Immigrating to Canada can be quite challenging when it comes to the financial aspect. The cost of living in Canada varies from place to place. It is therefore advised that before immigrating, you take into consideration how to adequately handle expenses that come with residing in Canada.
Canada being a first-world country is quite expensive to reside in and you probably have to work for the rest of your life to maintain a comfortable lifestyle.
You might have been offered a high-paying job but then the cost of living in Canada will be quite different from your home country and adjusting to that might have a huge impact on your income regardless of how much you earn.
Truth be told, living comfortably in Canada requires a lot of money considering factors like the high tax rates, cost of renting or buying a house, cost of buying a car for ease of transportation, and the likes. To be able to afford these things comfortably, your earnings have to be on the high side.
There are basic factors to consider in terms of finances before moving to Canada.
What city are you moving to?
When planning your immigration to Canada, the city you plan on residing in matters a lot. This is because apartments in large cities are generally more expensive than apartments in inland areas.
Unfortunately, this is not solely your decision to make as there are other factors that can influence this decision.
- If you entered canada through provincial nominee program, you will have to reside in that particular province as it is part of the requirement
- Unless you are working remotely, your job also has an effect on where you will reside. It won’t be wise to live in a particular city while your job is located in another city. The stress involved and cost of transportation is so not worth it.
How much do you earn?
The amount you earn plays a vital role while immigrating to Canada because most of the time that is all you have to survive on.
Your income whether monthly or per annum should be enough to sustain you and your family (if any).
If the job you are being offered is without substantial pay or benefits, then it is really not worth moving to Canada unless you have previous savings which should be converted and calculated in Canadian dollars of course.
Your savings however cannot last forever so unless you are promised a raise as your work tenure progresses, kindly decline the offer.
A decent salary for Canadian residents should be about 78,000 dollars or $40 per hour. Yeah, you might earn more or less than this but to live comfortably it is best to aim for this amount.
How many people are under your care?
This is also a factor to consider when moving to Canada. How many family members do you have? Will they be moving to Canada with you? How many people are under your care?
These questions need to be answered in order to adequately prepare yourself financially. Your salary might be enough to get you a decent life but with an added family member or more, it might not be so easy.
If there are children involved tuition fees would be added to the list of expenses, extra mouths to feed which in turn means the extra budget for groceries, and so on.
The cost of living in Canada varies according to the city. Large cities tend to be more expensive than their smaller counterparts. Below is a list of cities in Canada with a high cost of living.
- Vancouver
- Toronto
- Victoria
- Calgary
- Ottawa
- Edmonton
- Saskatoon
- Montreal
Vancouver
Vancouver is the first on this list for a reason. The average cost of a home in Vancouver is about $748,651. An 85-meter square apartment in Vancouver costs about $2,143 a month and the utility fee for at most two persons amounts to $107 a month. Public transport fare amounts to an average of $107 monthly and eating lunch in business areas costs about $17.
Fortunately, the tax rate is relatively low in Vancouver hence making it habitable.
Toronto
Toronto is the second city on the list of most expensive cities in Canada. This is not surprising as it is the largest city in Canada. The average cost of a home in Toronto is about $482,648.
Victoria
Victoria, otherwise known as the city of gardens, is the capital of British Columbia. The average cost of a home here is $421,939. On the positive side, you get to save a lot on heating. While other parts of Canada might still be struggling with winter, the city of gardens blossoms with flowers.
Calgary
Calgary is also known as the energy capital. Calgary is the cosmopolitan area of Alberta whose development resulted from Canadian oil production. This city is on the list of most expensive places to live in Canada as the average cost of a home here is $418,983.
Regardless of the high cost of securing a home here, you can actually save a lot of money living in Calgary as you are exempted from provincial sales tax payments.
Ottawa
Moving to the country’s capital sure is not a bad idea as you’ll surely be provided with a serene environment. Ottawa houses lots of fun places in Canada including the world’s longest ice rink. The average cost of a home in Ottawa amounts to about $343,382.
Edmonton
The city of Edmonton otherwise known as the city of festivals sure is a nice place to relocate to. With calendar events throughout the year, there sure is no dull moment in this city.
The average cost of a home here is about $323,541. If your budget is large enough you should go for it.
Saskatoon
This city blessed with an abundant amount of sunshine is located along the south Saskatchewan river. The average cost of a home here is $320,812. If you are looking to get a job after relocating, this might not be the best place for you as the employment rate in this city is really low.
Montreal
Montreal, the largest city in the province of Quebec. It sure is a fun place to reside, if you can afford it of course. Living here is quite expensive as even their “cheap” hotels are moderately priced. The average cost of a home in the city of Montreal is $318,982.
With the above-listed factors to consider when moving to Canada and the list of the most expensive cities in Canada, calculating the cost of living in Canada should be quite easy.
