EVERYDAY COSTS / NORTHSCOPE MONEY TOOLS
Compare the cost of everyday staples.
What does a familiar grocery basket cost? Explore published average prices across Canada, one product at a time.
Choose your details and select Compare prices to see the result.
The NorthScope 12-item basket
One listed unit of each of these 12 products totals $73.85 at Canada’s July 2026 average prices, compared with $70.07 in July 2025. That is a $3.78 difference for this fixed selection. The basket combines protein, dairy, produce and pantry staples; it is an illustration, not a full household food budget.
| Product and size | Canada, July 2026 |
|---|---|
| Ground beef, per kilogram | $16.49 |
| Whole chicken, per kilogram | $7.62 |
| Milk, 2 litres | $5.53 |
| Eggs, 1 dozen | $4.95 |
| White bread, 675 grams | $3.60 |
| White rice, 2 kilograms | $9.62 |
| Apples, per kilogram | $6.45 |
| Bananas, per kilogram | $1.88 |
| Potatoes, 4.54 kilograms | $5.32 |
| Carrots, 1.36 kilograms | $4.75 |
| Canned beans and lentils, 540 millilitres | $1.72 |
| Butter, 454 grams | $5.92 |
What these prices can tell you
Choose a province to compare the same product sizes. Whitehorse and Yellowknife have fewer published prices; the calculator marks missing products and does not present an incomplete basket as a full total. Nunavut is not available in this dataset.
The figures come from Statistics Canada table 18-10-0245-01. July 2026 is the latest reference month in the downloaded data checked October 2, 2026. These are regional transaction-based averages, not today’s shelf prices or quotes from a particular store.
Why this is not an inflation index
Changes in brands, product mix and buying patterns can affect the averages. The difference in this basket is therefore not a pure measure of grocery inflation. Package sizes are kept visible to help avoid misleading comparisons. Consult the Statistics Canada methodology for the underlying definitions.
For your own shopping, compare unit prices and the cost of the quantities you actually use. A larger package only saves money if its lower unit price outweighs waste and storage costs. Read our explainer on falling inflation and rising prices for the distinction between price levels and inflation.
Common questions
Are these prices collected from Toronto stores?
No. Ontario is a provincial average, not a Toronto store survey. No individual receipt or store-level price is implied.
Can I download the comparison?
Yes. The results include a CSV download with product sizes, both months and the selected geography so you can check the arithmetic.