The Cost of Living In Canada

Most people from the UK and Europe find the cost of living in Canada is significantly lower than their home country.

Canadian housing is particularly cheap compared with other developed nations - the average house price in Canada is around seven times the average annual wage. Prices are highest in Ontario and Alberta (six to seven times the average wage) and Vancouver (eleven times the average wage).

People moving to Canada with the proceeds of house sales from countries with more expensive housing can often buy a house in Canada with a considerably reduced mortgage. This leaves more of their income for other activities and lowers their cost of living in Canada significantly.

Compared with many other western countries, although not the USA:
  • Food is cheaper in Canada.
  • Dining out and most forms of recreation are cheaper in Canada.
  • Petrol / Gasoline and cars are cheaper in Canada.
  • Power is cheaper, but you use more power to heat your house in a typical Canadian winter.
  • Car insurance is very expensive in Canada.
Mercer carried out an extensive cost of living survey for overseas workers in 2011. The survey covers 214 cities and measures the comparative cost of over 200 items in each location, including housing, transport, food, clothing, household goods and entertainment.

The survey revealed that Toronto (59th) has the highest cost of living in Canada, followed by Vancouver (65th), Montreal (79th), Calgary (96th) and Ottawa (114th).

The survey found that Canadian cities have lower living costs than many other locations in the developed world.

Since the last survey Canada as a whole is becoming more expensive relative to other cities because of the strength of the Canadian dollar, Mercer says. Toronto was the most expensive due in part due to its relatively high rental costs.

The rankings for Canadian cities out of the 214 cities surveyed are:
  1. Toronto (59th)
  2. Vancouver (65th)
  3. Montreal (79th)
  4. Calgary (96th)
  5. Ottawa (114th)


Top 50 Cities 2011 Ranking

2011
Rank
City
1 Luanda, Angola
2 Tokyo, Japan
3 N'Djamena, Chad
4 Moscow, Russia
5 Geneva, Switzerland
6 Osaka, Japan
7 Zurich, Switzerland
8 Singapore
9 Hong Kong
10 Sao Paulo, Brazil
11 Nagoya, Japan
12 Libreville, Gabon
12 Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
14 Sydney, Australia
15 Oslo, Norway
16 Bern, Switzerland
17 Copenhagen, Denmark
18 London, United Kingdom
19 Sourl, South Korea
20 Beijing, China
21 Shanghai, China
21 Melbourne, Australia
23 Naimey, Niger
24 Tel Aviv, Israel
25 Victoria, Seychelles
25 Milan, Italy
27 Paris, France
28 Ouagadougou, Burkino Faso
29 St. Petersburg, Russia
30 Perth, Australia
31 Brisbane, Australia
32 New York, U.S.
33 Brasilia, Brazil
34 Rome, Italy
34 Canberra, Australia
36 Vienna, Austria
37 Noumea, New Caledonia
38 Guangzhou, China
39 Djibouti
39 Stockholm, Sweeden
41 Laos, Nigeria
42 Helsinki, Finland
43 Shenzhen, China
44 Dakar, Senegal
44 Khartoum, Sudan
46 Adelaide, Australia
47 Prague, Czech Rep.
48 Baku, Azerbaijan
49 Bangui, Central African Rep.
50 Amsterdam, Netherlands


Toronto - Canada's Financial Capital
Toronto - Canada's Financial Capital