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Canada cost of living in 2022: Everything you need to know before you immigrate

by | Feb 23, 2022 | News | 0 comments

You may be wondering about the Canada cost of living in 2022. The average cost of living in Canada or any new country may scare you initially. But the more you read about living expenses in Canada, you will be able to live a comfortable life if planned well.
Migrating to a different country or city can change a person’s life. Besides, it will also help in shaping up their future. Canada as a country offers best immigration options for foreign nationals from across the world. It is the epicentre of opportunities and people thrive in an economy like this. The high-standard living may appear to be a dream and expensive. But everything is affordable if you know how to manage your finances.
What makes Canada the best country to immigrate to?
Culturally rich, Canada is famous for welcoming people of different nationalities, diverse cultures, world-class living, education, and healthcare. Also, no one can ignore the blessed geography of this thriving country. For travellers, it’s a paradise while for businessmen and students, it offers an environment to grow and prosper.
Foreign nationals can come to Canada for studying, start a business, job, or settle down with their family. The country is home to world-renowned cities. Besides, it has commerce hubs like Toronto and Quebec.
Today we are going to share more insights about Canada cost of living. Know how one can start and live their life happily in one of the best countries in the world.
There are multiple beautiful cities lined along the southern border of Canada. Like the beauty and grandeur of nature, the country also offers proper work/life balance and chances to grow career in the right path.
Plus, Canada has designed the economy to benefit every person migrating from any part of the world. The cost of living is thought to be higher than most places too. The standard of living in question is quite high and living expenses in Canada can go over the roof. Newly settled families may start feeling under pressure if not planned properly.
For newcomers, Canada offers perfect gateways of success and an ideal lifestyle. On the other hand, nature and cold can get really harsh at times. While weather is something that one can manage, daily spending is an important factor to sort too. Living costs, especially the average costs can vary on a large scale. It totally depends on the province one is staying in. The cost of living in Toronto is the highest and it is the most expensive city to be in. Besides, the Quebec province is among the most affordable provinces to reside in. Cities like Montreal, Edmonton, Hamilton, and Quebec offer the best quality of life more affordably.
If you just look at the numbers from above, the living cost comes down to around $1500. This includes rent, basic demands, eating, rental services, daily grocery and membership to gyms or health clubs. Now, this is just an estimate and average cost of living in Canada, exact numbers can be quite different. It depends on the way you choose to live and also the location. The city or province one resides in affects the overall expenses too.

Average Cost of Living in Canada when you Rent

One of the biggest factors of the monthly expenses in Canada is the rent. No matter where you go, whether you are doing a job, running a business, studying, or just a digital nomad, your rent contributes the most to the average cost of living in Canada. Living expenses in Canada can get quite high but the good news regarding rent is Canada offers much cheaper rents when compared to US and Australia. It is as much as 23% less than the US and 12% less than Australia. The choice of home differs depending on the city or province one is residing in.

  • Rents are relatively higher in places like Toronto and Vancouver while cities like Ottawa, Calgary, and Edmonton provides are less expensive
  • Costs of a shared room in Toronto come between $500-$800 while luxury condos can go up to $3000
  • Private apartments are usually available between $1000-$2000
  • Almost most of the cities like St. Johns, Saskatoon, Regina, Edmonton, Abbotsford etc. have a very similar price bracket when it comes to rental costs

In terms of tourist places for exploring, Canada will never let you down. Living costs in tourist destinations are higher. In fact, it can be at par with the costliest cities like Toronto and Vancouver.

Transport Expenditure

While the rent can vary largely, transport costs across Canada are pretty similar everywhere. Geographically, Canada is amongst the largest countries in the world and most of the cities are concentrated around the southern border. The country is well-connected by highways and rental cars and bikes are always at your service in abundance. The public transport situation is good too in Canada.

Here is the best way to travel around Canada:

  • Almost every province has their own transport network that lets you travel from one part to another easily
  • The ease of using the subway system in Montreal and Toronto gets the highest marks. The subway system charges higher compared to all other modes of public transport in Canada too
  • Bus networks among the cities and hubs are well-established too, making it one of the most preferred options of getting around
  • People residing in Canada can opt for monthly travel passes or cards that allow multiple travels to and from for a period of 30 days. The cheapest monthly travel pass is Victoria at $85.61 while the costliest is that of Toronto at $156. In other cities like Vancouver, Calgary, Edmonton the passes range between $100-$110 a month. The monthly travel pass for Ottowa is $122.3

If travelling and exploring are what you like to do, renting a car or buying a vehicle is indeed a better option. To explore cities like Toronto and Montreal, a car is always a better option than public transport. The quality of roads in Canada are superior and people will enjoy driving on this long stretch of high-quality roads. Car rental ranges around $1400 a month in Canada.

How expensive is food?

Anyone who is planning to shift to Canada should have a clear understanding of the cost of food, the cost of groceries, or the overall monthly expenses in Canada.

Canada is full of diversity in terms of culture as well. It is a multi-cultural nation with tasty local food and cuisines to offer. As a resident of Canada, one can enjoy a new and different cuisine every day of the week. Canada’s food culture takes inspiration from all around the globe and cities like Toronto and Montreal have the most amazing delicacies to offer.

Smaller cities like Halifax, Kelowna, and St.John also rewards travellers and citizens with a wide range of food options. Eating out in restaurants regularly, however, can cause serious trouble with your budget. Restaurants can get a little expensive, like a lunchtime meal comes around $15 while dinner in a nice restaurant can go up to $30-$50.
The local food market on the other hand is quite exciting, affordable, and fun too. Local markets like Loblaw or Metro gets you groceries at a cheaper rate letting you make the delicacies of your choice at your home. Prices of everyday items in local markets

  • Milk – $1.95
  • Bread – $2.35
  • Rice – $2.95
  • Eggs – $2.85
  • Tomatoes – $4.52
  • Bananas – $1.38
  • Beef Round – $11.95
The price of groceries will occupy a large part of your monthly expenses in Canada. It is also an important factor to calculate when someone has just migrated to Canada to start a new life. Costs of groceries and everyday items are highest in cities like Toronto and Vancouver while smaller cities like Halifax and Calgary will let you live your life without shelling out a lot of money.
Your most essential requirement, water is relatively cheaper in Canada. Firstly, tap water is safe and you can drink it without any worries. But one can get packaged drinking water from stores at under $1.
Is Medical Free?
Canada offers a free healthcare system to its residents and citizens. Canada has one of the most expensive healthcare systems around the globe. However, citizens have the option to select from both public and private healthcare systems. The good news is that citizens have access to the free healthcare system. But almost 65% of Canadians also have private health insurance as well. Newcomers can apply for health insurance and it takes about three months to come into effect.
Now that you know and understand the cost of living in Canada in 2022, the next thing you need to focus on is how you will be able to travel and settle in Canada in 2022. Talented people from different nations come to Canada, work or study, settle and finally earn PR status. Canada has many different types of visas that are suitable for catering to all sorts of people. Once you have found out the visa or immigration program that suits your needs, all you need to do is apply. Fill up the necessary application with the help of an expert firm and wait for your turn. From business to schools and even jobs, one can migrate to Canada to grow their career. Start living in a dream country that supports your life goals!