From the fast-paced streets of Toronto—a hotspot for technology and finance—to the ocean vistas of Halifax—a fast-growing innovation hub—you’ll find plenty of options to get established in your new country.
Methodology
This list was compiled using the following data points. Cost-of-living figures are from Numbeo, a crowdsourced online database, and are current as of March 2024. Average housing rental prices are from the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC) and are current as of October 2023. Sources for home purchase prices vary by city and are noted below. Auto insurance costs are from the Insurance Bureau of Canada. All figures are subject change.
Why move to Toronto, Ontario?
Toronto is a multicultural metropolis with a population of more than three million—nearly 6.5 million, if you count the whole Greater Toronto Area (which also includes Durham, Halton, Peel and York).
The GTA is also Canada’s business and financial powerhouse, where you’ll find the country’s largest stock exchange and the headquarters of many banks and other financial institution. It’s a hub for other industries, too, including tech, health care, real estate, insurance, trade, telecommunications, entertainment, tourism and more. It’s also home to major sports teams including the Toronto Maple Leafs, Toronto Raptors, Toronto Blue Jays and Toronto Football Club.
Job opportunities in Toronto:
These are the growing sectors and job titles seeking candidates.
- Technology: Software engineers, program managers, business analysts, network technicians, devOps engineers
- Finance: Bookkeepers, financial analysts, accountants, financial advisors, internal auditors, payroll specialists
- Health care: Pharmacy assistants, registered nurses, pharmacy technicians, dental secretaries, medical secretaries, medical receptionists
- Engineering: Mechanical engineers, electrical engineering technicians, estimators, civil engineers, project engineers, structural engineers, automation engineers
Cost of living: Toronto has a pretty high cost of living compared to the rest of Canada. The estimated monthly cost of living for a four-person family, not including housing, was about $5,545 in late March 2024; for a single person, it was $1,526. The average annual cost of auto insurance in Ontario was $1,780 in mid-2023 (the most recent data available).
Cost of housing: The average monthly rent for a one-bedroom apartment in Toronto was $1,691 as of October 2023; two-bedroom apartments averaged $1,958. According to the Toronto Regional Real Estate Board (TRREB), in February 2024, the benchmark property price was $1,072,528 in the City of Toronto, and $1,108,720 across all TRREB regions. The cost of a detached house in the GTA was $1,443,612, and the average cost of a condo was $695,345.
Keep researching: Check out the City of Toronto’s “Moving to Toronto” webpage.
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Why move to Ottawa, Ontario?
Ottawa—the capital of Canada—has a rich cultural heritage and is the heart of Canada’s political events. And Ottawa also has a lot more to offer. It’s a dynamic economic centre with thriving companies in technology, aerospace, defence, tourism and public service. (The federal government is the largest employer in the capital region.) Ottawa is home to the scenic Rideau Canal—a UNESCO World Heritage site—and boasts wonderful historic and modern architecture, making it a wonderful place to explore for singles and families alike.
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