Cost of studying in Canada
The official living-cost benchmark per month, in your currency, with a breakdown, price levels, housing rents and the last five years, all on one page.
COST OF LIVING
What living in Canada costs
The official figure in your currency, how prices compare, and five years of change.
about US$1,380 a month
That is about US$16,500 a year
Prices vs United States
a little lower
Prices vs United States
a little lower
- Montreal about US$1,440 a month
One month, item by item
Shown per month so short stays are easy to compare. The official amount and the sum of the items are two different things.
Official living-cost benchmark (per month)
about US$1,380
Source: canada.ca (CAD 23,448 a year divided by 12)
Living-cost funds to show for a study permit (per month). It is separate from the total of the items.
Amount by item
- Rent (median)
- about US$700
- Food
- about US$490
- Transport
- about US$80
- Phone and internet
- —
- Insurance
- about US$50
Source: housing listed on ABROAD (146 listings)
Statistics Canada Market Basket Measure, food (Vancouver, 2025)
Statistics Canada's amount for a family of four (CAD 16,690 a year), converted to one person with Statistics Canada's own scale (four people to one: divide by 2). Its paper notes that this scale is meant for the total and may understate food for one person.
Source: statcan.gc.ca · CAD 695 a month · checked October 16, 2026
TransLink (Metro Vancouver) adult 1-zone monthly pass
2 zones: CAD 156.70 a month; 3 zones: CAD 211.65 a month.
Source: translink.ca · CAD 117.20 a month · checked October 16, 2026
BC International Student Health Fee (MSP)
Only for study permits of six months or more. Coverage starts after a wait of the rest of the month you arrive plus two months, so that period and stays under six months need private insurance (amount —).
Source: gov.bc.ca · CAD 75 a month · checked October 16, 2026
Total of the 4 items with a source
about US$1,320
Items marked “—” are left out, so this is lower than what you will actually spend.
“—” means we do not yet have a sourced amount for that item. Tuition and return travel are not included in either amount.
Per month, side by side
- Official living-cost figure
US$1,380 a month
- Rent in Vancouver (146 ABROAD listings)
US$560 to US$960 a month, median US$700
Price level (US = 1.0)
Canada vs United States: slightly cheaper
On the pricier side of the 14 countries (No. 11 from the cheapest)
Tap a dot to see the country and its value.
- Colombia: 0.36
- Philippines: 0.39
- Mexico: 0.50
- Spain: 0.70
- South Korea: 0.73
- France: 0.83
- Germany: 0.84
- Ireland: 0.89
- Japan: 0.90
- United Kingdom: 0.92
- Canada: 0.93
- United States: 1.00
- New Zealand: 1.04
- Australia: 1.05
The last 5 years
In US Dollar, the amount you need to show has grown to about 2 times what it was 5 years ago.
per year: US$8,090 → US$16,560
October 2026：about US$16,560 a year
- October 2021：about US$8,090 a year
- November 2021：about US$8,080 a year
- December 2021：about US$7,840 a year
- January 2022：about US$7,870 a year
- February 2022：about US$7,870 a year
- March 2022：about US$7,880 a year
- April 2022：about US$8,010 a year
- May 2022：about US$7,760 a year
- June 2022：about US$7,910 a year
- July 2022：about US$7,730 a year
- August 2022：about US$7,830 a year
- September 2022：about US$7,600 a year
- October 2022：about US$7,280 a year
- November 2022：about US$7,390 a year
- December 2022：about US$7,440 a year
- January 2023：about US$7,360 a year
- February 2023：about US$7,510 a year
- March 2023：about US$7,350 a year
- April 2023：about US$7,430 a year
- May 2023：about US$7,370 a year
- June 2023：about US$7,370 a year
- July 2023：about US$7,550 a year
- August 2023：about US$7,530 a year
- September 2023：about US$7,400 a year
- October 2023：about US$7,350 a year
- November 2023：about US$7,210 a year
- December 2023：about US$7,380 a year
- January 2024：about US$15,520 a year
- February 2024：about US$15,340 a year
- March 2024：about US$15,200 a year
- April 2024：about US$15,220 a year
- May 2024：about US$15,040 a year
- June 2024：about US$15,130 a year
- July 2024：about US$15,070 a year
- August 2024：about US$14,930 a year
- September 2024：about US$15,290 a year
- October 2024：about US$15,260 a year
- November 2024：about US$14,830 a year
- December 2024：about US$14,700 a year
- January 2025：about US$15,870 a year
- February 2025：about US$15,630 a year
- March 2025：about US$15,860 a year
- April 2025：about US$15,910 a year
- May 2025：about US$16,570 a year
- June 2025：about US$16,710 a year
- July 2025：about US$16,820 a year
- August 2025：about US$16,500 a year
- September 2025：about US$16,650 a year
- October 2025：about US$16,430 a year
- November 2025：about US$16,300 a year
- December 2025：about US$16,400 a year
- January 2026：about US$16,670 a year
- February 2026：about US$16,780 a year
- March 2026：about US$16,750 a year
- April 2026：about US$16,480 a year
- May 2026：about US$16,820 a year
- June 2026：about US$16,550 a year
- July 2026：about US$16,100 a year
- August 2026：about US$16,320 a year
- September 2026：about US$16,880 a year
- October 2026：about US$16,460 a year
- October 2026：about US$16,560 a year
Sources and revision history
Outside Quebec Official figure: CAD 23,448 a year・applications from September 1, 2026・Living-cost funds to show for a study permit
Montreal Official figure: CAD 24,617 a year・applications from January 1, 2026・Living-cost funds to show for a study permit
Rate: 1 CAD = USD 0.70 (October 15, 2026, Frankfurter)
Tuition and return travel are not included. This is the amount the authorities ask you to show, not necessarily what you will spend.
World Bank price level (US = 1.0). The same yardstick as the city diagnosis.
Amounts in US Dollar are the official figure in force that month, multiplied by that month’s exchange rate.
History of the official figure (original currency)
- Before January 1, 2024：CA$10,000 a year・web.archive.org・checked October 15, 2026
- Applications from January 1, 2024：CA$20,635 a year・web.archive.org・checked October 15, 2026
- Applications from January 1, 2025：CA$22,895 a year・canada.ca・checked October 15, 2026
- Applications from September 1, 2026：CA$23,448 a year・canada.ca・checked October 15, 2026
The official sources do not say when the oldest figure began, so the line starts at the left edge.
Exchange rates are European Central Bank reference rates (Frankfurter), taken on the first business day of each month; the last point is October 16, 2026.
Price levels are World Bank statistics (retrieved October 15, 2026). 2017 and 2021 are measured by the International Comparison Program (ICP); the years between are the World Bank’s linking series. The 2017 figures are the World Bank’s revised series, aligned with the 2021 round. data.worldbank.org
Source: IRCC: Proof of financial support (study permit)
checked October 8, 2026
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