Consumer prices
+3.0%
year over year
Canada · Data to August 2026
Canada's cost of living,
made clear.
Official Canadian price and wage data, organized to show what changed, where it changed, and whether incomes are keeping up.
Grocery cost pressure
12-month view+0.8percentage points
Grocery prices grew 0.8 points faster than the average hourly wage over the past 12 months.
Canada today
Prices at a glance
12-month change to August 2026
Grocery prices
+2.8%
year over year
Shelter costs
+1.5%
year over year
Average hourly wage
+2.0%
year over year
Food watch
Everyday food prices
| Product | Canada | Provincial low | Provincial high | Work time |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ground beef1 kg | $16.49 | $15.77 QC | $17.81 BC | 27 min |
| Chicken breasts1 kg | $14.68 | $14.03 QC | $17.30 BC | 24 min |
| Whole chicken1 kg | $7.62 | $6.88 ON | $9.07 AB | 12 min |
| Bacon500 g | $6.97 | $6.57 ON | $7.77 QC | 11 min |
| Canned tuna170 g | $1.84 | $1.60 QC | $2.16 PE | 3 min |
| Milk4 L | $6.99 | $6.22 MB | $9.33 PE | 11 min |
| Butter454 g | $5.92 | $5.71 QC | $6.30 NL | 10 min |
| Block cheese500 g | $7.11 | $6.93 QC | $7.39 BC | 11 min |
| Eggs1 dozen | $4.95 | $4.43 QC | $5.75 BC | 8 min |
| Apples1 kg | $6.45 | $6.01 QC | $7.58 NL | 10 min |
| Bananas1 kg | $1.88 | $1.70 ON | $2.73 NL | 3 min |
| Potatoes4.54 kg | $5.32 | $4.51 ON | $8.01 AB | 9 min |
| Tomatoes1 kg | $4.98 | $4.71 ON | $6.52 NL | 8 min |
| Carrots1.36 kg | $4.75 | $4.37 QC | $5.39 AB | 8 min |
| Romaine lettuce1 head | $3.45 | $2.38 QC | $4.61 SK | 6 min |
| White bread675 g | $3.60 | $3.23 ON | $4.14 NL | 6 min |
| Pasta500 g | $3.45 | $3.28 QC | $3.79 PE | 6 min |
| Cereal400 g | $4.19 | $4.11 MB | $4.30 NB | 7 min |
| Coffee340 g | $9.54 | $8.76 SK | $10.56 NS | 15 min |
| Peanut butter1 kg | $5.62 | $5.51 QC | $5.92 BC | 9 min |
Provincial view
Where wages are keeping up
Grocery inflation vs. hourly wage growth, 12 months to August 2026
- Groceries
- +1.6%
- Wages
- +1.3%
- Groceries
- −0.7%
- Wages
- +3.5%
- Groceries
- +1.4%
- Wages
- +4.6%
- Groceries
- +1.8%
- Wages
- +4.4%
- Groceries
- +2.3%
- Wages
- +3.3%
- Groceries
- +2.7%
- Wages
- +0.8%
- Groceries
- +2.7%
- Wages
- +2.7%
- Groceries
- +3.4%
- Wages
- +0.2%
- Groceries
- +3.5%
- Wages
- +0.5%
- Groceries
- +3.5%
- Wages
- +4.0%
CostWatch data lab
Turn official data into answers.
Interactive views of the same Statistics Canada data. Every measure keeps its source, period, and assumptions visible.
Affordability race
Are wages keeping up?
Wages+21.6%
Groceries+29.0%
Shelter+24.0%
+7.4 ptsGrocery prices grew 7.4 points faster than wages since August 2021. Shelter costs grew 2.4 points faster than wages over the same period.
Change from August 2021 to August 2026. Cost pressure = cost growth minus wage growth; positive means costs are outpacing wages. Wages: average hourly wage (Labour Force Survey). Costs: Consumer Price Index.
Work-time index
What everyday items cost in time
27
minutesfor 1 kg of ground beef
- Eggs (1 dozen)
- 8 min
- Butter (454 g)
- 10 min
- Coffee (340 g)
- 15 min
- Grocery basket
- 1 h 54 min
At the Canada average hourly wage of $37.17 before tax. Prices and wages for July 2026.
Cost mix
Every province feels different
Ontario: transportation rose fastest (+7.4%), against hourly wage growth of +0.8%.
12-month change to August 2026. Consumer Price Index by province; average hourly wage from the Labour Force Survey.
Affordability time machine
What is $100 worth today?
- All items
- $75.80
- Groceries
- $71.14
- Shelter
- $71.35
Dollars in August 2016 equivalent to $100 in August 2026, from the Consumer Price Index for each category.
Mortgage shock
See what a rate change does
Estimated monthly payment$2,159
+$416 per month compared with 2.25%
- Down payment $100,000
- Mortgage principal $400,000
Period-aware
Values retain their original reference period and release date.
Official sources
Statistics Canada table 18-10-0245-01, Statistics Canada table 18-10-0004-01, Statistics Canada table 14-10-0063-01.
Clear methods
Units, assumptions, revisions, and series breaks stay visible.