Cost of Living for Students in Canada: 5 Cities Compared (2026)

The cost of living for students in Canada starts, on paper, at CAD 23,448 a year: that is the minimum IRCC asks a single study permit applicant to show for living costs (outside Quebec) from 1 September 2026, on top of tuition and travel. Quebec sets its own higher figure of CAD 24,617 for 2026. In real life, rent decides most of your budget: the average one-bedroom apartment rent in October 2025 ranged from CAD 1,131 a month in Montreal to CAD 1,807 in Vancouver, according to CMHC.

Last checked: 20 October 2026. Rupee amounts use the NRB selling rate, 17 Oct 2026 (CAD 1 = Rs 107.55).

This guide compares Toronto, Vancouver, Montreal, Calgary and Halifax using only official numbers: what IRCC and Quebec require you to show, what the universities in each city publish about housing and living costs, and what Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC), the federal housing agency, measured for rents. It does not use crowd-sourced “cost of living” websites.

The minimum you must show: IRCC and Quebec

IRCC’s proof of financial support page says a single student applying on or after 1 September 2026 must show CAD 23,448 for one year of living expenses (about Rs 25.22 lakh). For applications from 1 January 2025 to 31 August 2026 the figure was CAD 22,895. IRCC is clear that these amounts “do not include tuition and transportation costs”, so you must show first-year tuition and travel money as well. IRCC also says the amounts are updated each year.

If you are going to Montreal or anywhere else in Quebec, IRCC points you to Quebec’s own rules. The Quebec government’s costs of studies page lists CAD 24,617 a year for a single student aged 18 or over, for applications made from 1 January 2026 (about Rs 26.48 lakh). Quebec says this basic-needs amount includes housing and “installation costs”.

Treat these as a floor, not a budget. They are what the visa officer needs to see; they are not a promise that the money will be enough in Toronto or Vancouver. For the full background on the September 2026 change, see our guide to the Canada proof of funds increase.

Cost of living for students in Canada: city comparison

The table puts one official university housing or living-cost figure next to CMHC’s average rents for each city. CMHC figures are for October 2025, the latest annual Rental Market Survey, and cover purpose-built rental apartments and row houses in the whole metropolitan area.

A note on the university numbers: Canadian universities mostly publish residence fees and online calculators rather than a single “living cost” figure, so the rows are not identical in what they cover. Read each one for what it is. Residence fees usually cover only the eight-month academic year (September to April), so add summer rent if you plan to stay.

How to read CMHC rent figures

CMHC’s averages include tenants who have lived in the same unit for years at older rents. New tenants usually pay more. In its December 2025 review of the rental market, CMHC said that “new tenants are paying more than sitting tenants”, even though turnover rent growth had eased (turnover rents in the Greater Toronto Area fell 2.5%). As an international student signing a new lease, expect to pay above the CMHC average.

Dalhousie makes the same point on its Halifax rent and utilities page, where it lists CMHC averages next to much higher figures from live listings. Dalhousie also estimates electricity and heating at CAD 100 to 150 a month, a basic smartphone plan at CAD 55 to 60, and high-speed internet at CAD 80 to 110, if they are not included in your rent.

What changed from October 2024 to October 2025 for one-bedroom units, using the same CMHC tables:

• Toronto: CAD 1,715 to 1,761.
• Vancouver: CAD 1,769 to 1,807.
• Montreal: CAD 1,051 to 1,131, still the cheapest of the five.
• Calgary: CAD 1,584 to 1,581, roughly flat.
• Halifax: CAD 1,402 to 1,539, the biggest jump of the five.

City by city: what the numbers mean

Toronto. The most expensive residences in this comparison: U of T’s cheapest St. George residence with a meal plan is CAD 14,965 for 2026-27 (about Rs 16.09 lakh), already close to two-thirds of IRCC’s whole-year minimum. U of T’s admissions site suggests budgeting CAD 1,000 to 2,000 a year for books and supplies. Most students share apartments off campus after first year.

Vancouver. The highest average rents in Canada among these five cities. UBC’s Go Global office recommends about CAD 9,000 per term to cover accommodation, food, books, student fees and personal expenses, with groceries estimated at CAD 1,650 and books at CAD 800 per term. Two terms at that rate is about CAD 18,000 (Rs 19.36 lakh), before summer.

Montreal. The lowest rents in the table, but the funds Quebec requires you to show are higher than in the rest of Canada, and Quebec has its own immigration steps alongside the federal study permit, so follow your university’s admission instructions closely. McGill’s student aid office suggests about CAD 1,000 a year for books. CMHC reported average Montreal rents rising 7.2% in 2025.

Calgary. Rents were flat in 2025, and CMHC reported vacancy holding at 5% despite an 11% jump in supply, which generally means more choice for renters. UCalgary’s first-year residence with a full meal plan is CAD 10,512 for September to April.

Halifax. Smaller city, but rents rose quickly: the average one-bedroom went up by about CAD 137 a month in a year. Dalhousie’s 2026-27 traditional single rooms cost CAD 10,431 to 11,967 for two terms, plus a mandatory meal plan priced separately.

How to build your own yearly budget, step by step

1. Start with the official minimum. CAD 23,448 outside Quebec, CAD 24,617 in Quebec. This is what your bank documents must cover for living costs.
2. Add first-year tuition from your letter of acceptance, and a one-way air ticket from Kathmandu.
3. Price housing from your university. Use your school’s residence fee page or off-campus housing office, not social media posts.
4. Check CMHC rents for your city if you will live off campus, then add a margin because new leases cost more than the average.
5. Add health insurance. Rules differ by province; see our guide to health insurance for international students.
6. Add books, phone, transit and winter clothing. Use the university figures above where they exist.
7. Plan 12 months, not 8. Residence fees cover the academic year only.
8. Convert to rupees with our student visa money calculator, then decide how much will be shown through a GIC, if your school or stream needs one (see our GIC guide).

For Nepali students and families

• Rupee view of the minimum: CAD 23,448 is about Rs 25.22 lakh, and Quebec’s CAD 24,617 is about Rs 26.48 lakh (NRB selling rate, 17 Oct 2026). A one-bedroom at the Vancouver average is about Rs 1.94 lakh a month.
• Do not plan to cover rent from part-time work. During classes you can work off campus only up to 24 hours a week, and only after your program starts. Read our guide to off-campus work hours in Canada before you count on job income.
• Exchange rate risk: if the rupee weakens, every Canadian dollar costs more. Keep a buffer.
• Rooms “booked from Nepal”: never pay a deposit for a room you cannot verify. Use your university’s housing office listings first.

Common mistakes

• Using the IRCC minimum as a real budget for Toronto or Vancouver.
• Forgetting that IRCC’s figure excludes tuition and travel.
• Using the rest-of-Canada amount for a Quebec application.
• Comparing a residence fee (8 months, often with meals) directly with a monthly apartment rent (12 months, no food).
• Assuming you will find a room at the CMHC average rent when signing a new lease.
• Relying on unofficial cost-of-living websites for visa paperwork.

What to do next

• Open your university’s residence fee page and its cost calculator, and note the 2026-27 figures.
• Look up your city in CMHC’s Housing Market Information Portal for current average rents.
• Build a 12-month budget in rupees, then compare it with the funds your family can show. Our study in Canada from Nepal guide walks through the full process.

Frequently asked questions

How much money do I need to study in Canada in 2026?
For a study permit applied for on or after 1 September 2026, IRCC requires a single student to show CAD 23,448 for one year of living costs, plus first-year tuition and travel. Quebec requires CAD 24,617 for 2026.

Which Canadian city is cheapest for international students?
Of the five cities here, Montreal had the lowest average rents in CMHC’s October 2025 survey (CAD 1,131 for a one-bedroom). Quebec’s required funds (CAD 24,617 for 2026) are higher than the rest of Canada, though.

What is the average rent in Toronto for students?
CMHC’s October 2025 average for the Toronto area was CAD 1,491 for a studio and CAD 1,761 for a one-bedroom. New leases usually cost more than these averages. U of T residence with a meal plan costs CAD 14,965 to 27,901 for 2026-27.

Is CAD 23,448 enough to live in Vancouver?
It is the legal minimum IRCC asks you to show, not a budget. UBC itself recommends about CAD 9,000 per term for living costs and fees, and the average one-bedroom in Vancouver was CAD 1,807 a month in October 2025.

Does the proof of funds amount include tuition?
No. IRCC says the amounts do not include tuition and transportation, which you must show separately.

Related guides

• Canada Health Insurance for International Students by Province
• PGWP Application Step by Step: Fees, Documents, 180 Days
• Off-Campus Work Hours in Canada for Students: 24-Hour Rule (2026)
• Canada Study Permit Application from Nepal: 2026 Steps

Sources

• Study permit: proof of financial support – IRCC
• Costs related to studying in Québec (2026 financial capacity) – Gouvernement du Québec
• Toronto historical average rents by bedroom type – CMHC Housing Market Information Portal
• Vancouver average rents – CMHC
• Montréal average rents – CMHC
• Calgary average rents – CMHC
• Halifax average rents – CMHC
• Inside Canada’s 2025 rental market – CMHC, December 2025
• Compare U of T residence fees 2026-27 – University of Toronto
• MScSM fees and living expenses – University of Toronto Mississauga
• Other costs of university (books and supplies) – University of Toronto
• Fees and payments – UBC Student Housing
• Budgeting for UBC – UBC Go Global
• Undergraduate music costs and financing 2026-27 – McGill University
• Calculate your costs (books) – McGill Scholarships and Student Aid
• Residence rates 2026-2027 – University of Calgary
• Residence costs and fees 2026/27 – Dalhousie University
• Rent and utilities in Halifax – Dalhousie University

Last checked: 20 October 2026. This is general information, not financial or immigration advice. Fees and rents change; confirm with IRCC, Quebec and your university before you apply.