How much does it cost to live in Canada?

Rent is the biggest cost in Canada, and it varies hugely by city: a 2-bedroom flat in Vancouver costs well over half as much again as one in Montreal. Prices on shelves and menus also leave out sales tax and tips, so things cost more at the till than the label says. Here’s what a typical household spends, using 2026 figures.

Rent by city

Canadians quote rent by the month, as in the UK. These are average asking rents for flats and houses advertised on the main rental websites in the second quarter of 2026, from Statistics Canada and the housing agency CMHC. Asking rents are what a newcomer pays, and are usually higher than what long-standing tenants pay.

Rents have been falling. The Rentals.ca and Urbanation report for September 2026 found national asking rents down 4.2% on a year earlier, the 24th month in a row of annual falls. In Halifax, though, asking rents rose by about 4–5% over the year. Averages hide a lot: new towers and family homes near popular schools cost more. See Which city is right for us? and How do deposits and leases work?

Bills

Check each listing: some rents include heat or electricity (“hydro”), others don’t. Statistics Canada’s 2023 spending survey gives the average household spend on water, heating fuel and electricity:

These are averages for all households, including owners of large houses, so a flat usually costs less. Winter heating pushes bills up. In Ontario, electricity is priced per kWh at rates set by the Ontario Energy Board: from 1 November 2025, time-of-use prices were 9.8¢ off-peak, 15.7¢ mid-peak and 20.3¢ on-peak. See Phone and internet.

Food, sales tax and tipping

Canada’s Food Price Report forecasts that an average family of four will spend C$17,571.79 on food in 2026 (about C$1,464 a month), with prices up 4–6% on the year. The average Ontario household spent C$7,974 on food from shops in 2023 (about C$665 a month).

Unlike in the UK, the price on the shelf or menu usually leaves out sales tax. It’s added at the till, and what is taxed varies by province.

Tipping is expected in restaurants, bars, taxis and hairdressers. In a 2024 survey nearly half of Canadians said 15% was right for a sit-down meal. Some restaurants now suggest 18% or more on the card machine, but you can choose your own amount. More in Food shopping and eating out.

Getting around

Outside the city centres, most families run a car. Insurance varies a lot by province and by your driving record. In BC, ICBC sells the basic cover and credits up to 15 years of driving experience from outside BC if you bring a driver’s abstract or letter of experience from the authority that issued your first full licence. In Quebec, the public SAAQ plan covers injuries, and you buy cover for damage to vehicles privately. Get quotes before you buy a car. See Driving in Canada and Living without a car.

Childcare and the $10-a-day plan

Canada’s federal–provincial plan aims to bring licensed childcare for under-6s down to an average of C$10 a day. By 2026 most cities are not there yet. A 2026 study of fees found:

• Montreal: C$9.65 a day, a set fee across Quebec
• Calgary and Edmonton: C$15 a day. Alberta charges a flat C$326.25 a month for full-time care
• Toronto and Ottawa: C$22 a day, the Ontario cap
• Halifax: about C$22–23 a day
• British Columbia: centres set their own fees. Infant fees in BC cities range from C$28 to C$52 a day

Ask centres early about fees and waiting lists. See Childcare and holiday camps and How schools work.

A sample monthly budget in Toronto

This adds up the figures above. It leaves out a car, health and dental cover beyond your provincial plan, clothes, eating out and holidays.

Using the average rents above, the same family would pay about C$1,160 a month less rent in Calgary, but C$1,320 more in Vancouver. Try your own numbers in the cost of living calculator, and work out the cash you need up front with the moving fund calculator. Check live rents on rental websites for the areas you’re considering