Cost of Living in Canada for Indian Students 2024
Raj Vimal
Study Abro ad Expert
Updated on Jul 10, 2024 09:14 IST
For international students, getting admitted to universities and colleges in Canada requires
planning and financial commitment before they are there. Here are a few pointers to help you
with the fee estimates. International students will have to meet the costs of studies and the cost
of living in Canada.
Living Cost in Canada: So you are considering Canada f or your higher studies, and you are
here to get an idea about the living expenses. Well, this is the right approach to plan to study
abroad as an international student. T he cost of living in Canada is more expensive than in
India, but more af f ordable than in the USA or the UK.
It is important that you do good f inancial planning to cover the expenses. Accommodation,
grocery, and health insurance expenses are the top f actors which af f ect the overall cost of
living in Canada. Also, at the time of applying f or the Canada student visa, IRCC asks f or
proof that you have suf f icient f unds to cover your expenses. In this article, we will give you
an overview of living expenses in Canada and other relevant inf ormation about the topic.
Living Cost in Canada f or International Students
Disclaim e r: This PDF is auto -generated based o n the info rmatio n available o n Shiksha as
o n 11-Jul-20 24.
According to Numbeo, an Indian student needs INR 88,400 per month to cover the
monthly expenses. T his amount does not include house rent as it varies f rom place to
place. Students must obtain medical and hospital insurance as healthcare in Canada is very
expensive.
Public health insurance plans are administered independently in each province. Some
universities require compulsory insurance coverage. T he coverage should be secured within
the f irst week af ter arrival. T here are a f ew f actors that af f ect the cost of living f or Indian
students. T hey are listed below:
Big Cit y Lif e vs. Suburban Areas
Like anywhere in the world, living costs in urban centres are more than those in the suburbs.
Many students pref er on-campus housing much more, which may not be the lowest-cost
option but is def initely more convenient. Toronto and Vancouver are the most expensive
cities to live in and with the shortage of af f ordable housing in Toronto, costs are the
highest there and still continue to rise. T he cost of living in Toronto f or international
students is CAD 1,945 to CAD 3,713. T his depends mainly on your accommodation. T he
table given below provides the cost of living in Toronto f or international students. Data has
been sourced f rom the University of T oronto:
Cost of Living in Canada in CAD Per
Head
Month
Rent 1,900 – 2,600
Utility Expenses 230
T enant Insurance 30
Food & Grocery 400
Clothing & Shoes 100
T ransport 105
Entertainment 100
T otal 2800 to 3500
Disclaim e r: This PDF is auto -generated based o n the info rmatio n available o n Shiksha as
o n 11-Jul-20 24.
Source: Numbeo
Cost of St udying in Canada
Living expenses in Canada for Indian students vary f rom city to city and depending on
where the school is located, the best-estimated living expense will depend on the university
you are applying to. As mentioned earlier, every college provides estimated f ees and living
expenses in Canada. Some colleges have reasonable and af f ordable on-campus boarding
options, some colleges charge quite a lot f or the same. What is the cost of living in Canada
f or Indian students? On average, the cost of living in Canada f or Indian students is around
CAD 18,340 of which rent and accommodation f orms the major part. Here is a table to help
you understand approximate monthly expenses in Canada as well as annual costs.
Monthly Cost in Annual Cost in
Expenses
Canada Canada
T uition - $19,186*
Student Fees - $400
Health Insurance $70 $840
T extbooks - $600
On-campus Rent $600 $7,200
Mobile phone (basic package) $30 $360
Public T ransit Pass $40 $480
Groceries/Food $300 $3,600
Entertainment/Clothes/Gif ts $80 $960
Car: Insurance - $1,500
Car: Fuel $200 $2,400
T otal Expenses $1320 $37,526
Disclaim e r: This PDF is auto -generated based o n the info rmatio n available o n Shiksha as
o n 11-Jul-20 24.
*Average 1st-year tuition f ees are based on 343 MS courses in Canada (source:
[Link])
Related Blog: What is Student Accommodation?
How Much Money is Required to Study in Canada
Now that students are aware of the approximate living cost in Canada f or international
students, let us look at how much money is required to study in Canada f rom the perspective
of the f unds that you need to prove while applying f or a Canada student visa. T he minimum
bank balance f or Canada student visa depends on whether a student studies outside of
Quebec or in Quebec. T he tables given below provide the details of both:
Minimum Bank Balance for Canada Student Visa (outside Quebec):
Funds Required Annually (excluding
Person
tuition fee) – Outside Quebec
Primary applicant CAD 20,000
Scholarships to Study in Canada
Indian students may be eligible f or a scholarship, f ellowship, or grant to study in Canada.
T he Government of Canada, our provinces and territories, and many educational institutions
Disclaim e r: This PDF is auto -generated based o n the info rmatio n available o n Shiksha as
o n 11-Jul-20 24.
of f er f unds f or international students. Many colleges and universities in Canada of f er
scholarships to students to manage their studies and living. For more inf ormation about
scholarships in Canada, you can visit the link. Students may also apply to colleges in Canada
without application f ees to reduce their costs.
Now that students are aware of the living cost in Canada f or international students, they
must apply f or scholarships and look f or part-time work to reduce their costs. For help with
university applications, students seeking to study abroad can contact our Shiksha Study
Abroad Counsellors. T he comments section below allows candidates to contact us as well.
Cost of Living in Canada f or Indian Students FAQs
Q. Is the cost of living in Canada for Indian students very high?
A. T he living cost in Canada f or international students is around CAD 18,000 to CAD 20,000
per annum on average. When it comes to the cost of living in Canada f or Indian students, it
translates to nearly INR 12 to 15 lakhs per annum on average based on the current exchange
rate as of July 2024. However, it is worth noting that the cost of living in Canada f or Indian
students depends on one’s location, lif estyle, dietary habits, travelling f acilities, etc. It is
important f or students to consider scholarships and/or part-time work in order to reduce the
cost of living.
Q. Is the cost of living in Canada for Indian students very high?
A. If you compare it to other popular study destinations then studying in Canada is
af f ordable. A student needs around C$30,000 and C$50,000 per annum depending on the
course/city to cover his tuition. Apart f rom this, the cost of f ood, living, and other living
expenses will be around C$18,000 per annum. T his is quite af f ordable if you compare it to
other popular study-abroad destinations. Students need to consider their accommodation,
f ood, transport, and healthcare as some of their biggest heads as a part of their living
expenses in Canada.
Q. What province in Canada has the lowest cost of living?
A. Living expenses in Canada vary f rom city to city; the province of Quebec continues to rank
as one of the lowest-cost-of -living provinces in Canada with an estimated living cost of
C$1,600 per month. T his stems not only f rom some of the lowest rents in Canada and
subsidized child care but also f rom Quebec's electricity prices being much lower than the
national average, at 7.3 cents per kWh. In addition to Quebec, Newf oundland and Labrador,
Manitoba, Saskatchewan, New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island, and Alberta are
also af f ordable provinces to live in Canada f or international students.
Q. What is the cost of living in T oronto for international students?
A. Cost of living in Toronto f or international students ranges f rom CAD 1,945 to CAD 3,713
Disclaim e r: This PDF is auto -generated based o n the info rmatio n available o n Shiksha as
o n 11-Jul-20 24.
per month. T he majority part of this cost is the rent that an international student needs to
pay. Rent in Toronto, f or international students, ranges f rom CAD 1,100 to CAD 2,700 per
month. Food and grocery costs more than CAD 340 per month. Other important heads
include electricity, internet, phone, clothing and shoes, transport. In addition to these, there
will be health expenditures and other miscellaneous charges f or entertaining and student lif e.
Q. How to reduce the cost of living in Canada for students?
A. Students, who wish to reduce their cost of living in Canada, may consider the f ollowing
points:
Apply for Scholarships: Your overall expenses may be reduced with the aid of
scholarships. Make sure to look into and apply f or any scholarships f or which you may
be qualif ied.
Search for affordable housing: Finding af f ordable housing choices is one of the
best ways to lower the cost of living in Canada, where rent may be a substantial
expense. To save money on rent, think about living in communal housing or a little
outside the city.
Part-time work: Working part-time while you study is an excellent option f or
international students to supplement their income. International students can work up
to 24 hours per week while studying and 40 hours during vacation. Usually, a student
earns around C$10-15 an hour in Canada; however, it may vary depending on the city
and job you perf orm. Teacher’s Assistants, Tutors, Waiters, Bartenders or servers,
Drivers, Freelancers, Translators, Salespersons, Babysitters, Dog walkers, etc. are the
best part-time jobs in Canada.
Disclaim e r: This PDF is auto -generated based o n the info rmatio n available o n Shiksha as
o n 11-Jul-20 24.
