How much money you need to live alone in each Canadian city
Living isn’t cheap. But it’s definitely cheaper in some places than others. From rent and utilities to groceries and entertainment, we’re taking a look at how much someone living alone in five major Canadian cities will reasonably spend on:
- Rent – how much it costs to rent a one-bedroom apartment on average in the city?
- Basic utilities, internet, phone – how much does it cost to stay connected?
- Transportation – how much does it cost for a monthly bus pass?
- Groceries – how much does it cost to buy just the basics every week?
- Dining out – what’s the average cost of a nice meal for two?
- Entertainment – what’s the average cost of a movie ticket and three beers?
- Health and fitness – how much do gym memberships cost?
- Coffee – how much would you spend if you bought a cappuccino daily before work?
- Cost of living extras – how much does one pair of Levi’s jeans, and one pair of Nike shoes cost?
To find these prices, all shown in averages, we used rental data from Rentals.ca, average cell phone cost data from the Government of Canada, and cost of living data from Numbeo. What you’ll see here is a snapshot of the realistic cost of renting and living alone in Canada.
1. Vancouver
Muddymari/Shutterstock
Rent: $2,633
Basic utilities and internet: $206.23
Phone: $74.42
Transportation: $120
Groceries: $369.36
Dining out: $105
Entertainment: $44
Health and fitness: $60.57
Coffee: $101
Cost of living extras: $130
Total: $3,843.58
Read more: This is how much money you need to make to live alone in Vancouver
2. Calgary
Mantas Volungevicius/Shutterstock
Rent: $1,473
Basic utilities and internet: $354.12
Phone: $74.42
Transportation: $112
Groceries: $353.08
Dining out: $95
Entertainment: $27.34
Health and fitness: $80.60
Coffee: $101.8
Cost of living extras: $180.41
Total: $2,851.77
Read more:Â This is how much money you need to make to live alone in Calgary
3. Edmonton
Shutterstock/Danny Dokken
Rent: $1,100
Basic utilities and internet: $336.65
Phone: $74.42
Transportation: $100
Groceries: $339.20
Dining out: $99
Entertainment: $26.04
Health and fitness: $60.77
Coffee: $103.60
Cost of living extras: $177.96
Total: $2,417.64
Read more:Â This is how much money you need to make to live alone in Edmonton
4. Montreal
Firefighter Montreal/Shutterstock
Rent: $1,572 for a one-bedroom apartment
Basic utilities and internet: $169.10
Phone: $74.42
Transportation: $94
Groceries: $339.52
Dining out: $90
Entertainment: $25.68
Health and fitness: $40.04
Coffee: $96
Cost of living extras: $211.23
Total: $2,711.99
Read more:Â This is how much money you need to make (on average) to live alone in Montreal
5. Toronto
ACHPF/Shutterstock
Rent: $2,532 for a one-bedroom apartment
Utilities: $249.39
Phone: $74.42
Transportation: $156
Groceries: $361.60
Dining out: $120
Entertainment: $26.04
Health and fitness: $61.47
Coffee: $97.20
Cost of living extras: $203.10
Total: $3,881.22
To recap, it costs
- $3,843.58 to live in Vancouver
- $2,851.77 to live in Calgary
- $2,417.64 to live in Edmonton
- $2,711.99 to live in Montreal
- $3,881.22Â to live in Toronto
So, while it’s cheaper to live in Alberta, Montreal is comparably affordable, while life in Vancouver and Toronto costs about the same. Of course, your budget will vary greatly based on your living situation, lifestyle, and background.
Which Canadian city do you think is the best to live in?
These figures are accurate as of January 2023.
Follow Channels and Categories