Prepare financially

Your cost of living may be different

The information provided in this section will help you to estimate how much it will cost you to live in Canada.

Your life in Canada will be different than in your home country. You may have to take a job with lower pay while you upgrade your skills or get experience working here. That means your financial status could change. Even if you earn a higher salary in Canada than you were earning in your home country, the cost of living in Canada may be higher than you are used to.

Prepare financially before you leave

  Determine how much it costs to live where you are planning to settle in Canada. The cost of living will vary depending on where you decide to settle but some costs will be typical for items and services across Canada.

   Here are some typical costs for items and services in Canada. Please note all figures are in Canadian funds. 

Rent - Bachelor Apartment (one room apartment, one month, large city)	$700 - $1,100
Rent - Bachelor Apartment (one room apartment, one month, small city/town)	$500 - $700
Utilities (one month)	$20 - $30
Phone (one month not including long distance)	$20 - $40
Cell Phone Package (one month)	$40
Cable Television (one month)	$25 - $50
Internet Connection (high speed, one month)	$40
Groceries for One Person (one month)	$200 - $300
One Dozen Eggs	$2 - $3
Bag of Rice (2 kg)	$2 - $6
Bus Fare One Way (local)	$2.25
Local Telephone Call	$0.25
Fast Food Meal (hamburger, soft drink, french fries)	$4 - $6 per person
Average Restaurant Meal	$10 - $25 per person
Coffee from Specialty Coffee Shop	$1.70
Admission to Nightclub	$0 - $15
Gas/Petrol	$1.15 - $1.50 per litre
Movie	$11.50 - $13
Pair of Jeans	$40 - $80
Pair of Running Shoes	$60 - $200
Return flight from Vancouver to Toronto	$300 - $1,200
Letter within Canada	$0.50
International Postage (letter)	$1.45

  Check with your banker, lawyer or financial adviser to find out if your home country has a limit on how much money can be removed. 

  If you will be immigrating to Canada as a skilled worker, investor, entrepreneur or as a self-employed person, you will have to provide proof that you have sufficient funds to support yourself and your family after you arrive in Canada.

 You will need to provide proof of your funds to the Canadian visa office in your home country when you submit your application for immigration.

Proof of funds – Federal skilled workers

You must show that you have enough money to support yourself and your family after you get to Canada. You cannot borrow this money from another person. You must be able to use this money to pay the costs of living for your family (even if they are not coming with you).

You will need to show proof to the Canadian visa office in your home country that you have enough money when you apply to immigrate.

The amount of money you need to support your family is set by the size of your family. We update these amounts every year.

Number of Family Members	Funds Required (in Canadian dollars)
1	$11,115
2	$13,837
3	$17,011
4	$20,654
5	$23,425
6	$26,419
7 or more	$29,414

You do not have to show that you have these funds if:

• you have a valid offer of arranged employment in Canada AND
• you are currently working or authorized to work in Canada.

How much money should you bring?

It is a good idea to research how much it costs to live in the place where you plan to settle in Canada.

Bring as much money as you can to make moving and finding a home in Canada easier. Note, however, that Canadian customs regulations require you to declare if you are bringing more than C$10,000 into Canada. If you do not tell them, you may be fined or put in prison. These funds could be in the form of:

• cash
• documents that show property or capital payable to you (such as stocks, bonds, debentures, treasury bills, etc.) or
• documents that guarantee payment of a set amount of money, which are payable to you (such as bankers’ drafts, cheques, travellers’ cheques or money orders).