Canada: cost of living

How much have gas prices gone up in Canada?

Gasoline prices in Canada were 22.8% higher in August 2026 than a year earlier, after a 25.7% rise in July, according to the Consumer Price Index from Statistics Canada, released on 14 September 2026. Statistics Canada said prices stayed elevated as the conflict in the Middle East continued.

Excluding gasoline, consumer prices rose 2.4% in August, against 3.0% for the all-items CPI. Prices for fuel oil and other fuels rose 43.7%, which pushed up inflation in the Atlantic provinces, where fuel oil is more common for heating. The September CPI is due on 19 October 2026. Average pump prices by city are published in Statistics Canada's monthly retail price tables.

Official sources: Statistics Canada: Consumer Price Index, August 2026

How much have grocery prices gone up in Canada?

Prices for food purchased from stores rose 2.8% in the year to August 2026, down from 3.1% in July, according to the Consumer Price Index from Statistics Canada. It was the first time since July 2024 that grocery price growth was below headline inflation (3.0%).

Dairy prices led the slowdown, rising 0.7% after 3.1% in July. Over a longer period, Statistics Canada reports that grocery prices have risen 29.0% since August 2021. These are changes in the price of a fixed basket, so they do not show what any one household spends. Statistics Canada also publishes monthly average retail prices for selected foods.

Official sources: Statistics Canada: Consumer Price Index, August 2026

What is the poverty rate in Canada?

Canada's official poverty rate was 11.0% in 2024, compared with 11.1% in 2023, according to the Canadian Income Survey from Statistics Canada, released on 29 April 2026. About 4.5 million people lived below the poverty line. The rate was 5.4% for seniors, 12.6% for people aged 18 to 64 and 11.5% for children.

The official poverty line is the Market Basket Measure, the cost of a set basket of food, clothing, shelter, transport and other necessities in each region. A family is in poverty if its disposable income is below that cost. Estimates for 2018 to 2023 were revised in this release using the 2021 Census.

Official sources: Statistics Canada: Canadian Income Survey, 2024

What is the median household income in Canada?

The median after-tax income of Canadian families and unattached individuals was $75,500 in 2024, relatively unchanged from 2023 after adjusting for inflation, according to the Canadian Income Survey from Statistics Canada. Median market income was $69,800 and government transfers $10,300.

The median is the middle value: half of families and unattached individuals had more and half had less. Market income is income from work, investments and private pensions before government transfers and taxes. The survey counts economic families and people living alone or with unrelated people as separate units, so it differs from household income in the census.

Official sources: Statistics Canada: Canadian Income Survey, 2024

How much has home insurance gone up in Canada?

Homeowners' home and mortgage insurance premiums in Canada rose 45.0% from December 2019 to December 2025, more than double the 21.0% rise in the all-items Consumer Price Index, according to a Statistics Canada study released on 16 June 2026. Passenger vehicle insurance premiums rose 23.9% over the same period.

Statistics Canada links the increase to more extreme weather, higher building and repair costs, and higher vehicle prices and thefts. Catastrophic insurance claims reached $8.6 billion in 2024, the costliest year on record. The premium figures are price indexes from the CPI, so they track the cost of comparable coverage rather than what any one household pays.

Official sources: Statistics Canada: Extreme weather impacts on consumers and insurers in Canada

How fast are prices rising in Canada?

The IMF puts consumer price inflation in Canada at 2.1% in 2025. Since 2005 it has ranged from 0.3% (2009) to 6.8% (2022). Of 165 countries with 2025 data, 110th highest.

How much do households in Canada spend per person?

In 2025, household consumption per person in Canada was $26,972, according to the World Bank. The peak was $26,983 in 2022 and the low $21,400 in 2005. Of 124 countries with 2025 data, 8th highest.

What share of people in Canada live in extreme poverty?

The World Bank puts the share of people living on less than $3.00 a day in Canada at 0.3% in 2022. Its high point since 2005 was 2013, at 0.5%; its low point was 2020, at 0.1%. Of 72 countries with 2022 data, 52nd highest.

How unequal are incomes in Canada?

The latest figure from the World Bank, for 2022, is 31.5. Its high point since 2005 was 2006, at 34.1; its low point was 2020, at 29.9. World rank, highest first: 49th of 72.

What is food insecurity in Canada?

The FAO puts moderate or severe food insecurity in Canada at 10.5% in 2024. No year since 2015 has been higher. Worldwide: 89th of 135.