Moving to Canada from Belgium
What to Expect
A comprehensive look at what changes when you move from Belgium to Canada — from daily expenses to quality of life.
If you moved from Belgium to Canada, you would find that Canada is 9.3% cheaper than Belgium overall. A €65,700 salary in Belgium would need to be roughly CA$100,445 in Canada to maintain the same lifestyle.
Planning this move? Get up to 5 free, no-obligation quotes from vetted international movers. Get free quotes ↓How Far Will Your Money Go?
How your spending power changes when you relocate from Belgium to Canada.
What does your salary buy?
€65,700 → CA$100,445
To maintain the same standard of living in Canada
Calculate with your salary →The biggest cost differences at a glance
Restaurants
pay 29.6% less
Groceries
pay 15.3% more
Transportation
pay 19.1% less
Housing
pay 11.8% more
Childcare
pay 10.0% less
Entertainment and Sports
pay 3.8% less
Data: MyLifeElsewhere's crowdsourced cost of living database, with prices submitted and updated by users worldwide. Exchange rates are refreshed regularly from public sources.
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Who Else Is Making This Move?
Real numbers on people moving from Belgium to Canada, and how the trend has changed.
Who's moving to Canada?
Top countries of origin for Canada's foreign-born residents.
- 720,083
- 699,190
- 633,547
- 537,504
- 273,226
- 254,831
- · · ·
-
66.20,395
Belgium
Key Indicator Comparison
How Belgium and Canada stack up on safety, healthcare, jobs, and infrastructure.
Is it safe?
per 100,000 people per year
of residents who feel safe walking alone at night
per 100,000 people per year
Belgium generally does better on safety, though Canada leads in feel safe walking at night.
How's the healthcare?
annual government + private spending per person
affects wait times and access to care
WHO index from 0–100 measuring essential service access
share of adults with obesity
per 100,000 people — a proxy for mental health support
Belgium generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Canada leads in health coverage index.
What about the environment?
deaths attributable to air pollution per 100k people
tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year
Belgium generally does better on environment, though Canada leads in air pollution deaths.
Will I have good infrastructure?
fixed broadband subscriptions — key for remote work
higher means greater strain on freshwater supply
annual consumption — reflects grid capacity
share of households with internet
Canada generally does better on infrastructure, though Belgium leads in broadband per 100 people.
What are the job prospects?
percentage of the labour force without work
a broad measure of economic output per person
the highest marginal rate on personal income
share of people below the poverty line
Canada generally does better on employment & economy, though Belgium leads in gdp per capita.
Is it good for families?
average years of life at birth
deaths per 1,000 live births — lower is better
government spending on education as % of GDP
Belgium generally does better on family life, though Canada leads in life expectancy.
Data: Service Public Fédéral Finances, The World Factbook, United Nations SDG Indicators, World Bank
What's the Climate Like?
Monthly averages — select a city to compare.
Avg. annual high / low
Avg. annual high / low
| Months | Brussels | Ottawa |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 45°/34°F (7°/1°C) | 27°/10°F (-3°/-12°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 63°/47°F (17°/8°C) | 64°/45°F (18°/7°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 70°/54°F (21°/13°C) | 75°/55°F (24°/13°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 50°/40°F (10°/4°C) | 41°/25°F (5°/-4°C) |
View all months
| Month | Brussels | Ottawa |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 42°/33°F (5.6°/0.7°C) | 21°/4°F (-6.1°/-15.3°C) |
| Feb | 44°/33°F (6.4°/0.6°C) | 25°/8°F (-4.1°/-13.3°C) |
| Mar | 50°/37°F (9.9°/2.9°C) | 36°/19°F (2.2°/-7.1°C) |
| Apr | 56°/41°F (13.1°/4.8°C) | 51°/33°F (10.8°/0.6°C) |
| May | 64°/48°F (17.7°/8.9°C) | 66°/46°F (19.1°/7.7°C) |
| Jun | 68°/53°F (20.0°/11.5°C) | 75°/55°F (23.8°/12.7°C) |
| Jul | 72°/56°F (22.4°/13.6°C) | 80°/60°F (26.5°/15.4°C) |
| Aug | 72°/56°F (22.5°/13.4°C) | 77°/57°F (24.9°/14.1°C) |
| Sep | 66°/51°F (18.7°/10.8°C) | 67°/48°F (19.5°/9.1°C) |
| Oct | 58°/46°F (14.4°/7.6°C) | 54°/37°F (12.5°/3.0°C) |
| Nov | 48°/39°F (9.1°/3.7°C) | 41°/27°F (4.8°/-2.8°C) |
| Dec | 44°/35°F (6.5°/1.9°C) | 27°/12°F (-3.0°/-11.1°C) |
Data:
Institut Royal Météorologique,
Meteorological Service of Canada
Visitor Visa Requirements
Short-stay tourist visa rules between Belgium and Canada. To live, work, or study long-term in Canada, you'll need a separate residence or work visa — check Canada's immigration authority.
Belgium passport holder visiting Canada
Electronic Travel Authorisation
Canada passport holder visiting Belgium
Visa FreeData: Henley Passport Index. Check with the destination country's embassy for the most current requirements.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is it cheaper to live in Canada than Belgium?
Generally yes: Canada runs about 6% cheaper than Belgium on average, though it depends heavily on the city.
How much money do I need to move to Canada?
A safe rule of thumb is 3 months of local expenses plus relocation costs. On a €65,700 comparable salary, that's around CA$25,111 in Canada for everyday spending, before flights, shipping, a rental deposit, and visa fees.
Can I work remotely from Canada?
With 42.6 fixed broadband subscriptions per 100 people, Canada can support video calls in major cities. The hard part is paperwork — visa category, employer policy on overseas staff, and tax residency in Belgium and Canada.
Is Canada safe for expats?
Belgium generally does better on safety, though Canada leads in feel safe walking at night. The homicide rate in Canada is 2.3 per 100,000 people, compared to 1.1 in Belgium. About 88% of people in Canada feel safe walking alone at night.
How is healthcare in Canada compared to Belgium?
Belgium generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Canada leads in health coverage index. There are 25.0 doctors per 10,000 people in Canada, compared to 63.9 in Belgium. Canada scores 91 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Belgium: 86).
What's the weather like in Canada compared to Belgium?
The average high temperature in Ottawa is 52°F, compared to 57°F in Brussels. Ottawa receives around 37.1 in of rainfall per year, while Brussels gets 32.3 in.
What language do they speak in Canada?
The official languages in Canada are English and French. In Belgium, the official languages are Dutch, French and German.
