MigrantoCost of living in Canada
Average monthly spending, by standard of living, by category, and against other countries
Monthly cost
CA$3,100
what a typical person spends
Spending by standard of living
CA$1,410richest 20%
CA$7,220
Funding a life in Canada runs expensive, the way it tends to across wealthy, developed economies — wages are good, but so is the price of nearly everything you'll pay for. What softens the picture is how evenly that life is shared: the gap between living comfortably and just scraping by is fairly narrow, so most people end up paying for roughly the same kind of life.
Where people spend money in Canada
Housing is the line that defines a Canadian budget — the place you live dominates everything else and is the hardest cost to trim once you're settled. Getting around and keeping the fridge stocked take the next shares, steady bills that flex a little but never vanish. Once the rent or mortgage is handled, the rest of the month stays comparatively predictable.
Living-cost calculator
What it costs to live in Canada
Tell us what you earn and spend today — we'll estimate what the same lifestyle would cost in Canada and how much you could have left each month
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- How much could be left each month
- How it compares with today
Cost of living in Canada
CA$1,410/mo
vs CA$1,120 in your country
Take-home
CA$1,860
vs CA$1,680 in your country
Potential savings
CA$449
more than in your country
Standard of living
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How living costs in Canada compare
Among these neighbors, Canada comes out as the gentler choice — the most affordable of an expensive bunch — even if the rest of the world would still call it a pricey place to live. What sets it a notch below the company it keeps is that its costs, high as they are, never climbed to the extremes its neighbors reached.
Data source: household consumption 2023 (World Bank), International Comparison Program 2021 (World Bank), category breakdown 2024 (United Nations Statistics Division), adjusted to 2026 using IMF GDP-per-capita growth
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Frequently asked questions
What is the cost of living in Canada?
A typical person in Canada spends about CA$3,100 a month — around CA$37,200 a year — on housing, groceries, transport and other everyday costs. It's a nationwide average across different regions, cities and types of housing.
What is the cost of living in Canada in US dollars?
The cost of living in Canada is about $2,218 a month, or roughly $26,616 a year per person.
How much money do you need to live comfortably in Canada?
It all depends on your standard of living. A modest budget runs about CA$1,410 a month per person, a typical one around CA$3,100, and a comfortable life around CA$4,130. In big cities and for a family, costs are usually higher.
What do people spend the most on in Canada?
The biggest expense is housing, at about CA$803 a month (26% of spending). Then come transport (CA$471, 15%) and groceries (CA$295, 10%).
Is the average salary in Canada enough to live on?
Yes, with room to spare. Average spending is about CA$3,100 a month, while the average take-home pay in Canada is about CA$4,640. For more on incomes, see salaries in Canada.
Is Canada an expensive country to live in?
Yes. Canada is more expensive than 90% of countries worldwide and ranks 3rd of 3 in North America by cost of living.
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Living in Canada
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