15 Things Canadians Pay Less For

It’s true that many things are more expensive in Canada than they are south of the border. And while we’re also slowly closing the gap on many items that were less expensive here, there’s no reason to despair. Before you plan a shopping trip to the States, consider the things Canadians pay less for. You might be surprised! For comparison purposes, all prices are given in Canadian dollars and, except where noted, pricing information is from the online cost-of-living calculator Numbeo (note: these numbers may fluctuate as prices fluctuate).

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Healthcare

In 2021, Canada spent $8,019 per capita on healthcare. While this cost has gone up from $6,514 in 2014, and includes two years spent managing a pandemic, Canada is still spending less than 12 other countries, including the United States which spent the most of any country, with $10,949 per capita, followed by Switzerland at $7,138 and Norway at $6,748.

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Medicine

Medicine is definitely not one of the 10 things that Canadians pay more for. In fact, it is so much cheaper in Canada than in the United States that many Americans are now buying their prescription drugs from their northern neighbours. An EpiPen, for instance, is about a third of the cost in Canada.

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Some new cars

A Volkswagen Golf or equivalent will cost you an average of $45,995 in Canada, compared to $55,570 in the United States.

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Tertiary Education

According to a report by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development, average college tuition fees in Canada were $6,443 in 2019/20. This was less than in Japan, Chile and the United Kingdom, which at $15,699 in 2018/19 had the highest tuition fees in the world.

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Cappuccino

According to Numbeo, the average cappuccino in Canada costs $4.44. In the United States a similar caffeine fix will set you back $5.59.

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Cheese

This one was a bit of a surprise, but Numbeo says that in Canada, one kilogram of local cheese costs an average of $13.13. Whereas in the US, you’ll pay on average $14.20.

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Preschool

The monthly fee for putting your child in a private preschool in Canada is an average of $1,007. In the U.S., you’ll have to fork out an average of $1,200.

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Beef

A beef round (or equivalent back leg red meat) in Canada costs $15.55 per kilogram on average. Americans pay $16.62 for the same amount.

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Potatoes

A kilogram of potatoes in Canada will set you back an average of $2.86. In the United States, your fries come at a higher cost, with an average price of $3.30 for a kilogram of potatoes.

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Bread

In the U.S., a fresh white 500g loaf of bread costs about $3.55. North of the border, that same loaf is about $2.94.

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Apples

Apples are also cheaper in Canada. One kilogram will set you back $4.26. In the States you'd pay $5.83.

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Oranges

Another surprise on our list is oranges. Even though we don't grow them here, a kilogram costs $4.16 in Canada and $5.09 in the United States.

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Internet

You’d think that the Internet would be cheaper in the country that invented it, but Canadians actually pay less for surfing the web than Americans do. In Canada, a package of 60 mbps or more, with unlimited data and cable/ADSL costs an average of $80.70 per month while a similar package in the US will set you back $85.07.

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Rent

Rent for a city centre apartment in a Canadian city is an average of $1,381 per month for a one-bedroom. In the United States, similar apartments will cost you an average of $1,740.

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Inexpensive Restaurant

Although it's not a huge difference, the cost of a meal at an inexpensive restaurant in Canada is about $18. In the U.S., that same meal costs just over $19.