🇨🇦 Travel & Living in Canada
A practical arrival and living guide for students heading to Canada — transport, housing, money, safety and your first week.
So you're moving to Canada to study. Here's the practical, non-academic side: how to arrive, settle in and live well on a student budget.
Getting there & around
Most international students arrive at Toronto Pearson (YYZ), Vancouver International (YVR), Montreal Pierre-Elliott-Trudeau (YUL) or Calgary International (YYC). Arrive a week or two before classes — orientation programs fill fast and practical setup takes time. Canada is vast and car-dependent outside its major cities, so your day-to-day transit experience depends heavily on where you study. Toronto has the TTC (subway, streetcar, bus); Vancouver has TransLink (SkyTrain, buses, SeaBus); Montreal has the STM metro and buses. Outside these three cities, buses are the main option and schedules can be sparse — budget for a used bicycle or occasional rideshare (Uber and Lyft operate in all major cities). Intercity travel is best done by domestic flight (Air Canada, WestJet) or VIA Rail on the Quebec City–Windsor corridor.
Where to live
On-campus residence is the convenient first-year choice — meal plans are often bundled and the social start is instant. Apply the moment your admission is confirmed, as guaranteed first-year spots disappear quickly. Off-campus, students use Kijiji, Facebook Marketplace housing groups and PadMapper to find shared apartments. Expect to pay first and last month's rent upfront (this is standard across most provinces, not a scam). Ask explicitly what's included — heat, hydro (electricity), water and internet may or may not be in the rent.
Cost of living & budgeting
Canada's cost of living varies dramatically by city. Vancouver and Toronto are among the most expensive cities in North America for housing; smaller university cities (Halifax, Saskatoon, Windsor) are considerably cheaper.
| Item | Rough monthly (CAD) |
|---|---|
| Shared room (mid-size city) | 700–1,000 |
| Shared room (Toronto/Vancouver) | 1,100–1,800 |
| Groceries | 300–500 |
| Monthly transit pass | 90–130 |
| Phone plan | 35–60 |
Tip: buy groceries at No Frills, Food Basics or Freshco (Ontario) and Save-On-Foods or Superstore (BC) — they undercut Loblaws and Metro significantly, and the house-brand products are perfectly good.
Money, SIM & admin
Open a student bank account at one of the Big Five — TD, RBC, BMO, Scotiabank and CIBC all offer no-fee student accounts with a debit card and online banking. You'll need your passport, study permit, and proof of address. Alternatively, Tangerine (online) is fee-free with no minimum balance. For a SIM card, the big three carriers (Rogers, Bell, Telus) are expensive; look instead at their flanker brands — Public Mobile, Lucky Mobile, Fizz (Quebec/Ontario) and Koodo — for plans around CAD 30–45/month for a workable data allowance. Apply for a Social Insurance Number (SIN) at a Service Canada office; you'll need it for any on-campus employment and to file taxes.
Safety & health
Canada is very safe and welcoming to international students. Call 911 for all emergencies. Your provincial health insurance eligibility depends on your province and permit type — in Ontario, international students are not automatically covered by OHIP, so you will be enrolled in your university's international student health plan (UHIP or equivalent), which covers most routine and emergency care. Keep your health card and emergency contacts accessible. Winters in most of Canada are genuinely cold — invest in a proper winter coat, boots and layers before November.
Culture & student life
Canadian campuses are diverse and generally low-key in tone. Students are friendly and direct without being brash; multicultural social environments are the norm, especially in Toronto, Vancouver and Montreal. The Students' Union or student association runs events, clubs and essential services. Academic culture rewards participation and independent thinking. Hockey is a religion in winter — attending a game, even once, is worthwhile. Tipping is standard and expected: 15–20% at sit-down restaurants and for most service workers.
Your first week
- Clear customs, collect your luggage, and activate your study permit if you haven't already — the entry stamp or flag is your legal status.
- Complete university check-in, pick up your student card and set up your student email and campus Wi-Fi.
- Apply for a SIN at a Service Canada office (bring passport and study permit).
- Open a bank account and get a debit card — you'll need it to set up rent transfers and to pay for almost everything.
- Buy a SIM card and set up a local number — many landlords and employers won't engage without one.
- Find a winter coat if you don't already have one; local thrift stores (Value Village, Salvation Army) stock them cheaply before the cold hits.
- Explore one club or intramural sport at the Students' Union — the social network you build in week one tends to stick.