Cost of living in Canada in 2026

10 min read · Published 6 October 2026 · Updated 8 October 2026

A single person in Toronto needs roughly $2,300-3,100 a month including rent, and 25-30% less in Montreal. Rent is the main cost, while public health insurance covers most medical spending.

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Key facts	2026
Single person budget with rent in Toronto	$2,300-3,100 a month
Couple budget in Toronto	$2,900-4,000 a month
Family with a child	from $3,900 a month
One-bedroom flat in central Toronto	$1,615-2,040 excluding utilities
Ontario minimum wage from 1 October 2026	C$17.95 an hour, ~$12.60
Child benefit under age 6	up to C$8,157 a year, ~$5,800

Data checked: 07.10.2026

Canada is cheaper than the USA for rent and healthcare but dearer than most of Europe for groceries and phone plans. Public health insurance covers doctor visits and hospital care, and the child benefit for under-6s is up to C$8,157 a year. Prices vary a lot by province: rents in Vancouver and Toronto are noticeably higher than in Montreal, Calgary or Edmonton.

After the 2023-2024 peak rents have barely moved: in September 2026 the national average asking rent for a one-bedroom flat was C$1,916, up 2.1% year on year. The median is about C$2,150 in Toronto, C$1,620 in Montreal, 2.7% lower than a year earlier, and C$2,328 in Vancouver.

Below are 2026 prices in US dollars at the European Central Bank rate on the check date, about C$1.425 to the US dollar, monthly budgets for a single person, a couple and a family, first-month costs and ways to save.

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Prices in 2026: rent, groceries, transport

Monthly item	Toronto	Montreal
One-bedroom flat in the centre	$1,615-2,040	$1,195-1,545
One-bedroom flat in a cheaper district	$1,335-1,615	$950-1,195
Two-bedroom flat in the centre	$2,110-2,740	$1,545-2,040
Utilities	$110-180	$50-110
Internet and mobile	$85-130	$85-130
Groceries per person	$320-425	$320-425
Public transport	~$110	~$78
Lunch in an inexpensive café	$15-22	$15-22
Private doctor visit	free under provincial insurance, $71-180 without it	free under provincial insurance, $71-180 without it
International school, per year	$14,100-32,300	-

Rents in the table are for long-term flats excluding utilities. In downtown Toronto, Yorkville and King West rents are above the upper bound, while in Scarborough, Etobicoke and neighbouring Mississauga they are below the lower one. In Montreal the most expensive areas are downtown, the Plateau and Griffintown.

Utilities include electricity and heating; in new Toronto buildings some services are included in the rent, and in Montreal hydroelectric power is among the cheapest in North America. Internet and mobile cost more in Canada than in Europe.

Monthly budget: single, couple, family with a child

Household	Per month
Single person	$2,300-3,100
Couple	$2,900-4,000
Family with a child	from $3,900

The single person budget assumes a one-bedroom flat in Toronto, utilities, groceries, phone and internet, a transport pass and moderate cafe spending. Pension plan and employment insurance contributions are deducted from salary, so they are not in the budget. For a family the total depends on the district, childcare and benefits, so we calculate the exact figure in the chat.

A Canada budget starts with the work permit or permanent residence

A foreigner needs a work or study permit or permanent residence to live in Canada, and the ground shapes the budget: in Quebec and British Columbia public health insurance does not start straight away, so the first months need a private policy. The second common mistake is flat hunting without a Canadian credit history and a Social Insurance Number: landlords then refuse or ask for a guarantor. We choose the ground, prepare the documents and handle the case until the decision.

The cost of support depends on the ground and your family; a manager will calculate it in the chat.

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What to pay in the first month

Deposit: in Ontario a landlord may only take the last month's rent, and in Quebec deposits are banned by law, so only the first month is paid.
Proof of income and credit history: without a Canadian history landlords ask for an employment letter, bank statements or a guarantor.
A Social Insurance Number: without it you cannot be paid or receive benefits.
Private health insurance for the first months if you move to Quebec or British Columbia: public cover there does not start straight away.
A Canadian bank account and credit card: they start building your credit history.

For the first three months a single person in Toronto renting outside the centre needs from $8,300 including the last month's rent and paperwork, and from $4,900 in Montreal.

Where to live: comparing cities

Toronto is the largest city and the business centre of the country: banks, tech, insurers, universities and the most jobs. The most expensive areas are downtown, Yorkville, King West and the waterfront; cheaper ones are Scarborough, Etobicoke, North York and neighbouring Mississauga and Brampton, linked to the centre by commuter trains.

Montreal is Canada's second city and the centre of French-speaking Quebec: tech, gaming, artificial intelligence, aerospace and universities. A one-bedroom flat in the centre costs $1,195-1,545 excluding utilities, 25-30% less than in Toronto. The main language is French: it is needed for many jobs, schools and dealing with public services.

Vancouver is the most expensive city, with a median of about C$2,328 for a one-bedroom flat, while Calgary and Edmonton are noticeably cheaper: Alberta has no provincial sales tax and rents are lower than in Toronto.

Districts and prices in detail: Toronto, Montreal.

Healthcare and insurance

Each province has its own public health insurance. In Ontario permanent residents and workers with a work permit of 6 months or more are covered from day one, while Quebec and British Columbia have a waiting period of up to three months. The insurance covers doctor visits and hospital care free of charge, while medicines, dental care and glasses are paid for privately or through employer insurance.

Without public insurance a doctor's visit costs C$100-250, about $71-180. The main difficulty is waiting lists: finding a family doctor in Toronto and Montreal takes months, so many people use walk-in clinics.

Schools and nurseries

Public schools are free: in Ontario teaching is in English or French, while in Quebec most children of immigrants must by law attend French-language schools. Childcare is subsidised under a national programme: in Quebec a subsidised place costs about C$10 a day, but places are scarce.

Private day schools in Toronto cost C$12,000 to C$48,000 a year, with the best known around C$44,000-46,000 for day students in 2026/27. The city average for a private school is about C$45,000.

Salaries and taxes

The minimum wage in Ontario from 1 October 2026 is C$17.95 an hour, about $12.60, and C$16.60 in Quebec from 1 May 2026. For federally regulated sectors such as banking and telecoms it is C$18.15 from 1 April 2026.

Federal income tax in 2026 is 14% on income up to C$58,523, then 20.5%, 26%, 29% and 33% on income above C$258,482. The first C$16,452 is tax-free. Provinces add their own tax: 5.05% to 13.16% in Ontario, and more in Quebec.

The child benefit for a child under 6 from July 2026 to June 2027 is up to C$679.75 a month, or C$8,157 a year, for family income up to C$38,237, and it shrinks above that. Foreigners with a work permit receive it after 18 months of living in Canada.

How to cut costs

Live in Montreal, Calgary or Edmonton rather than Toronto and Vancouver, or in Toronto's suburbs near commuter rail stations.
Use Toronto transit with the monthly fare cap: after C$156 in a month further rides are free.
Claim the child benefit: up to C$8,157 a year for a child under 6.
Join the waiting list for subsidised childcare early: in Quebec a place costs about C$10 a day.
Buy groceries at discount supermarket chains and on special offers: food in Canada costs more than in the USA.
Bundle your phone plan with home internet from one provider: it is cheaper.

The biggest saving is the province and city. A remote worker with foreign income is better off living in Montreal, Calgary or Edmonton: rents there are a quarter to a third lower than in Toronto.

This topic in other countries

Cost of living in other countries:

FAQ

How much money do you need to live in Canada?

A single person needs $2,300-3,100 a month in Toronto including rent, a couple $2,900-4,000. Montreal is 25-30% cheaper. To get started in Toronto you need from $8,300 for the first three months.

How much is rent in Toronto?

A one-bedroom flat in the centre costs $1,615-2,040 a month excluding utilities, $1,335-1,615 in a cheaper district. The median in September 2026 was about C$2,150.

Is it cheaper to live in Toronto or Montreal?

Montreal: a one-bedroom flat in the centre costs $1,195-1,545 against $1,615-2,040 in Toronto, and electricity is cheaper. But Montreal requires French.

What is the minimum wage in Canada in 2026?

C$17.95 an hour in Ontario from 1 October 2026, C$16.60 in Quebec from 1 May, and the federal minimum is C$18.15 from 1 April.

How much are utilities in Canada?

Electricity and heating are about $110-180 a month for a one-bedroom flat in Toronto and $50-110 in Montreal, plus $85-130 for internet and mobile.

How much is public transport in Toronto and Montreal?

In Toronto from September 2026 a monthly fare cap of C$156, about $110, replaces the pass. In Montreal a monthly pass for the island is C$110, about $78.

Is healthcare free in Canada for foreigners?

Yes, once you have provincial insurance: Ontario covers residents and workers with a permit of 6 months or more from day one, Quebec and British Columbia after a wait of up to three months.

How much does a private school in Toronto cost?

C$12,000 to C$48,000 a year, about C$45,000 on average. Public schools are free.

What taxes does an employee pay in Canada?

Federal income tax from 14% to 33% and provincial tax, 5.05% to 13.16% in Ontario, plus pension plan and employment insurance contributions.

How much is the child benefit in Canada?

Up to C$679.75 a month for a child under 6 from July 2026, about $480; the amount depends on family income.

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