Cost of Living: New York vs Canada (Toronto, Winnipeg, Regina)
How expensive is Canada compared with New York City? The national price level of everyday spending versus the New York metro area, and the salary — in US dollars and CAD — that buys the same standard of living.
Salary converter
Before taxes. Income tax, sales tax and benefits differ a lot between places and aren’t included.
The numbers
- Cities
- Toronto, Winnipeg, Regina, Calgary, Vancouver, Halifax
- Price level vs US average
- 90.2 (New York metro: 112.6)
- Exchange rate (2025 avg.)
- 1 USD = 1.398 CAD
- Purchasing-power parity
- 1 USD of US-average spending ≈ 1.260 CAD
- Source
- World Bank, PPP conversion factor for private consumption ÷ exchange rate (2025); New York: BEA 2024
⚠️ This is Canada’s national average. Major cities — especially Toronto — are usually more expensive, mostly because of rent, so treat this as a lower bound for big-city living.
Frequently asked questions
Is Canada cheaper than New York?
Yes. Canada is 20% cheaper than the New York metro area overall (index 80, New York = 100).
What salary in Canada equals $100,000 in New York?
About $80,094 a year (about CA$111,980 at purchasing-power parity) buys the same standard of living in Canada as $100,000 in the New York metro area, before taxes.
Is Toronto more expensive than Canada’s national average?
Usually, yes. The comparison here uses Canada’s national average price level; large cities such as Toronto, Winnipeg, Regina typically cost more than the national figure, especially for rent.
Where does this data come from?
World Bank price levels of household consumption for 2025 (purchasing power parity conversion factor divided by the market exchange rate), compared with BEA’s 2024 figure for the New York metro area.