Cost of Living in Canada

[jitz]

Cost of Living - I've received a very nice contribution from one of my mate recently migrate to Canada, he shared his data with as as a single and then as married.

Here is what he had to say:

I was living alone until April, here's my data (for a single guy):

• Monthly rent: $875 (nice bachelor)
  Transportation: $180 (TTC monthly pass + tickets because I work outside Toronto)
  Gas: $0 (I lived in TOR downtown, TTC is enough)
  Home Parking: $0
  Other Parking: $0
  Car Insurance: $0
  Grocery: $200 (vegetarian)
  Household: $50
  Utilities: $70 (Bell phone + 3Mbps internet. I also didn't have TV)
  clothing: $30
  Entertainment: $200
  Laundry: $20

Now, in 2009 another mate with his wife and baby daughter

• Monthly rent: $2000 (mortgage for a house + property tax)
  Transportation: $50 (carpooling)
  Gas: $120
  Home Parking: $0
  Other Parking: $30
  Car Insurance: $170 (car + home + life insurance)
  Grocery: $600
  Household: $100
  Utilities: $70 (Bell phone + 3Mbps internet. TV from FTA satellite)
  clothing: $60
  Entertainment: $200
  Laundry: $0
  Electricity: $50
  Gas (heat): $130
  Water: $25

This is a reality check guys ... I encourage everyone to share his data in different cities in Canada and I will post it here directly, so people will have great understanding about Living Cost in Canada

Cheers,

Jitz

[domingo]

Excellent jitz!

I will try to get more information from my friends.

[pooja82]

gr8t work jitz
u deserve plus for this
wonderful job

[H1BPRcanada]

Detailed list of the items

good one

Regards

[Biblo]

Useful information

[aamirdr]

nice info...plz other people also contribute this forum

[zulkfal]

Nice information but this is if you are planning to on the max side for Middle income family as the average income in Ontario with married person and one earner is approx 53,000 by stat Canada and for break even with this expenses is 56,100 per annum. This are my details

Single: Waterloo, Ontario

Housing: One bad Room C$ 650+laundry
Food:          C$ 250 (no restriction)
Transportation :  $ 20 avg as live near to university so walk.
Utilities :   $50
Gas+elect:   $100
Entertainment :  $150 (100 for smoking, want to kill this habit)
clothing : $30

for Toronto just add 100-250 in rent.

[mtlguy]

Cost of living in Montreal for a couple

 Rent - 864$ for a large 1 bedroom apt (12 month lease on a highrise...all utilities included)
 Underground heated parking - 70$ per month
 car insurance - 75$/month
 Gas for car - 150-200$/month
 Grocery - 300-350 $/month (veg)
 Internet + phone - 65$/month (Bell Canada)
 Cellphone - 100$ / month ( 2 cellphone connections with Rogers)
 Monthly travell pass - 68$/month (wife uses the public transport which is awsome )
 Entertainment - 100-150$/month

I'd be happy to provide any further information if required.
 

[Biblo]

To me it seems (as per the calculations) that the cost of living in Canada is same as in Middle East.

[balu0427]

I am in SaintJohn, NB with my wife.

Rent - 600$ for a large 1 bedroom apt (month on month rent, utilities not included)
Home Heat and Lights (electricity) - 100$
Underground heated parking - 70$ per month
car insurance - 100$/month
Gas - 150-200$/month
Grocery - 150-300 $/month
Internet + phone - 80$/month (Bell Canada)
Entertainment - 60 - 100$/month (20$ for a movie)
Bus Pass (transit) - 60$/month

this will be the cost of living anywhere in province NB, may be 100-200$ difference.

[vmpvmp]

These are valuable data. But a childish suggestion! If everyone gives total also at the end, every reader will be free from that trouble. Also full forms if possible. NB means New Brunswick (I think!) Sorry! if you feel this suggestion as absurd.

[balu0427]

Yes, NB means NewBrunswick. I know very few people from NB show up here.

I also like your idea of providing total amount.
total cost of living in NB for couple : 1370CAD minimum.

[afaraz]

This is really very usefull data but My suggestion is that. Currently , i guess , these figures are for a stable families or singles in Canada. Most of us are looking for minimal amount that will be required for a month. When we will land there we will have no car, no jobs. So i am looking for some figures which are minimal until we get some job.

After getting a job, you can rent out a good place, a car or other things. But i am looking for the figures of our struggling period. Please comment on on suggestions, may be i am wrong.

My second sugestion is that, we should also look for what are the salary ranges in canada. What are the tax rates in Canada ? i have heard that its around 50 %. What does that mean if i am eanring 50,000, my take home salary will be 25,000. means around 2000 $ par month ? Is that true ?

Finally last question is that, why the groceries are very different from each person. to the rent should be varying in different areas.

Reagrds,

Afaraz

[qorax]

This is really very usefull... My second sugestion is... What are the tax rates in Canada ? i have heard that its around 50 %. What does that mean if i am eanring 50,000, my take home salary will be 25,000. means around 2000 $ par month ? Is that true ?
Finally last question...
Reagrds,
Afaraz

This thread indeed has developed into an informative one after the initial post of Jitz. Nice job there, brother.

Dear Alfaraz,

Here's the latest income tax structures of Canada, our soon to be country of citizenship :

Federal Income Tax rates for 2009:
15% on the first $40,726 of taxable income, +
22% on the next $40,726 of taxable income (on the portion of taxable income between $40,726 and $81,452), +
26% on the next $44,812 of taxable income (on the portion of taxable income between $81,452 and $126,264), +
29% of taxable income over $126,264.

Check http://www.cra-arc.gc.ca/tx/ndvdls/fq/txrts-eng.html for more details.

Thanx & regards

[vmpvmp]

There is 15% extra tax on each item which is not printed. If an item is having price tag of $100/-, we have to pay $115. And from July 2010, (not sure) it is going to be 17%. So people say that total is 50%.