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Crunching costs, sorting signals, rendering insights.
Crunching costs, sorting signals, rendering insights.
Ranking of cities in Canada for 2026. Quebec City leads with a cost index of 92 and rent of $1,200/month.
Ranking of cities in Canada for 2026. Quebec City leads with a cost index of 92 and rent of $1,200/month.
Quebec City ranks #1 with a cost index of 92 and rent of $1,200/month.
The median city is Calgary — cost index 108, rent $1,800/mo.
Average cost index across these cities: 101 (0 vs national average of 101).
Average quality of life: 63/100. Top: Quebec City at 71/100.
Safest city: Charlottetown (80/100 safety score).
One stat flips the usual narrative: Quebec City stands out as the top-ranked city in this analysis. With a cost index of 92 and median income of $60,000, 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 26 points on the cost index. Surrey sits at the other end with index 118 and rent of $2,200/mo. This stands out as genuinely impressive.
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.
| # | City | Cost Index | Rent/mo | Income |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Quebec City | 92 | $1,200 | $60,000 |
| 2 | Charlottetown | 88 | $1,200 | $56,000 |
| 3 | Halifax | 95 | $1,550 | $62,000 |
| 4 | Fredericton | 88 | $1,150 | $58,000 |
| 5 | Victoria | 115 | $2,100 | $72,000 |
| 6 | Ottawa | 108 | $1,900 | $82,000 |
| 7 | Montreal | 98 | $1,500 | $62,000 |
| 8 | St. John's | 90 | $1,100 | $62,000 |
| 9 | Saint John | 86 | $1,100 | $56,000 |
| 10 | Laval | 96 | $1,350 | $64,000 |
| 11 | Calgary | 108 | $1,800 | $82,000 |
| 12 | London | 96 | $1,500 | $65,000 |
| 13 | Vancouver | 128 | $2,600 | $76,000 |
| 14 | Mississauga | 112 | $2,200 | $76,000 |
| 15 | Saskatoon | 92 | $1,350 | $68,000 |
| 16 | Edmonton | 102 | $1,600 | $78,000 |
| 17 | Winnipeg | 89 | $1,300 | $64,000 |
| 18 | Toronto | 120 | $2,500 | $78,000 |
| 19 | Hamilton | 105 | $1,700 | $72,000 |
| 20 | Regina | 90 | $1,250 | $66,000 |
Quebec City — cost index 92, rent $1,200/mo, income $60,000, QoL 71/100.
Charlottetown — cost index 88, rent $1,200/mo, income $56,000, QoL 70/100.
Halifax — cost index 95, rent $1,550/mo, income $62,000, QoL 68/100.
Fredericton — cost index 88, rent $1,150/mo, income $58,000, QoL 68/100.
Victoria — cost index 115, rent $2,100/mo, income $72,000, QoL 67/100.
Quebec City scores highest for retirees due to its below-average cost of living, rent of $1,200/mo, and quality of life score of 71/100.
The country average QoL score is 63/100. Quebec City leads with 71/100, 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.
Quebec City (ranked #1) has a cost index of 92 and rent of $1,200/mo. Surrey (#21) has index 118 and rent $2,200/mo — a 26-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.