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Crunching costs, sorting signals, rendering insights.
Crunching costs, sorting signals, rendering insights.
Ranking of cities in Canada for 2026. Vancouver leads with a cost index of 134 and rent of $2,850/month.
Ranking of cities in Canada for 2026. Vancouver leads with a cost index of 134 and rent of $2,850/month.
Vancouver: cost index 134 (+28 vs national avg 106), rent $2,850/month.
British Columbia region average cost index: 122. Vancouver is +12 vs region peers.
Quality of life: 59/100 — safety 65, healthcare 82, walkability 80.
Safety score: 65/100 (crime rate 50.8/1k). National average: 63/100.
Here's what the headline numbers don't tell you: Vancouver has a cost index of 134 — 28 points above the Canada national average of 106. Median income is $80,000 with rent at $2,850/month, putting the rent-to-income ratio at 43%. That's a strong position by any measure.
On quality of life, Vancouver scores a composite score of 59/100 — reflecting its safety (65), healthcare (82), and walkability (80) metrics. Zooming out, affordability and QoL don't always move in the same direction, and Canada is a good example of that tension.
Vancouver — cost index 134, rent $2,850/mo, income $80,000, QoL 59/100.
Hamilton — cost index 110, rent $1,880/mo, income $76,000, QoL 56/100.
Vancouver has a cost index of 134 (national avg: 106), rent $2,850/mo, median income $80,000/yr, and a quality of life score of 59/100.
The British Columbia region of average QoL score is 58/100. Vancouver leads with 59/100, 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.
Vancouver: cost index 134, rent $2,850/mo, income $80,000/yr, QoL 59/100. Hamilton: cost index 110, rent $1,880/mo, income $76,000/yr, QoL 56/100.
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.