Toronto and Vancouver have long been considered the most expensive cities in Canada’s ten provinces, and in 2022 they were overtaken by Calgary.
Statistics Canada recently unveiled its 2022 Market Basket Measure (MBM) for the provinces and metropolitan areas of the 10 provinces.
According to this list, living with an MBM currently costs the most in Calgary, which has reached $55,771, a high in the country if you exclude the three northern territories. A family in Edmonton, on the other hand, must have at least $55,225 to afford the basket set by Statistics Canada.
Second on the list is Vancouver, the country’s most expensive city for residential real estate. The city of British Columbia recorded a GPA of $55,727 in 2022, a figure that was only $50 lower than Calgary.
Toronto compared more closely to Edmonton with a GPA of 55.262.
$10,000 less in Quebec
Quebecers affected by inflation and the housing crisis can say that we take comfort in comparisons.
Statistics Canada calculates that a family in Quebec must pay $45,411 and in Montreal $46,027 to afford essential goods and services.
These are lower amounts than in most major cities in the country, including all capitals and major cities in the four Atlantic provinces of Manitoba and Saskatchewan.
The MPS calculates the minimum cost of goods and services, including accommodation and transportation, for a family of two adults and two children to live a modest, simple life. A family that cannot afford this basket is considered to be living below the poverty line.