income $60,000, QoL 71/100.
The country average QoL score is 63/100. London leads with 61/100, 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.
London (ranked #1) has a cost index of 96 and rent of $1,500/mo. Quebec City (#2) has index 92 and rent $1,200/mo — a 4-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.