Is it cheaper to live in Canada or the USA?

Canada is broadly cheaper than the US on monthly cost-of-living averages. Victoria specifically runs $425 a month below the US national average: Victoria’s moderate sits at $3,100 versus the US average at $3,525. Calgary is cheaper still at $2,750, Toronto sits at $3,075, and Vancouver is the closest of the major Canadian metros to the US average, with Vancouver at $3,300. The composition of spend matters. Canadian housing is generally pricier per square foot in major metros than equivalent US metros, but the no-out-of-pocket healthcare line, lower prescription drug costs, lower violence-related insurance and security premiums, and lower private-school participation rates pull household totals down. Tax wedges are higher in Canada across most income brackets, so net-of-tax disposable income comparisons get closer than headline gross-salary comparisons suggest. Victoria specifically is cheaper than Seattle, dramatically cheaper than San Francisco, and similar to Portland or Denver. For the full breakdown, see our Victoria cost of living page.