How to choose the city where to live in Canada.

(Updated on 4/11/22)

One of the main things before starting your planning to study and work in Canada is to decide the city where to live. The idea here is to bring reflection and not definitive answers, as each person must evaluate this according to their reality and personal taste.

Canada has 10 provinces and each one has different rules regarding immigration, work, studies, children's schools and many other details that can make a difference in people's lives. And each city is very different from each other, which greatly influences lifestyle, costs, climate and even job opportunities.

So with so many options, how do you choose?

The first thing we recommend is language priority. Do you speak French or English? The French part of Canada is made up of the province of Quebec and the bilingual province of New Brunswick. The other provinces (most of Canada) are English-speaking. So this is already a good cut to start thinking about where to live. Of course, it's not the only one.

Other criteria as filter suggestions:

Lifestyle. All cities in Canada are very safe and well structured, even the small ones. But they are very different from each other in terms of size, population, geography, cultural life, access to nature, public transport, work, etc. So the ideal is to do a lot of research to find a city close to the way you and your family are. No, that or that YouTuber is not the only parameter for you to decide. Not based on their lives (because many talk about cities x and y, but actually live in city z). The ideal is to take the valuable tips they give and see if they have anything to do with YOUR life and future goals.

Cities like Montreal and Toronto, for example, have an intense cultural life, with many options in all categories of leisure and culture. Vancouver is a city geared towards those who like nature, sports, beaches and mountains. There's also a lot to do, but it doesn't compare to Montreal in terms of cultural excitement, for example.

Other questions to ask: taste for the outdoors, gastronomic preferences, whether you prefer to drive or walk, whether you like a busy life, night life or if you prefer calm and tranquility, if you like having everything close by, conveniences or if you prefer the suburbs, among many other things and details that only we can evaluate.

In Brazil we don't think about it much because we already have a life. We have already made such choices and we have become accustomed to them in some way. Changing countries or living abroad for a while can also be open to change and new experiences. 😉 But the fact is that we all know what we are really open to, we have our own ruler of values, priorities and personal tastes.

Cost of living. This is one of the biggest concerns people have before starting their plan to live abroad. Which city has the best value for money? Which has the cheapest food? Cheaper rent? More affordable transportation? Vancouver and Toronto are the most expensive cities in Canada. Even so, nothing compares to the values in Brazil. Think that you will be in a country where the taxes paid are actually invested in improvements and quality public services for the population.

The cost of living varies from city to city, but according to the website Expatistan, the average cost of living in the country for A person single woman is estimated at CAD $3,332.00 per month, while for a family of 4 it is around CAD $ 6,063.00 (we believe that in some cities you can live on less than that, but this calculation is a “safe” calculation). According to this website, “The cost of living in Canada is more expensive than in 71% of the countries in the world (24 out of 78)”. We highly recommend to visit and research, as there is information about food, housing, etc., as well as a calculator that compares cities.

Renting houses and apartments in Vancouver, for example, is usually expensive compared to cities in the interior, however, leisure options are accessible if you consider that the main ways of having fun are free: parks, beaches, picnics, in short, the stunning nature we have here. The city center is compact and many things can be done on foot, so many prefer to live in the region or nearby to save money on transport or not need a car (in the case of those who are studying). 

Walking or cycling can also help you save money on public transport, which at the end of the year can be left over to pay for a trip, for example. So many consider cities that have bike lanes and good accessibility for cyclists (Vancouver and Calgary, for example, with kilometers of fantastic bike paths).

Vancouver is a city that was made for pedestrians and cyclists, so it's great for those who want to say goodbye to traffic. Another option is to live close to Vancouver, in neighboring cities, which tend to be a little cheaper in terms of rent and food. Super easy to access by subway or skytrain, in a few minutes you can reach the nearest ones. These cities neighboring Vancouver are great, even smaller, they have all the structure a family needs. Even families with children and pets prefer to live in the surrounding cities, as housing prices are lower and they can have more space.

Something to consider: some cities in the interior, small and far from the capitals may even be cheaper, especially in rent, but some of them will not have as efficient public transport or will be very “spread out”, meaning that people often need to invest when purchasing a car. Again, research here is very important, because this is part of your financial planning and you will have to write down all expenses.

We visited Halifax in 2019 and Here you can check out a video we made. This trip had a huge impact and many people who follow us started looking at the city to consider it in their options. Again, do a filter and don't be dazzled (if you can, as there are so many beautiful places in Canada that it's really hard to decide). We ourselves are very dazzled by the beauty of the places here and each city we visit “is a flash“.

Minimum wage. Each province has a stipulated minimum wage, you can check here, the values are per hour of work. We don't recommend making this your only criteria, but it can sometimes help you decide, as international students (and spouses too) often get their first “survival jobs” style jobs (restaurants, stores, construction, warehouse delivery , etc). Here we recommend also considering the cost of living proportionally, as sometimes one city has a salary x, which is higher compared to another, but the cost of living can also be higher. Or the minimum wage in a place may be lower and you may be disappointed, but when you research you find that everything there is cheaper. We (and many Canadians too) consider BC's salary to be very low, for example, as it is the most expensive province.

Proximity to Brazil (time zone and flight hours). For many people this is an important factor. How close do you want to be to Brazil in terms of time zone and also distance? Vancouver, for example, must be the furthest place in the world from Brazil (no, kidding, there are places further away), it takes around 24 to 30 hours to travel. As for Toronto, it's 9 to 10 am. Time zones are also very different and you can check here, there are six zones in Canada. Put this on the agenda for reflection and discussion with your family before deciding where to go.

Job opportunities. This is one of the main criteria to take into account. Each province has its own characteristics in terms of work industries and a good search can lead you to the destination that best suits your skills and professional experience. For example, if you are a professional in the oil and gas industry, the province of Alberta would be ideal for you. If you are in the film and video field, Vancouver and Toronto have more opportunities and so on. Of course, you can find vacancies in any city, but some have certain market characteristics that can increase your chances of employability. We suggest searching on Google always in English, that way you will find what you need. There is also a great government tool here where you can search by area, job, salary, average salary by province, trends, there are vacancies posted and also the requirements required for each role. Is here, on this website, well chewed, there is the main job industries by province.

For those who want a more personalized service, I recommend the career consultant Christie Westmann, from the 2work Canada, a master in Canada from SFU in Vancouver, she is a specialist in the job market for immigrants and has helped many Brazilians get their dream jobs in their fields in Canada. It's worth hiring someone who knows the market and can help you, even if they're still in Brazil.

Climate. This is a super important factor. “But isn’t all of Canada cold?” Yes, but there are “cold”, “icy” and “freezing”. Vancouver and Victoria have the mildest winter weather in all of Canada. Winnipeg is one of the coldest cities in the world. Snow is beautiful and magical, many people love it and Canada has the necessary structure for any type of winter. But everyday life in the snow, for many, can be challenging and, at times, even uncomfortable. Not all cities are the same, so do your research and see what you can say “I can handle” in terms of low temperatures and natural phenomena. Some cities have a very large volume of snow while others snow less or the snow melts very quickly. All of this can make a difference in your daily life. Here is a website for you to check out the averages in cities (don't forget that here the temperature is measured in degrees Fahrenheit. 

Immigration opportunities. If you still don't know which immigration program your profile fits into, if you come to Canada through one of them, we suggest consult the Canadian government website and read all the possibilities. Some provinces offer some very interesting immigration programs (they are never “easy”, as some like to call them) and each one has its own rules, scores, requirements and many details that vary from place to place. So do your part and study A LOT to understand what the best immigration path would be for you or hire a consultancy to help you with this, like ours. For some, the immigration program is the most important filter. If you don't fit into any of the existing programs, you still have the possibility of coming through studies, and BFF Canada can help you with that too. 

Study area (the course you want). Often the course you really want to take in Canada is not available in the city where you want to live. It may happen. So see if this is an important factor for you and your future career here and evaluate other options. A BFF Canada has an educational consultancy and advisory service exactly to guide you on this and other questions. Taking the right course is ideal for your future immigration and also for your professional career in Canada. 

Cities good for families. Canada as a whole is a very good country to raise children. Starting with safety and education. But some cities, like Vancouver, for example, are becoming increasingly more expensive and have characteristics that make large families flee their centers. Are there families living in Vancouver? Clear. Same in Toronto. But often the style (and budget) of many families fits in places further away from large centers. Many choose the metropolitan region, both because of the savings on rent and because they have more housing options with larger houses, apartments with more bedrooms and more bathrooms, for example. It's not just in Canada, but in almost every country, the big cities and the most desirable ones to live in are always more expensive, busy and with a lifestyle that often isn't suitable for everyone with children. Some couples start their lives in large cities and then move further away when they have children or when they have adapted better to life in the country. We were in Montreal and many mothers and fathers there (Brazilians and foreigners) told us that it is a great city to raise children. The cost of living there is lower than Toronto or Vancouver. check out our video about Montreal here. 

Feeling. This is (and should be) a very important factor in deciding anything. You can call it intuition, sensitivity, whatever you want. But the fact is that only we know where we pinch our shoes and what makes us happier (or less). For some, it is super important to live in a place where there is easy access to nature and the outdoors. For others, the most important thing is many job opportunities, even if it is in a busy, competitive and large center like Toronto. There are those who prefer small or very small cities. And there are still those who are open to everything and adapt easily to any reality and environment.

Many people like similarities with the city they lived in Brazil while others prefer something completely different. So listening to your heart, your reason, reflecting on your real reasons for leaving the country and also listening to your spouse, if you have one, is very important.

The experience with Canada can be good, great or bad depending on the place chosen. Just like in Brazil, there are several “Canadás” within Canada and, believe me, they are very different.