Canadian Cost of Living for International Students
By Abhinav Jain, Founder & Director, Gateway International | Btech, MBA, Serial Entrepreneur | Study abroad consultants and AI in business specialist | 12 min read | ✓ Verified Expert
Table of Contents
- Introduction
- Understanding Canadian Cost of Living
- Breakdown of Living Expenses in Canada
- Tuition Fees and Education Costs
- Housing and Accommodation Options
- Food, Groceries, and Daily Necessities
- Transportation and Mobility
- City-wise Comparison of Cost of Living
- Budgeting Tips and Financial Challenges
- Scholarships and Financial Aid
- Part-Time Work and Income Opportunities
- Conclusion
Introduction
The cost of living in Canada as a foreign student is of paramount importance in making up the budget for your educational trip. In 2025. With the varying regulations and with expenses going up and up, it will be important to know the average cost of living in Canada. The Canadian experience is a gruelling one for the average Indian. Having chosen to do one’s course of study in Canada, one must be well prepared financially.
But international students in Canada have to be prepared for all kinds of expenses. There are expenses for board, lodging, transport, medical insurance, and so on, and they vary considerably from one town to another. In recent times. Canadian universities required a student to prove that they’ve an income of at least twenty-two thousand and nine hundred and fifty dollars (about 14 million Indian rupees) to be eligible for scholarships. This amount is IRCC has set the threshold at this amount for 2025. It’s based on the real costs that students are faced with in cities such as Toronto, Vancouver, Montreal, and.
Honestly, this summary of the Canadian cost of living gives city by city comparisons of the relative expenses, and practical advice as to the best methods of economizing. This article will be of use to you in planning your course of study in Canada. Whether for the master’s degree or for any other branch of learning. It will also serve to direct your attention to the question of obtaining a scholarship Are you ready to go abroad?’? First and foremost, the Gateway International will be.
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Get Started →Understanding Canadian Cost of Living
The Canadian ‘cost of living’ is the total amount that must be set aside for the expenses of a I mean, student in the course of his life in Canada. It includes everything from rent to food, from transport – correction: to medical care. In 2025 the Canadian government redoubled its efforts to meet the new conditions of life and set the minimum requisitions at ten thousand and twenty-nine dollars, to meet the growing expenses of the country.
The annual cost of living in Canada for international students, depending on the city and the course, is about thirty to fifty thousand Canadian dollars (21 to 30) per year. The largest expenditure is generally that for the school; then come the expenditures for board and lodging, transport, and laundry. Living costs in Canada for foreign students vary according to choice of city and lifestyle.
We must understand that living expenses in Canada aren’t the same everywhere. Speaking of which, in a great city like Toronto or Vancouver, – hmm, how do I put this – the cost of living – correction: is high, and the cost of housing is expensive. On the other hand. A smaller town or a university town These differences must be understood before we can make any realistic plan about the future, both in our choice of places to study and in our choice where.
🎯 Important: Latest Policy Update
The minimum annual salary required of foreign students by the Canadian authorities has been raised to $ 22,000 (examination and travel not included) from September 1, 2025. In the end, the Canadian government imposed a remission of course fees. The reduction was to help students meet the expenses of their studies in Canada.
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To estimate the cost of living in Canada, it’s necessary to break down the various elements that make up the annual budget of a student. This was.
- Accommodation:The biggest non-tuition I mean, costs are for rent, which vary according to the size of.
- Food and Groceries:A month’s worth of food and a supper.
- Transportation:These items are either bus tickets, occasional taxi fares or car expenses.
- Health Insurance:International students must pay an additional fee, based on the province and university where they’ll be studying.
- Utilities and Internet:Electricity, heating, water, and telephone.
- Personal Expenses:Clothing, telephone plans, recreation and miscellaneous purchases.
This is the most essential part of their expenses, of which their biggest cost, of course, is the rent. Depending on the choice of city, residence, and the division of housing, the cost of living in Canada is variable.
| Expense Category | Monthly (CAD) | Monthly (INR) |
|---|---|---|
| Accommodation (shared/off-campus) | 700–2,500 | 43,000–1,55,000 |
| Food & Groceries | 200–500 | 12,000–31,000 |
| Transportation | 80–160 | 5,000–10,000 |
| Utilities & Internet | 50–100 | 3,000–6,000 |
| Health Insurance | 50–100 | 3,000–6,000 |
| Personal Expenses | 100–200 | 6,000–12,000 |
Living costs for foreign students in Canada average around $1,200 per month (about Rs.25,000). Depending on personal choices and the city one lives in, it is, 74,000-1,40,000.
🎯 Important: Accommodation Choices
It’s not difficult to live well in Canada. If you live with others or live far from the center, you’ll greatly Indian students, on the other hand, live in shared flats with other students, in order to save money.
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Actually, for international students, tuition fees constitute the most important part of the Canadian budget. Look, the amount of this amount varies depending on the programme, the level and the By 2025, the average tuition fees will be:
- Undergraduate Programs:CAD 32,000 to 40,000 (INR 19-24 lac).
- Postgraduate Programs:I made a fortune.
- PhD Programs:CAD 10,000 – 20,000 (Rs. Now that I mention it, 6-12 Lacs).
These figures are only approximate, and are liable to rise considerably for special subjects such as engineering, business, and medicine. It’s important to ascertain the exact cost of attendance at the university or college of your choice and For the tuition fees paid by foreign students, the living expenses must be added to the emoluments.
| Program Level | Average Tuition (CAD/year) | Average Tuition (INR/year) |
|---|---|---|
| Undergraduate | 32,000–40,000 | 19,00,000–24,00,000 |
| Postgraduate | 18,000–25,000 | 11,00,000–15,00,000 |
| PhD | 10,000–20,000 | 6,00,000–12,00,000 |
Some of the Canadian universities provide scholarships and other means of help with their fees. Gateway International: Gateway to the World! Let’s help you to study abroad and to find the right.
Aditi Sharma
“Gateway International guided me through tuition planning and helped me secure a scholarship, making my Canadian education dream affordable. Their expertise in understanding the canadian cost of living was invaluable.”
Housing and Accommodation Options
Accommodation is the most expensive item in the cost of living in Canada. Accommodation for international students is available in dormitories located on the campus or in the Each has its advantages and disadvantages.
Honestly, the annual rent for on-campus accommodation usually ranges between CAD3,000 and CAD8,000, and this brings comfort and community to the campus. A rental apartment in a town outside the campus might cost from $ 700 to $ 2,500 per month. Honestly, students who board with a Canadian family are also well cared for, the monthly price ranging between 400 and 1,000 dollars per month and usually including meals.
Students living in a dormitory have a cheaper room. This reminds me, to save money, you know, they move away from the center of town. When considering off-campus living, one must also budget for the expenses of rent, furniture and heating. The average cost of living in Canada depends, you know, largely on the place you live.
🎯 Important: Security Deposits
You’ll have to pay a deposit (about one month’s rent) to the landlord before moving in. Look, when he had ascended, he said to me: “Listen, you young people; this is.
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As food and other household items are essential to the Canadian cost of living, students spend between $200 and $500 on groceries, depending on their habits and the city where they live. The cost of cooking at home is generally lower than that of eating out. Indian students are generally used to preparing their own meals for two reasons: to save money and to eat familiar food.
Occasionally eating in a restaurant or getting take-out food can add a significant expense to monthly bills, a three-course meal in a good restaurant will cost $100, and the student should also be prepared to pay another $50-$100 per month for daily expenses, such as soap, cleaning supplies and laundry.
Costs of living in Canada have been regulated for some time, – hmm, how do I put this – but you know, still remain very high. So it’s necessary to plan one’s meals and to avoid wasting food, to remain within your budget.
Rohan Mehta
“Living in Toronto, I learned to manage my food expenses by cooking at home and shopping at local markets. This helped me keep my canadian cost of living under control while enjoying a healthy lifestyle.”
Transportation and Mobility
Another important feature of the cost of living in Canada is the means of locomotion. Funny you should ask, because in all Canadian cities, public transport consists of buses, metros, and trains. A monthly ticket costs between CAD$80 and CAD$160, depending on the city. Students in the major cities of Vancouver and Toronto must pay for their transportation. Those in smaller cities can walk or bicycle to school.
Students who have cars and use them, however, must pay for the costs of gasoline, insurance, and repairs, not to mention the cost of street parking. For most students, the public transport is usually the most convenient and economical choice. Universities frequently arrange for students to travel with the city transport at a discount.
At the same time, by making a careful plan of your daily route and choosing a home close to the college, you can cut down the cost of transport and also help to reduce the.
| City | Monthly Transit Pass (CAD) | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Toronto | 156 | Most expensive; extensive subway and bus network |
| Vancouver | 112 | SkyTrain, buses; U-Pass for students |
| Montreal | 94 | Affordable; metro and bus system |
| Calgary | 112 | C-Train and buses; student discounts available |
🎯 Important: Student Transit Passes
Many Canadian universities offer discounted or subsidized transit passes for students, helping to lower the overall canadian cost of living.City-wise Comparison of Cost of Living
The cost of living in Canada varies considerably from city to city. The most expensive cities are those of Vancouver and Toronto, where – hmm, how do I put this – the rent is high, and the cost of living is high. Look. Montreal and Calgary are more moderately This is a comparative chart of the living expenses of students in several Canadian cities.
- Toronto:CAD$1,000 – $2,000 per month (INR86,000 – 1,24,000.
- Vancouver:Then we’re going to pay you a salary.
- Montreal:A month’s pay of CA$1260 to 1660 (INR.
- Calgary:It’s not for a long time. And it’s.
Probably the main reason for the differences in these two figures is the cost of housing, which is generally highest in Toronto. Montreal’s students benefit from cheap rents and cheap public transport. Calgary is the most economical city, but in transportation it is more expensive than anywhere else.
See, this is the way one can arrange a budget; one must not only reckon with the average cost of living in Canada, but also with the particular city and We aren’t going to ask you to make any financial commitments, but you can.
Simran Kaur
“I chose Montreal for my studies because of its affordable rent and vibrant student community. The lower canadian cost of living allowed me to focus more on my academics and less on financial stress.”
Check Out: Australian Cost of Living for Students in 2025: A Comprehensive Guide for International Students
Budgeting Tips and Financial Challenges
A good and intelligent manager, a prudent budgeter, is necessary to control the – okay, here’s the thing – price of living in Canada. Rising rents, increased tuition and the cost of living are often hard to deal with, here’s some advice for the young,
- A budget was made up, which included, as a rule, the expenses of the college for one year.
- If you’re living with other people or you’re staying in a flat that costs a lot.
- For cheaper food one has to shop in a discount store and prepare your own meals.
- Use public transport and take advantage of your student discount.
- We’ll follow our expenditure, and make alterations as the situation demands.
- A few months later, after my graduation, I was sent to a financial consultant in.
The common financial difficulties were increased rents, higher fees, increased living costs and the lack of opportunities to earn enough to pay these costs while studying. Planning ahead and keeping informed of the latest changes will help you to find a way through these difficulties, he said.
🎯 Important: Financial Counseling
In many Canadian universities, counselling and budget – hmm, how do I put this – workshops for foreign students are offered for free. Don’t miss the opportunity to study abroad. Apply with Gateway International, and get expert guidance.Scholarships and Financial Aid
They know that they have a wide field of choice. They can take what they want. The advantages of scholarship are actually the following institutions offered stipends and living allowances in 2025:
- Vanier Canada Graduate Scholarships (PhD):A year for three years, a sum of $100,000.
- Banting Postdoctoral Fellowships:Cadets of 70,000 per annum for two years.
- Pierre Elliott Trudeau Foundation Scholarship (PhD):Up to sixty thousand francs a year, plus travelling and research expenses, in other.
- Ontario Graduate Scholarship (OGS):Francs a year.
- University of Toronto Lester B. Pearson International Scholarship (Undergraduate):It’s free and fully funded, and that covers you know, tuition, textbooks, laundry,
There are many scholarships and grants for the first year only. A scholarship or a part-time job combined with part time work, plus a low-cost province, may all help to keep the expenditure down. Are you going to go abroad for a Gateway International?
🎯 Important: Scholarship Deadlines
Application deadlines vary according to the university and the scholarship programme. In the meantime, you can start preparing for the world. Gateway International will help you.Part-Time Work and Income Opportunities
Part-time employment was the most effective means to provide supplementary income for the – or should I say, support of an international student’s expenses. During the vacations they may work at any time. Employment is very often sought in such employment as retailing, in hotels, and in the field of one’s studies.
Some of us who have a part-time job in the summer, the hours of which aren’t regular, and which don’t come under any regular system, earn from earnings from part time work may help to cover day-to-day expenses, but they aren’t enough to meet the IRCC’s financial requirements. Study is an important part of life, one must try to combine it with.
Many universities offer a supplementary training and paid experience through work internships. It’s especially helpful for students who wish to expand their résumés and develop professional contacts.
🎯 Important: Work Permit Rules
International students may be required to show that their studies permit them to work in Always consult the IRCC guidelines before starting work.🎯 Important: Latest News Updates
- As of September 2025, the Canadian government I mean, will raise the minimum proof of means for foreign students to CAD 22,895 per year.
- India’s number of emigrants to Canada is still you know, the largest in the world, and the number – well, actually, of students is approaching 140,000.
- In 2025 the cost of living in Vancouver and Toronto jumped by eight per cent.
- Several universities have increased the number of scholarships available for Indians, who have chosen the science disciplines.
- Students are now permitted to work twenty-four hours a week during the semester, and forty hours during vacations.
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Conclusion
This table shows the total expenditure, including tuition, rent, board, travel and miscellaneous expenses, on a per-person basis – correction: for students coming from abroad. Studying abroad in Canada means that you must be aware of – correction: the cost of living there and plan your budget carefully. Scholarships. Jobs, and good financial management can help you take care of your college expenses and keep your mind on academic and career goals.
And you, who are willing to study abroad, you’re lucky to have the help of Gateway International to find the college and help you with With more than 17 years of experience, we offer you a long-term and trusting relationship that’ll be of benefit to you in your career. Actually, you know what? What do you know about all the – or maybe I should say – institutions in the world? Gateway International can help.