The cost of living in Canada can be very different from city to city.  When you are trying to decide where in Canada you want to live, you should absolutely do some research on this to make sure that there are no nasty surprises along the way.

When it comes to buying or renting a home, the larger cities are more expensive.  Toronto and Vancouver are the most expensive places to live, and groceries are more expensive here too.  You will also spend more on public transport in these areas and need to budget for that.  The plus side to living in these larger cities is the amount of good jobs that are available.

Here are some benchmarks to consider when choosing where to live in Canada and to also help you budget for your first few months in Canada as you search for a job here.

Vancouver

1-bedroom apartment in city centre: $1,447

Average detached home: $1,470, 265

Monthly transit pass: $91

Monthly broadband internet: $64

Dinner for two: $65

Loaf of bread: $3.12

Pint of beer: $6

Calgary

1-bedroom apartment in city centre: $1,205

Average detached home: $491,394

Monthly transit pass: $97

Monthly broadband internet: $61

Dinner for two: $70

Loaf of bread: $2.53

Pint of beer: $6.50

Regina

1-bedroom apartment in city centre: $1,018

Average detached home: $320,000

Monthly transit pass: $83

Monthly broadband internet: $55

Dinner for two: $63

Loaf of bread: $2.75

Pint of beer: $6.50

Winnipeg

1-bedroom apartment in city centre: $956

Average detached home: $300,011

Monthly transit pass: $92

Monthly broadband internet: $60

Dinner for two: $65

Loaf of bread: $2.25

Pint of beer: $5.00

Ottawa

1-bedroom apartment in city centre: $1,189

Average detached home: $383,793

Monthly transit pass: $103

Monthly broadband internet: $51

Dinner for two: $70

Loaf of bread: $2.70

Pint of beer: $6.00

Toronto

1-bedroom apartment in city centre: $1,423

Average detached home: $1,200,000

Monthly transit pass: $141.50

Monthly broadband internet: $55

Dinner for two: $75

Loaf of bread: $2.70

Pint of beer: $6.00

Hamilton

1-bedroom apartment in city centre: $925

Average detached home: $500,183

Monthly transit pass: $101.20

Monthly broadband internet: $62

Dinner for two: $60

Loaf of bread: $2.65

Pint of beer: $5.25

Moncton

1-bedroom apartment in city centre: $662

Average detached home: $178,200

Monthly transit pass: $62

Monthly broadband internet: $54

Dinner for two: $60

Loaf of bread: $2.60

Pint of beer: $5.00

Halifax

1-bedroom apartment in city centre: $893

Average detached home: $360,586

Monthly transit pass: $78

Monthly broadband internet: $80

Dinner for two: $80

Loaf of bread: $3.11

Pint of beer: $5.00

Charlottetown

1-bedroom apartment in city centre: $700

Average detached home: $313,000

Monthly transit pass: $65

Monthly broadband internet: $90

Dinner for two: $42.50

Loaf of bread: $3.15

Pint of beer: $6.50

St. John’s

1-bedroom apartment in city centre: $843

Average detached home: $245,751

Monthly transit pass: $70

Monthly broadband internet: $67.40

Dinner for two: $77.50

Loaf of bread: $3.67

Pint of beer: $6.00

As you can see there is some real variation in the cost of living from city to city.  So if you are choosing where to live in Canada you need to think about every aspect of your lifestyle and budget. To learn more about how much renting will cost in your new city, register for the Renting Your First House in Canada Webinar now and ask experts all the questions you have!