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Cost of living in Waterloo
Rent, everyday prices and the gross salary you may need to cover living costs in Waterloo.
One person, a month
CAD 1,358
Living costs excluding rent
Family of four, a month
CAD 4,789
Living costs excluding rent
One-bedroom rent, centre
CAD 2,026
A month
Gross salary, one person
CAD 46,000
to cover living costs in Waterloo
Waterloo's cost of living at a glance
Waterloo is among the more expensive cities in Canada but among the less expensive cities in North America. The estimated monthly costs for a single person in Waterloo are CAD 1,358, excluding rent. Living costs for a family of four are CAD 4,789 a month, excluding rent.
A single person in Waterloo may need a gross salary of at least CAD 46,000 a year to cover estimated living costs, renting a one-bedroom apartment outside the centre and saving nothing.
One person's monthly costs
Numbeo household estimate in CAD, with the rent of a one-bedroom apartment in the city centre
Source: Numbeo, 1 June 2026.
How Waterloo compares
One person's monthly costs in Waterloo, excluding rent, are 10.3% lower than in the typical city in Canada and 7.3% higher than in the typical city worldwide.
Where Waterloo ranks
In Canada
33rd of 67
One person's monthly costs including rent, most expensive first.
In North America
261st of 418
Cities in North America with a Numbeo estimate, most expensive first.
Worldwide
75th percentile
Costs the same as or more than 75% of 1,942 cities: a relatively expensive city.
One-bedroom rent, centre
23rd of 67
Cities in Canada, most expensive first.
Monthly costs against the typical city
- Waterloo
- Typical national city
- Typical city worldwide
Tap a line or a table row to read its three amounts.
| Monthly cost | Waterloo | Typical national city | Typical city worldwide |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rent | CAD 2,026 | CAD 1,908 +6.2% | CAD 1,043 +94.3% |
| Groceries | CAD 475 | CAD 500 −4.9% | CAD 395 +20.4% |
| Eating out | CAD 218 | CAD 265 −18.0% | CAD 222 −2.0% |
| Transport | CAD 99.01 | CAD 96.96 +2.1% | CAD 56.18 +76.2% |
| Utilities | CAD 252 | CAD 289 −12.7% | CAD 245 +2.7% |
| Leisure | CAD 81.83 | CAD 87.68 −6.7% | CAD 87.04 −6.0% |
| Total excluding rent | CAD 1,358 | CAD 1,514 −10.3% | CAD 1,266 +7.3% |
| Total including rent | CAD 3,384 | CAD 3,376 +0.2% | CAD 2,350 +44.0% |
Typical = the median of 67 cities in Canada and 1,942 cities worldwide.
Find another city
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Explore prices in Waterloo
The average price for each item, and the range from the lowest to the highest price people have reported.
Renting in Waterloo
Waterloo is the 23rd most expensive city in Canada for a one-bedroom apartment in the city centre. The closest-priced city in Canada is Surrey.
A one-bedroom apartment in the city centre typically costs CAD 2,026 a month.
Outside the centre, a one-bedroom apartment typically costs CAD 1,692 a month.
A one-bedroom apartment in the centre is around 20% more expensive to rent than one outside the centre.
| Item | Average price | Price range |
|---|---|---|
| 1-bed apartment in the city centre Monthly rent | CAD 2,026 | CAD 1,547– |
| 1-bed apartment outside the centre Monthly rent | CAD 1,692 | CAD 1,341– |
| 3-bed apartment in the city centre Monthly rent | CAD 3,199 | CAD 2,991– |
| 3-bed apartment outside the centre Monthly rent | CAD 2,647 | CAD 2,506– |
| Price per m² in the city centre | CAD 7,611 | CAD 7,483– |
| Price per m² outside the centre | CAD 7,161 | CAD 5,551– |
Cost of everyday items in Waterloo
Groceries in Waterloo are around 4% cheaper than the average for Canada, while eating out is around 16% cheaper than the country average.
A litre of milk typically costs CAD 3.06.
A 500g loaf of fresh white bread typically costs CAD 3.12.
A pack of 20 cigarettes typically costs CAD 18.57.
| Item | Average price | Price range |
|---|---|---|
| Milk, 1 litre | CAD 3.06 | CAD 1.63– |
| Fresh white bread, 500g | CAD 3.12 | CAD 2.05– |
| Eggs, 12 large | CAD 3.88 | CAD 3.09– |
| Local cheese, 1kg | CAD 15.14 | CAD 11.34– |
| Chicken fillets, 1kg | CAD 22.07 | CAD 12.36– |
| Beef round, 1kg | CAD 22.29 | CAD 7.22– |
| Apples, 1kg | CAD 5.30 | CAD 2.60– |
| Oranges, 1kg | CAD 4.92 | CAD 3.09– |
| Potatoes, 1kg | CAD 1.91 | CAD 1.03– |
| Lettuce, 1 head | CAD 2.30 | CAD 1.03– |
| White rice, 1kg | CAD 3.22 | CAD 2.06– |
| Tomatoes, 1kg | CAD 5.00 | CAD 4.13– |
| Bananas, 1kg | CAD 1.71 | CAD 1.24– |
| Onions, 1kg | CAD 2.71 | CAD 1.14– |
| Water, 1.5 litre bottle | CAD 1.80 | CAD 0.52– |
| Mid-range bottle of wine | CAD 14.44 | CAD 10.31– |
| Domestic beer, 0.5 litre bottle | CAD 3.62 | CAD 2.58– |
| Imported beer, 0.33 litre bottle | CAD 4.00 | CAD 2.78– |
| Cigarettes, 20 pack | CAD 18.57 | CAD 15.46– |
Eating out in Waterloo
| Item | Average price | Price range |
|---|---|---|
| Meal at an inexpensive restaurant | CAD 25.79 | CAD 15.46– |
| Three-course meal for two | CAD 72.20 | CAD 61.89– |
| Fast food combo meal | CAD 14.44 | CAD 10.31– |
| Domestic beer, 0.5 litre draught | CAD 7.47 | CAD 4.13– |
| Imported beer, 0.33 litre bottle | CAD 8.25 | CAD 6.19– |
| Soft drink, 0.33 litre bottle | CAD 2.32 | CAD 2.06– |
| Water, 0.33 litre bottle | CAD 1.67 | CAD 1.03– |
| Cappuccino | CAD 4.13 | CAD 2.06– |
Transport in Waterloo
| Item | Average price | Price range |
|---|---|---|
| One-way public transport ticket | CAD 3.86 | CAD 3.36– |
| Monthly public transport pass | CAD 99.01 | CAD 94.89– |
| Gasoline, 1 litre | CAD 1.50 | CAD 1.33– |
| Taxi start | CAD 3.61 | CAD 3.61– |
| Taxi, per km | CAD 2.58 | CAD 2.58– |
| Taxi waiting, 1 hour | CAD 41.25 | CAD 41.25–CAD 41.25 |
| Volkswagen Golf, new | CAD 40,824 | CAD 40,824–CAD 40,824 |
| Toyota Corolla sedan, new | CAD 27,729 | CAD 26,817– |
Utilities in Waterloo
| Item | Average price | Price range |
|---|---|---|
| Basic utilities for an 85m² apartment Monthly | CAD 209 | CAD 165– |
| Broadband internet Monthly | CAD 65.57 | CAD 46.41– |
| Mobile phone plan Monthly | CAD 41.08 | CAD 25.79– |
How is Waterloo for families?
A family of four with two adults and two children may need a gross household income of CAD 113,000 a year in Waterloo, excluding childcare costs.
Private preschool or kindergarten typically costs CAD 784 a month.
A three-bedroom apartment in the city centre typically costs CAD 3,199 a month.
Waterloo scores 70/100 on Numbeo's safety index.
| Item | Average price | Price range |
|---|---|---|
| Family of four, excluding rent Monthly, Numbeo household estimate | CAD 4,789 | Not applicable |
| Family of four, including rent Monthly, Numbeo household estimate | CAD 7,988 | Not applicable |
| Private preschool or kindergarten Monthly | CAD 784 | CAD 505– |
| International primary school Annual | CAD 23,619 | CAD 19,081– |
Leisure and clothing in Waterloo
| Item | Average price | Price range |
|---|---|---|
| Gym membership Monthly | CAD 53.63 | CAD 25.79– |
| Tennis court rental, 1 hour | CAD 28.19 | CAD 14.44– |
| Cinema ticket | CAD 17.53 | CAD 15.46– |
| Jeans | CAD 80.61 | CAD 21.66– |
| Summer dress from a chain store | CAD 44.05 | CAD 20.63– |
| Nike running shoes | CAD 104 | CAD 46.41– |
| Men's leather business shoes | CAD 123 | CAD 41.25– |
Source: Numbeo, 1 June 2026.
What salary do I need to live in Waterloo?
By combining Numbeo's living-cost estimates with the tax rates in Canada, we can estimate the gross salary you would need to live in Waterloo. Use the calculator below to see how much you would need to live in Waterloo, and where your money goes.
Recommended gross salary
CAD 46,403
Needed to support 1 adult and no children in Waterloo, living in a one-bedroom apartment outside the centre.
- Take-home pay
- CAD 36,597
- Living costs
- CAD 36,597
- Tax and contributions
- CAD 9,806
Where your salary goes
- Living costsCAD 36,59778.9%
- Income tax and contributionsCAD 9,80621.1%
| Operator | Item | A year |
|---|---|---|
| Gross salary | CAD 46,403 | |
| − | Income tax and contributions | CAD 9,806 |
| = | Take-home pay | CAD 36,597 |
| − | Rent | CAD 20,298 |
| − | Groceries | CAD 5,702 |
| − | Eating out | CAD 2,612 |
| − | Transport | CAD 1,188 |
| − | Utilities | CAD 3,022 |
| − | Leisure | CAD 982 |
| − | Other estimated costs | CAD 2,794 |
| = | Left over: savings target | CAD 0 |
CAD 46,403 gross salary modelled as one employment income gives a 21.1% effective tax rate and CAD 9,806 estimated deductions a year. Use our salary tax calculator for a more detailed estimate.
What the estimate includes
- Rent for your housing choice and Numbeo's household living costs for your household size
- National income tax for 2026
- Employee social contributions, simplified
What it doesn't include
- Regional, state or local income tax
- Joint filing, partner income and household allowances
- Age, pension, expat-regime or special-residency rules
- Bonuses, benefits and other income
- Child care or school unless you choose it
Don't agree with our estimates? Help us improve our cost-of-living model.
How each cost is worked out
Rent. The selected one-bedroom apartment outside the centre in Waterloo costs an estimated CAD 1,692 per month. CAD 1,692 per month × 12 months = CAD 20,298 a year.
Groceries. Numbeo estimates a household of one person in Waterloo spends an estimated CAD 475 on groceries per month. CAD 475 per month × 12 months = CAD 5,702 a year.
Eating out. Numbeo estimates a household of one person in Waterloo spends an estimated CAD 218 on eating out per month. CAD 218 per month × 12 months = CAD 2,612 a year.
Transport. Numbeo estimates a household of one person in Waterloo spends an estimated CAD 99.01 on transport per month. CAD 99.01 per month × 12 months = CAD 1,188 a year.
Utilities. Numbeo estimates a household of one person in Waterloo spends an estimated CAD 252 on utilities per month. CAD 252 per month × 12 months = CAD 3,022 a year.
Leisure. Numbeo estimates a household of one person in Waterloo spends an estimated CAD 81.83 on leisure per month. CAD 81.83 per month × 12 months = CAD 982 a year.
Other estimated costs. Numbeo's household estimate for miscellaneous costs: this may include things like clothing, shoes and entertainment costs. CAD 233 per month × 12 months = CAD 2,794 a year.
See the prices behind each category · How living costs and salaries are calculated
Tax estimate assumptions
Tax year 2026. One resident employee and one employment income are assumed. Federal tax only, effective from January 1, 2026. Lowest bracket rate reduced to 14% (from 14.5% in 2025). Thresholds indexed by 2%. Excludes Provincial/Territorial tax.
Important
This calculator gives an estimate of the income needed to cover living costs. It is not tax, legal or financial advice. It uses Numbeo prices as of 1 June 2026, Canada's tax rules for 2026 and Wise exchange rates of 21 October 2026, and models one employment income. Check your figures with the salary tax calculator or the official rules in PwC Worldwide Tax Summaries / CRA.
Figures for 1 adult, outside the centre, no savings target.
Cost of living in Waterloo: common questions
Is Waterloo expensive to live in?
Waterloo is among the more expensive cities in Canada but among the less expensive cities in North America.
A single person spends about CAD 1,358 a month excluding rent, against CAD 1,514 in the typical city in Canada (the median of 67 cities, Numbeo, as of 1 June 2026).
Worldwide, Waterloo costs the same as or more than 75% of the 1,942 cities with a Numbeo household estimate, which makes it a relatively expensive city.
What salary do you need to live in Waterloo?
A single person may need a gross salary of at least CAD 46,000 a year to cover estimated living costs in Waterloo, renting a one-bedroom apartment outside the centre and saving nothing.
This is an estimate from Numbeo prices as of 1 June 2026 and Canada's tax rules for 2026. Use the salary calculator to add your household, housing and a savings target.
How much is rent in Waterloo?
A one-bedroom apartment in the city centre typically costs CAD 2,026 a month, and CAD 1,692 outside the centre, according to Numbeo averages as of 1 June 2026.
A three-bedroom apartment costs about CAD 3,199 a month in the centre and CAD 2,647 outside it.
Waterloo is the 23rd most expensive city in Canada for a one-bedroom apartment in the city centre.
How much does a family spend in Waterloo?
A family of four spends about CAD 4,789 a month on living costs excluding rent, or CAD 7,988 including rent, according to Numbeo's household estimate as of 1 June 2026.
With two adults earning and a three-bedroom home outside the centre, the household may need a gross income of CAD 113,000 a year, excluding childcare costs.
Private preschool or kindergarten typically costs CAD 784 a month per child.
How does Waterloo compare with Canada's other cities?
Waterloo ranks 33rd of 67 cities in Canada for one person's monthly costs including rent, where 1st is the most expensive.
Excluding rent, one person's costs are 10.3% less than in the typical city in Canada.
Where this data comes from
- Living costs and prices
- Numbeo, snapshot of 1 June 2026
- Exchange rates
- Wise mid-market rates, 21 October 2026
- Tax rules
- Expatica salary tax calculator, Canada 2026
- Locations and population
- GeoNames (CC BY 4.0), retrieved 1 October 2026
- Regions for continent ranks
- UN M49 regions
Important
All amounts are indicative estimates, not quotes or financial advice. Numbeo's prices are reported by users, so coverage and recency vary by city: check rents and prices locally before you commit to a move.
Some links on this page are affiliate links, which means we may earn a commission if you click and make a purchase.
How living costs and salaries are calculated
- Your household size (adults and children, one to six people) picks Numbeo's household estimate for groceries, eating out, transport, utilities, leisure and rent.
- Rent is replaced by the price of a one-bedroom apartment (one or two people) or a three-bedroom apartment (three or more), in or outside the centre. A flatshare, for one adult without children, is a third of a three-bedroom home.
- "Other estimated costs" is Numbeo's household total less the named categories, not a separately reported price. Where a total is below its own categories, we use the categories, and a larger household's costs other than rent are never lower than a smaller household's.
- Child care and school are optional: preschool uses the city's monthly price for each child, international primary school its annual fee spread over 12 months. Children's ages, eligibility and public provision are not modelled.
- The salary is the gross income that leaves these costs, plus your savings target, after tax under Expatica's rules for Canada (2026). One adult has one employment income; two adults are two earners splitting it evenly, with no joint filing or household allowances. What the tax model covers is listed with the result.
- Numbeo's figures are in US dollars, converted with one set of Wise mid-market rates. Without them, amounts stay in US dollars and no salary is estimated.
How cities are compared and matched
- A typical city is the median of one person's monthly costs across the 67 cities in Canada in this guide and across the 1,942 cities worldwide with a Numbeo household estimate. Each row is its own median, so the rows do not add up.
- Ranks put the most expensive city first, and equal estimates share a rank. The worldwide percentile is the share of those 1,942 cities whose one-person monthly total, rent included, is the same or lower than Waterloo's.
- Nearby cities are places in this guide, possibly across a border, by straight-line distance between GeoNames location points.
- Comparable cities are in the same GeoNames population band (under 100,000, 100,000–499,999, 500,000–999,999, or 1 million and above; a neighbouring band, labelled, when a band has too few countries), one per country, outside Canada and not already listed as nearby. Population years and boundaries vary, so the bands are rough size guides.
- The match score compares a single person's costs excluding rent and the rent of a central one-bedroom apartment. For each, we divide the lower city's price by the higher; the score is the square root of the two ratios multiplied together, × 100. If both prices are 80% of the other city's, the match is 80%; if both are twice as high, 50%. It measures how close the costs are, not which city is cheaper or how alike they are to live in.