Most affordable student cities in Canada

So, if you are looking for the most affordable student city in Canada for international students, you must consider some of the options below. It is not because they have the cheapest living expenses, but you should also consider the fact, that even if the might be high, the average wage rates for international students are higher in these cities. So, practically they are more affordable than the cheapest cities to live in.

1. Victoria, British Columbia

Victoria, the capital city of British Columbia, popularly tagged as the City of Gardens and one of the top 15 Friendliest Cities in the world is a clean, quiet, and friendly medium-sized city with a population of 350,000. It is a world-famous, year-round tourist destination located at the southern tip of Vancouver Island that offers an unlimited array of things to see and experience and is one of the best places to understand more about Canadian culture.

2.  Calgary, Alberta

Calgary is a blend of world-class institutions and recreational opportunities for international students. As Canada’s fourth-largest city, it is no surprise that Calgary is also its most culturally diverse place. 200+ ethnic groups are a part of the city, which promotes a welcoming international environment. According to Oxford Economics' North American housing affordability report, Calgary is the ninth most affordable city in North America.

Moreover, the Income Tax Rates for Alberta fall between 10-15% brackets compared to the Federal Tax Bracket, which ranges between 25-48% implying that even if you fall in the minimum tax bracket, you still earn 15% more than other provinces annually.

3. Saskatoon, Saskatchewan

Saskatoon is the largest city in Saskatchewan, however, is an underdog when it comes to international student preference. Most international students have a vague idea about Saskatchewan province, considering it one of the coldest and most remote areas of Canada. But when it comes to Saskatoon, it is home to the University of Saskatchewan and Saskatchewan Polytechnic College.

With a population of approximately 317,480, Saskatoon’s economy has been associated with potash, oil, and agriculture, and recently its digital media and Information Technology sectors have grown exponentially. Saskatoon is one of the most affordable cities in terms of living among major Canadian cities. So, students studying in Saskatoon have to pay less for accommodation, bills, food, and taxes.

4. Regina, Saskatchewan

Regina is the capital and second-largest city of Saskatchewan, Canada. Post-World War II, the city grew rapidly to become an important transportation, manufacturing, and distributing hub of a vast agricultural area. The city is very accessible and well connected to all main railroads like Trans-Canada Highway, and Regina International Airport. Its economy is supported by fertile prairies and mineral resources along with oil, natural gas, potash refining, and food processing.

The world’s largest wheat pool, popularly called, The Saskatchewan Wheat Pool, has alliances in North America and internationally, which makes it the largest grain-handling company also headquartered in Regina. In recent times, the city has started its transition to an IT hub as well. Other popular employment sectors in Saskatchewan offer opportunities in steel fabricating, manufacturing of farm implements, communications equipment, paints, and building materials.

Further, Regina city is home to sectors such as wholesale and retail, health care, agriculture, and educational services, which are hiring rigorously. Sales, skilled trades, transport operators, business, finance, and administration are also bound to grow in the region. The cost of living for a single person including rent is somewhere around C$1,500, which further drops down to C$1,200/month for room sharing.

5. Winnipeg, Manitoba

Winnipeg is the capital of Manitoba and is located near the eastern end of the Canadian Prairies. Among Canada’s major cities Winnipeg is ranked as the third-fastest growing economy. The city has low rental income and low living costs, which makes it a paradise for immigrants and international students. Despite the harsh winters, the city is still a manufacturing and hospitality hub for Canada. Home to the University of Manitoba, the University of Winnipeg, Red River College, and Manitoba Institute of Trades & Technology it has become a student-vibrant community that creates ample job opportunities for locals and immigrants.

Also, did you know, manufacturing companies in Winnipeg employed more than 35,000 people in 2021? All companies in Winnipeg enjoy the lowest energy costs in North America and the benefits of clean, renewable hydroelectric power.

6. Kitchener-Cambridge-Waterloo, Ontario

Kitchener, Waterloo, and Cambridge (KWC), also known as the Tri-Cities, are spread between 100-120 kilometres (62-75 miles) southwest of Toronto. This works well for daily commuters. Due to the ever-expanding Greater Toronto Area, housing costs have skyrocketed all across the GTA region and people look forward to working in Toronto, to cut off the extra accommodation costs. For the same, people look forward to living in the tri-city which is a 1-hour drive from the GTA region, and The Toronto-Waterloo Corridor is growing to be one of the largest tech hubs in North America after Silicon Valley. Canada does not offer as many opportunities in the tech sector if compared with an American scale, but the Toronto-Waterloo Corridor is an exception and is popularly called the “Silicon Valley of Canada”.

All Techies looking forward to settling in the tri-city region get access to ample opportunities to work with, from drones to wearables, intelligent marketing to space manufacturing, and is also home to Google. With a harmonious balance of green space and vibrant downtown activity, Kitchener is one of the most balanced places to live and work. The average monthly living cost in tri-city is C$1,275 for international students compared to an average annual wage of C$40,000.

7. Montreal, Quebec

Montréal – The French Capital of Canada is consistently ranked among the best student cities in the world and is one of the top destinations for international students as it is home to over 11 universities and 60 colleges. It is also the second largest city in Canada and is known to be the arts, fashion, and tech capital with one of the world’s biggest video gaming industries where it stands in the top 5 in the world.

It has a vibrant video gaming sector, as well as being a Canadian stronghold for the finance, film, television, oil refining, aerospace, and pharmaceutical industries. The average annual wage for international students working part-time in Montreal is C$33,200 Approx compared to a low living cost of approx. C$1200 a month.

8. Moncton, New Brunswick

Moncton, popularly called “Atlantic’s Business Capital”, is a small city with a decent population and numerous unfilled positions that has started attracting a lot of immigrants and international students in recent years. It has popular institutes such as New Brunswick Community College, Mount Allison University, and Crandall University that offer the most competitive tuition rates.

Moncton is an all-around winner when it comes to Quality of Life, it’s a bustling city and an engaged, open-minded community with a relaxed and balanced lifestyle. Students here enjoy short commutes to work and school.

9. Halifax, Nova Scotia

Halifax also known as the most well-known and largest city in Nova Scotia have the most university campuses. 25% of Halifax’s population comprises students due to the lower tuition and good-ranking universities located here. Most of the Halifax region is already decently priced, in terms of food, drinks, or fashion due to the presence of a huge student community. Halifax is a dynamic environment for start-ups and provides tech companies with a steady supply of new workers with each graduating class.

Halifax has been constantly growing its employment sectors and education industry, because of which thousands of newcomers have been welcomed to the city and the city’s population is bound to rise to half a million by the next 5 years.

Along with the above-mentioned cities, you should also look out for Kelowna, BC; Edmonton, AB; Moose Jaw, Regina; Brantford, MB; Oshawa, ON; Windsor, ON; Laval, QC; Fredericton, NB; St John, NF and Charlottetown, PEI. These cities offer great work and settlement opportunities as well as it is easier to secure admissions and gain an early acceptance to apply for a to start your study journey in Canada.

Updated on December 1, 2022