Here's how much groceries cost in each Canadian province in 2025 and the differences are wild

If you've noticed your grocery bill creeping up lately, you're not alone. The cost of living in Canada has always been a hot topic, but now, thanks to the latest data from Statistics Canada, we can see exactly how much grocery prices in Canada vary from coast to coast.

The latest average grocery prices in Canada are in, revealing just how much Canadians are spending on their food essentials in each province — and some of the results might surprise you.

Each month, Statistics Canada collects data on the average prices of over 100 grocery staples — like meat, eggs, milk, bread, produce and more — in all 10 provinces, showing just how much the price of essentials varies across the country.

As of January 2025 (the most recent data available), Ontario has the lowest total grocery basket cost, with the 109 items chosen this month totalling $666.65. Meanwhile, B.C. tops the list at $725.79.

While the overall total doesn't show a huge gap, certain products have much wider variances, and the patterns aren't always consistent across all products. For example, certain staples — like milk — are actually cheaper in B.C. than in Ontario. Let's break it all down and see how each province stacks up.

How grocery prices are tracked

The federal statistics agency uses transaction data from thousands of grocery stores across Canada, capturing the average price — including any sales and promotions — of the most commonly purchased items at checkout in a given month.

It's important to note that this data is different from the Consumer Price Index (CPI), which measures pure price change over time while accounting for things like product rotation and shifting consumer preferences.

While this data is useful for general comparison of what Canadians are actually paying for groceries across the country, Statistics Canada notes that variations in the brands and quality offered in different areas can impact prices, so it's not always a perfect comparison.

Grocery basket cost by province

Here's how much the total grocery basket of 109 commonly purchased items costs in each province, ranked from least to most expensive:

1. Ontario: $666.65
2. Quebec: $677.46
   Canada-wide average: $677.03
3. Manitoba: $691.52
4. Saskatchewan: $686.94
5. New Brunswick: $708.14
6. Prince Edward Island: $704.93
7. Nova Scotia: $711.86
8. Alberta: $711.65
9. Newfoundland and Labrador: $717.70
10. British Columbia: $725.79

What's driving the price differences?

While Ontario has the lowest overall basket cost, that doesn't mean everything is cheaper there. For example, a litre of milk is significantly more expensive in Ontario ($3.81) compared to Manitoba ($1.98), Quebec ($2.79) or even B.C. ($2.95). On the flip side, a kilogram of pork is much pricier in Quebec ($8.53), B.C. ($8.68) and Alberta ($8.78) than in Ontario ($7.00).

The biggest price swings, though, are in produce.

Fresh broccoli, for instance, is more than twice as expensive in B.C. ($4.78) as it is in Quebec ($2.13). The same goes for potatoes — while a 10-pound bag will set you back $4.36 in Quebec, it's nearly double that in Manitoba ($7.77), Saskatchewan ($7.73) and B.C. ($7.61).

One of the biggest head-scratchers is the price of salmon. Saskatchewan — a landlocked province that's about as far from any ocean as you can get in Canada — has the cheapest salmon in the country at $24.95 per kilogram. Meanwhile, B.C., the country's top salmon producer, has the most expensive at $31.39. It's a bizarre pricing trend that suggests factors beyond local supply play a big role in food costs.

Staples at a glance

To put things in perspective, here's how much a few other everyday grocery items cost in each province, as of January 2025:

Looking ahead

With ongoing supply chain challenges, tariffs between Canada and the U.S. and a nationwide push for lowering interprovincial trade barriers, grocery prices could fluctuate even more in the coming months. While it's helpful to see how your province compares, the reality is that most Canadians are feeling the pinch at checkout.

For now, one thing is clear: Where you live in Canada can have a noticeable impact on your grocery bill, especially depending on what items you're buying more of. But whether you're paying $2 or $5 for your broccoli, one thing remains true — feeding yourself doesn't seem to be getting any cheaper.

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