Salaries for the same job can vary wildly across Canada. But before you pack your whole life into boxes and go where the bigger paycheques are, have you considered the cost of living? Like salaries, this can vary from city to city as well. Using data from Expatistan, we found out which are the 20 most expensive places to live in Canada.

Getty Images
1 / 20
20. London, Ontario
London may be one of the most expensive cities to live in Canada, but it’s still much cheaper than any of the most expensive cities in North America. In fact, at an average of $1,188 a month, it has the cheapest furnished accommodation in an expensive area of the city on the continent. Utilities for two people in an 85-square-metre (900-square-foot) apartment come to $202 and a basic lunch in the business district comes to $21 on average. A monthly pass on public transport costs $83.

Getty Images
2 / 20
19. Nanaimo, British Columbia
In Nanaimo, a furnished 85-square-metre apartment in a regular area (non-expensive area of the city) will set you back about $1,567 a month, while your utilities will come to around $96 for two people. Lunch in the business district will set you back around $19 and for public transportation you’ll need to fork out $65 for a monthly pass.
You may also like: Jobs with the best starting salaries in Canada.

Getty Images
3 / 20
18. Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island
Lovely Charlottetown is one of the best cities in Canada to visit during the summer but is living here permanently a sustainable idea? In a regular area, furnished 85-square-metre accommodation costs around $1,063, but your utilities for two people will set you back $243 a month. Lunch in the business district is around $18 and a monthly public transport pass is $66.

Getty Images
4 / 20
17. Hamilton, Ontario
One of the leading cities to be Canada’s next tech hub, Hamilton is also one of the more expensive cities to live in. In a regular area you can expect to pay about $1,195 a month for furnished 85-square-metre accommodation, while utilities for two people come to around $227 a month. Lunch in the business district comes to around $17 and your monthly pass for public transportation will cost $102.

Getty Images
5 / 20
16. Saskatoon, Saskatchewan
In Saskatoon, you can expect to pay around $1,247 a month for furnished 85-square-metre accommodation in a regular area, with some $169 added for utilities for two people. At $17, basic lunch in the business district is among the cheapest in North America, but Saskatoon also has the most expensive chicken breasts, bread and toilet paper in Canada. A monthly public transportation pass will set you back $82.
See also: Top 20 cheapest cities to live in Canada.

Getty Images
6 / 20
15. Kelowna, British Columbia
Furnished 85-square-metre accommodation in Kelowna costs around $1,831 a month and utilities for two people will add about $203 to your housing budget. A basic lunch in the business district comes to around $22. However, Kelowna has the second cheapest public transportation in Canada at $64 for a monthly pass.

Getty Images
7 / 20
14. Halifax, Nova Scotia
Underrated Halifax is the destination for one of the best solo trips for travellers in Canada. Living here is a different story, though. In a regular area, you can expect to pay around $1,128 a month for furnished 85-square-metre accommodation, with an added $179 for utilities. Lunch in the business district can set you back around $22. A monthly pubic transportation pass costs about $80.

Getty Images
8 / 20
13. Barrie, Ontario
In Barrie, monthly rent for a furnished 85-square-metre apartment in a regular area is around $1,376, while utilities for two people come to around $214 a month. A basic lunch in the business district is around $18 and a monthly pass on public transportation will cost you $87.
You may also like: The 10 best cash back credit cards in Canada.

Getty Images
9 / 20
12. Winnipeg, Manitoba
Winnipeg is one of the Canadian cities with the worst winters and to add insult to injury when you want to stay out of the cold, this is also where you’ll pay the third highest prices in North America for a flat-screen TV and the highest prices in Canada for apples. Monthly rent for furnished 85-square-metre accommodation in a regular area is around $1,308 and utilities for two people are around $190. Public transportation will cost you $98, but lunch in the business district is on the cheaper side: around $17.

P199/Wikimedia Commons
10 / 20
11. Oshawa, Ontario
In Oshawa, you’ll need to budget for around $1,208 a month for furnished 85-square-metre accommodation in a regular area and add $229 for utilities for two people. Then there’s the $128 a month you’ll need for public transportation. At least lunch in the business district is pretty cheap at $16 and of course there’s Lake Ontario to look at.

Getty Images
11 / 20
10. Ottawa, Ontario
Ottawa is the place to be if you want one of the Government of Canada jobs in demand for 2019. Unfortunately the nation’s capital isn’t a cheap city to live in. Monthly rent for furnished 85-square-metre accommodation in a normal area comes to around $1,455, while utilities for two people will cost about $138 a month. Lunch in the business district is $20 on average, but go easy on the dairy: Ottawa has the world’s fourth most expensive local cheese and the fourth most expensive whole-fat milk in Canada. Public transportation will set you back around $115 a month.
See also: The best Canadian cities to raise kids.

Getty Images
12 / 20
9. Edmonton, Alberta
In Edmonton, monthly rent for furnished 85-square-metre accommodation is around $1,305. Don’t think you’ll save on utilities here in oil and gas country, though: at $257 for two people, Edmonton has some of the most expensive utilities in Canada. The city is also home to the country’s most expensive movie tickets and domestic beer from the store. For public transport, you can expect to pay $95 a month.

Getty Images
13 / 20
8. St. John’s, Newfoundland and Labrador
With its colourful downtown area, St. John’s is one of the most beautiful cities in Canada. Living here is pricey, though. Furnished 85-square-metre accommodation in a regular area will cost you around $1,388 a month, but you can expect to pay a whopping $318 for utilities for two people. Lunch in the business district comes to around $17 on average, while a monthly public transportation pass is $77.

Getty Images
14 / 20
7. Victoria, British Columbia
In Victoria, you can expect to pay around $1,627 a month for furnished 85-square-metre accommodation in a regular area, with $123 for utilities for two people. A basic lunch in the business district costs around $18 and a monthly pass for public transportation is $84. It’s a good thing the city is so stunningly beautiful that you won’t want to spend your days surfing the web: Victoria has the most expensive internet in Canada.
You may also like: Weird things that are taxed in Canada.

Getty Images
15 / 20
6. Calgary, Alberta
Stampede makes Calgary one of the best places to visit in July, but what about living here the rest of the year? Furnished 85-square-metre accommodation in a regular area is about $1,456 a month and utilities come to around $211 a month for two people in an 85-square-metre apartment. Public transportation will set you back $103 a month and lunch in the business district is around $19. Don’t make it a big lunch, though: Calgary has the most expensive business district gym memberships in Canada.

Getty Images
16 / 20
5. Regina, Saskatchewan
If you want to live in Regina, you need to budget for about $1,264 for furnished 85-square-metre accommodation in a regular area and $227 for utilities for two people. You’ll also need $86 for a monthly pass for public transportation and around $19 for a basic lunch in the business district.
Related: The coldest towns and cities in Canada.

Getty Images
17 / 20
4. Mississauga, Ontario
Its proximity to Toronto makes Mississauga a great city for jobs. However, furnished 85-square-metre accommodation in a regular area costs around $1,633 a month, while utilities for two people come to around $183. A monthly pass for public transport is $137 and Mississauga also has one of North America’s most expensive basic lunches in the business district: $22.
You may also like: How to boost your salary without getting a raise.

Getty Images
18 / 20
3. Yellowknife, Northwest Territories
For such a small and remote city, Yellowknife is surprisingly expensive. Furnished 85-square-metre accommodation in a regular area costs around $1,800 and utilities for two people in an apartment of this size will come to a whopping $410 a month. In winter, wrap up and go outside for a bit to save on heating bills: Yellowknife is one of the best places to see the Northern Lights. A basic lunch in the business district is around $22 and monthly public transport is around $59.

Getty Images
19 / 20
2. Vancouver, British Columbia
It’s a good thing Vancouver is one of the places with the lowest taxes in Canada or nobody would be able to afford living there. A furnished 85-square-metre apartment in a regular area costs around $2,143 a month and utilities for two people come to about $107 a month. Lunch in the business district is about $17. Public transport is $107 a month, which makes up for the fact that Vancouver has the second most expensive gasoline in North America.

Getty Images
20 / 20
1. Toronto, Ontario
Toronto is the most expensive city to live in Canada. For an 85-square-metre apartment in a regular area, you can expect to pay around $2,049 a month, with an added $130 for utilities for two people. Lunch in the business district comes to around $17. You might want to take advantage of the fact that Toronto has the cheapest basic taxi trips in North America, since at $145 for a monthly pass, public transport is the most expensive in Canada. At least the city has given us some very funny Tweets about public transit.
You may also like:
Toronto slang and where it actually comes from.
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT