Going to university can be a very expensive endeavour and this is made even more expensive by the need for housing and food if you are travelling far from home. The cost of living can be very expensive in some Canadian cities and can make going to university very hard as the students are forced to find a house farther away from their campus than they would like. In this article, we will analyze how much it cost a student to live and eat in Canada’s biggest cities.
In Toronto, the average cost of a bachelor’s apartment is 1,365 dollars in 2018 and has gone up since. The University of Toronto provides housing and meal plans from 8,000 to 15,000 Canadian dollars per academic year.
The cost in Hamilton is about the same with on average students paying $7850 for housing and $6510 for meals in 2019-2020. For the average of the entirety of Canada a student can expect to pay about $17 per meal and $600 for every month of rent.
For many frugal students eating cheaper food or home, cooking can remove the costly 17 dollars a meal to only a few dollars saving a lot of money. The rent however is unavoidable as many students are unable to procure cars and are forced to live near their campus. The cost of university in Canada is quite high but worth the education in the long run if students can become successful.
There are 6 major provinces in Canada: Ontario, Alberta, Nova Scotia & New Brunswick, Quebec, and Saskatchewan. These provinces are compared to different factors for knowing about the cost of living in each Canadian province. To calculate the cost of living in Canada, the following factors are considered:
Accommodation: For an international applicant one of the major expenses is accommodation. Choosing to stay on-campus or off-campus highly affects the cost of living.
Food Expenses: The food expenses include meals and groceries. On average, a person spends CAD 200 on groceries each month. Meal cost includes three-course meals (including or excluding alcoholic beverages) from a mid-range restaurant with dinner being the most expensive meal of the day.
Transportation Charges: Depending upon the distance a student is travelling, there are many ways to get around in Canada. For local travelling, you may find buses, subways, taxis, or bicycles, even walk would help for a short distance. Though private transport is also an option, it is quite expensive when compared with public transport and can drastically differ the cost of living in Canada when chosen as the primary mode of transport.
Healthcare Charges: The most emphasized suggestion for the students is to get health insurance. They may get one beforehand or just after landing in Canada. Generally, healthcare charges include:
Visiting a Doctor
Medical Specialists
Hospital Stays
Medical Procedures
Private insurance plans are quite expensive than public insurance plans. Public healthcare plans are administered in each province. Other specifications are based on the selection of a province.
Student Expenses: Student charges comprise tuition fees and miscellaneous charges. These charges may include the cost of textbooks, mobile phones, public transit, entertainment, and clothing.
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