Cost of living comparisons between U.S. and Canadian cities

Question

Can anyone point me towards a source that would provide information on the cost of living between specific cities in the two countries?

Answer

Statistics Canada produces "Canadian Foreign Post Indexes" (62-013-XIE). "These indexes are calculated to establish and adjust the Post Living Allowance (PLA) paid to Canadian government employees serving outside of Canada. They are comparative measurements that numerically express the difference between the retail prices of a representative basket of goods and services at a foreign location with prices for a similar basket of goods and services in Ottawa." They cover prices in a number of American cities (but always in comparison to Ottawa). There are a few different reports, each of which applies to a specific group of employees, so have a careful look at the notes and descriptions that accompany them to verify that they are appropriate for your user's needs if you consider using them.

The Economist Intelligence Unit
(http://eiu.enumerate.com/asp/wcol_WCOLHome.asp)
and Mercer Consulting
(http://www.mercer.com/costofliving;jsessionid=VRJOQNXDMBCNUCTGOUFCIIQKMZ0QUJLW)
also have international cost of living surveys and related fee based products.