Our Methodology
How we source, calculate, and display cost of living data.
Our Data Sources
- Statistics Canada (StatCan) — Consumer price index data and rental market surveys for Canadian cities.
- Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC) — Rental market reports broken down by city and unit type.
- Numbeo — Crowdsourced cost of living data contributed by residents in each city.
- US Bureau of Labor Statistics — Consumer price and cost data for the US cities in our dataset.
- Rentals.ca and Zumper — Monthly Canadian rental market reports tracking asking rents by city.
How We Calculate Monthly Costs
Every city is measured on the same nine categories:
- Rent (City Centre) — Average monthly rent for a one-bedroom apartment within the city centre.
- Rent (Outside Centre) — Average monthly rent for a one-bedroom apartment outside the city centre.
- Groceries Index — A relative index score (Toronto = 100 baseline) representing typical monthly grocery spend. It is a comparison score, not a dollar amount.
- Monthly Transit Pass — Price of a standard adult monthly public transit pass.
- Utilities — Average monthly utilities for a standard apartment, including electricity, heating, and water.
- Gas — Price per litre of regular unleaded fuel.
- Mid-range Meal — Cost of a meal for one person at a mid-range restaurant.
- Gym Membership — Monthly membership at a gym or fitness centre.
- Childcare — Monthly cost of full-time childcare for one child.
How We Compare Cities
The one-sentence verdict on each comparison page is the average of the normalized cost categories, weighted equally. No single category dominates the result — a city with cheap rent but expensive groceries is scored on both.
For cities in different countries, costs are converted using the USD/CAD exchange rate fetched at build time from frankfurter.app. The rate is refreshed with each site rebuild, and the currency toggle in the header uses the same rate.
The salary equivalence calculator on every comparison page is based on the ratio of total cost indexes between the two cities: it scales your current salary by how much more or less everyday life costs in the destination city.
The “Monthly Essentials” composite used in city rankings combines rent, groceries, transit, utilities, and dining into a single monthly figure.
Data Currency and Accuracy
Our figures represent best estimates based on publicly available sources as of 2026. Individual costs vary significantly based on lifestyle, neighbourhood, and personal choices. This tool is intended for directional comparison, not precise financial planning.
Data is reviewed and updated periodically. Last updated: June 2026.
Limitations
- The groceries index is a relative score, not a dollar amount — it shows relative cost between cities, not absolute spend.
- Rental figures are averages — actual prices vary by neighbourhood, building age, and unit size.
- US city costs are stored in USD and converted to CAD using the build-time exchange rate — currency fluctuations affect displayed figures.
- Smaller cities may have less data available than major metros.