The cost of living is one of the very important factors that families or students studying abroad in Canada need to pay close attention to.
The cost of living will generally have seasonal variations during the year (Example: Heating costs in winter), but averaged out, the Price Index can also provide provides us with a relatively comprehensive picture when comparing the cost of living in the main cities of La Phong in the last season of the year.
| Rating | Name of City / Province | Price Index |
|---|---|---|
| 1st | Vancouver | 185 |
| 2nd | Toronto | 183 |
| 3rd | Victoria | 161 |
| 4th | Montreal | 150 |
| 5th | Whitehorse | 149 |
| 6th | Ottawa | 148 |
| 7th | Edmonton | 142 |
| 8th | Kelowna | 137 |
| 9th | Oshawa | 136 |
| 10th | Barrie | 134 |
| 11th | London, Ontario | 133 |
| 12th | Nanaimo, British Columbia | 129 |
| 13th | Winnipeg | 128 |
| 14th | Charlottetown, PEI | 126 |
| 15th | Guelph | 123 |
| 16th | Abbotsford | 122 |
| 17th | Quebec City | 119 |
| 18th | Kingston | 119 |
| 19th | Windsor | 117 |
| 20th | Kamloops | 117 |
| 21 st | Greater Sudbury | 115 |
| 22nd | Moncton | 113 |
The following table compares some essential living expenses in the cities of Toronto (Ontario), Vancouver (British Columbia) and Charlottetown (Prince Edward Island – PEI):
Please note, the price specifications are for reference only and will change from time to time.
| Expenditures | Toronto (ONTARIO) | Vancouver (BC) | Charlottetown (PEI) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Monthly rent – area 85m2 (Expensive area) | CAD 3.834 | CAD 4,346 | CAD 1.681 |
| Monthly rent – area 85m2 (Normal area) | CAD 2.994 | CAD 3,115 | CAD 1.247 |
| Cost of electricity, water, gas, heating for the apartment 85m2 | CAD 166 | CAD 180 | CAD 232 |
| Monthly rent – area 45m2 (Expensive area) | CAD 2.270 | CAD 2,425 | N/A |
| Monthly rent – area 45m2 (Normal area) | CAD 1.910 | CAD 2,025 | CAD 859 |
| Cost of electricity, water, gas, heating for the apartment 45m2 | CAD 129 | CAD 145 | N/A |
| Cost of lunch (eating/drinking) at the commercial district | CAD 26 | CAD 25 | CAD 24 |
| Combo fast food | CAD 13 | CAD 12 | CAD 12 |
| Price of 1 liter of milk (Whole fat milk) | CAD 3,53 | CAD 2,92 | CAD 2,65 |
| Price of 1kg of apples | CAD 4.36 | CAD 4,34 | CAD 4,27 |
| Price of 1kg of potatoes | CAD 4,46 | CAD 3,59 | CAD 1,65 |
| Price of 1 bottle of domestic beer (0.5 liter) at the supermarket | CAD 3.19 | CAD 3,41 | CAD 4,02 |
| Coca-Cola (2 liters) | CAD 2,95 | CAD 2,86 | CAD 2,41 |
| Jeans Price (Levis 501) | CAD 80 | CAD 81 | CAD 72 |
| Average price of 1 pair of sports shoes (Nike, Adidas) | CAD 125 | CAD 120 | CAD 118 |
| Unit price for 1 liter of gasoline | CAD 1,86 | CAD 2,07 | CAD 1,24 |
| Monthly pass for public transport | CAD 154 | CAD 128 | CAD 63 |
| Taxi cost for the first 8 kms (Weekdays) | CAD 22 | CAD 22 | CAD 26 |
| Haircuts for Men (International Tourist Area) | CAD 31 | CAD 28 | CAD 19 |
| Cost of dining out (Normal restaurant) for 2 people | CAD 68 | CAD 91 | CAD 47 |
| Movie ticket for 2 people | CAD 30 | CAD 34 | CAD 27 |
| Theater ticket for 2 people (First class ticket) | CAD 180 | CAD 208 | CAD 131 |
| Price for 1 cocktail (Downtown area) | CAD 15 | CAD 15 | CAD 8 |
| Price for 1 cup of Cappuccino (Area with a lot of tourists) | CAD 4,89 | CAD 5,12 | CAD 4,59 |
| Beer prices at regular pubs (500ml) | CAD 7 | CAD 7 | CAD 6 |
| Gym cost for 1 month (Central area) | CAD 66 | CAD 63 | CAD 66 |
The table estimates the average cost of living in a month in 3 cities that currently attract many immigrants to live and work:
| Estimated average cost of living in 1 month | Toronto (ONTARIO) | Vancouver (BC) | Charlottetown (PEI) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Family of 4 people | CAD 7.470 | CAD 7.779 | CAD 4.834 |
| Single person | CAD 4.504 | CAD 4.834 | CAD 2.364 |
Thus, for a family of 4, the average monthly living cost in Charlottetown (PEI) accounts for about 60-65% of the cost in Toronto and Vancouver. And if single, this cost only accounts for about half.
The cost of living is only a part of the overall factors that help families make a choice about where to invest, settle down or study abroad.