Vancouver, Toronto and Calgary scored as 3^rd  4^th and 5^th top cities in the world to live in by the Economist Intelligent’s August 2011 Liveability survey.

Cost of living (source www.livingin-canada.com)

Most people from the UK and Europe find the cost of living in Canada is significantly lower than their home country.

Canadian housing is particularly cheap compared with other developed nations – the average house price in Canada is around seven times the averafe wage Prices are highest in Ontario and Alberta (seven to eight times the average wage) and Vancouver (eleven times the average wage).

People moving to Canada with the proceeds of house sales from countries with more expensive housing can often buy a house in Canada with a considerably reduced mortgage. This leaves more of their income for other activities and lowers their cost of living in Canada significantly.

Compared with many other western countries, although not the USA:

• Food is cheaper in Canada
• Dining out and most forms of recreation are cheaper in Canada.

• Petrol / Gasoline and cars are cheaper in Canada.
• Power is cheaper, but you use more power to heat your house in a typical Canadian winter.
• Car insurance is very expensive in Canada.

Medical

Canada’s health care is publicly (tax-payer) funded: payment is generally not required for medical treatment, although depending on the province you live in it’s probable you’ll pay for pharmaceuticals and dental care.

Tax

Canada VAT GST HST RST PST Rates

Canada VAT Rate is calculated as the local Province Sales Tax (PST) plus 5% Federal GST = Harmonised Sales Tax (HST)

Alberta: 0% PST + 5% Federal GST = 5%
British Columbia: 7% PST + 5% Federal GST = 12% HST (since 1 July 2010)
Manitoba: 7% PST + 5% Federal GST = 12%
New Brunswick: 8% PST + 5% Federal GST = 13% HST
Newfoundland: 8% PST + 5% Federal GST = 13% HST
Nova Scotia: 10% PST + 5% Federal GST = 15% HST (since 1 July 2010)
Ontario: 8% PST + 5% Federal GST = 13% HST (since 1 July 2010)
Prince Edward Island: 10% PST + 5% Federal GST = 15%
Quebec: 8.5% PST + 5% Federal GST = 13.875% (PST on GST) since 1 Jan 2011
Saskatchewan: 5% PST + 5% Federal GST = 10%

Education

If you are bringing children to Canada, it’s likely their education will be important to you. The OECD compared the performance of school students in 65 countries in mathematics, reading and science. Canadian students performed better than students from any other English speaking country.