Moving to Canada from Belgium

moving to

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 3.0% cheaper than Belgium overall. A €67,000 salary in Belgium would need to be roughly CA$103,000 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 ↓

Is Canada cheaper than Belgium?

The biggest cost differences at a glance

Restaurants

pay 24.0% less

Groceries

pay 11.9% more

Transportation

pay 21.5% less

Housing

pay 16.2% more

Childcare

pay 31.5% less

Entertainment and Sports

pay 2.6% less

See full cost of living breakdown
Exchange rate: 1 EUR = 1.59 CAD (October 2026)

Data: MyLifeElsewhere's crowdsourced cost of living database, with prices submitted and updated by users worldwide. Exchange rates are refreshed regularly from public sources.

What salary do you need in Canada?

What does your salary buy?

€67,000 → CA$103,000

To maintain the same standard of living in Canada

Calculate with your salary →

Cost of living by city

Cost of living varies a lot by city. Each figure is a city's overall cost of living as a percentage of New York City (the priciest, = 100%).

On average, cities in Canada cost about 3% more than cities in Belgium.

Belgium

Brugge 56%
Hasselt 55%
Mons 53%
Charleroi 52%

Compare cities head-to-head

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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.

Moved in 2023
545 ↓ 11% vs 2022

people moved from Belgium to Canada · OECD (latest data available)

Who's moving to Canada?

Top countries of origin for Canada's foreign-born residents.

Foreign-born population · UN DESA (2020)

Key Indicator Comparison

How Belgium and Canada stack up on safety, healthcare, jobs, and infrastructure.

Is it safe?

Homicide rate World Bank, 2023

per 100,000 people per year

BE
1.1
CA
2.0
Feel safe walking at night United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

of residents who feel safe walking alone at night

BE
62%
CA
88%

Belgium generally does better on safety, though Canada leads in feel safe walking at night.

How's the healthcare?

Healthcare spending per person World Bank, 2024

annual government + private spending per person

BE
$7,489
CA
$7,646
Doctors per 10,000 people World Bank, 2023

affects wait times and access to care

BE
35.7
CA
28.2

Belgium generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Canada leads in health coverage index.

What about the environment?

Air pollution deaths United Nations SDG Indicators, 2019

deaths attributable to air pollution per 100k people

BE
15.0
CA
8.0
CO₂ emissions per capita World Bank, 2024

tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year

BE
7.3t
CA
14.0t

Belgium generally does better on environment, though Canada leads in air pollution deaths.

Will I have good infrastructure?

Broadband per 100 people World Bank, 2024

fixed broadband subscriptions — key for remote work

BE
44.2
CA
42.5
Water stress level World Bank, 2022

higher means greater strain on freshwater supply

BE
52.8%
CA
3.7%

Belgium generally does better on infrastructure, though Canada leads in water stress level.

What are the job prospects?

Unemployment rate World Bank, 2025

percentage of the labour force without work

BE
5.9%
CA
6.9%
GDP per capita World Bank, 2025

a broad measure of economic output per person

BE
$60,750
CA
$55,698

Belgium generally does better on employment & economy, though Canada leads in top income tax rate.

Is it good for families?

Life expectancy World Bank, 2024

average years of life at birth

BE
82.3 yrs
CA
82.1 yrs
Infant mortality World Bank, 2024

deaths per 1,000 live births — lower is better

BE
3.1
CA
4.7

Belgium performs better than Canada across all family life metrics.

Sources: World Bank (2021–2025), United Nations SDG Indicators (2019–2021), World Health Organization (2024), Service Public Fédéral Finances (2016), Canada Revenue Agency (2016), The World Factbook (2008). How we calculate this

Weather in Canada vs Belgium

Monthly averages — select a city to compare.

Brussels Rain: 32.3 in/yr (820 mm)
57° / 44°F

Avg. annual high / low

Toronto Rain: 32.8 in/yr (834 mm)
55° / 42°F

Avg. annual high / low

Months Brussels Toronto
Jan–Mar 45°/34°F (7°/1°C) 34°/23°F (1°/-5°C)
Apr–Jun 63°/47°F (17°/8°C) 64°/49°F (18°/10°C)
Jul–Sep 70°/54°F (21°/13°C) 76°/61°F (24°/16°C)
Oct–Dec 50°/40°F (10°/4°C) 46°/35°F (8°/2°C)
View all months
Month Brussels Toronto
Jan 42°/33°F (5.6°/0.7°C) 30°/19°F (-1.1°/-7.3°C)
Feb 44°/33°F (6.4°/0.6°C) 32°/21°F (-0.2°/-6.3°C)
Mar 50°/37°F (9.9°/2.9°C) 40°/28°F (4.6°/-2.0°C)
Apr 56°/41°F (13.1°/4.8°C) 52°/39°F (11.3°/3.8°C)
May 64°/48°F (17.7°/8.9°C) 65°/50°F (18.5°/9.9°C)
Jun 68°/53°F (20.0°/11.5°C) 74°/59°F (23.5°/14.8°C)
Jul 72°/56°F (22.4°/13.6°C) 80°/64°F (26.4°/17.9°C)
Aug 72°/56°F (22.5°/13.4°C) 78°/63°F (25.3°/17.3°C)
Sep 66°/51°F (18.7°/10.8°C) 69°/56°F (20.7°/13.2°C)
Oct 58°/46°F (14.4°/7.6°C) 57°/45°F (13.8°/7.3°C)
Nov 48°/39°F (9.1°/3.7°C) 45°/36°F (7.4°/2.2°C)
Dec 44°/35°F (6.5°/1.9°C) 35°/25°F (1.8°/-3.7°C)

Data: Institut Royal Météorologique Institut Royal Météorologique, Meteorological Service of Canada Meteorological Service of Canada

Can you move from Belgium to Canada?

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

Belgium passport holder visiting Canada

Electronic Travel Authorisation
Belgium passport holders need an electronic travel authorisation (ETA) to enter Canada.
Canada passport

Canada passport holder visiting Belgium

Visa Free
Canada passport holders can enter Belgium without a visa.

Data: 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 3% 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 €67,000 comparable salary, that's around CA$25,750 in Canada for everyday spending, before flights, shipping, a rental deposit, and visa fees.

Can I work remotely from Canada?

With 42.5 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 2.0 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 28.2 doctors per 10,000 people in Canada, compared to 35.7 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 Toronto is 55°F, compared to 57°F in Brussels. Toronto receives around 32.8 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.

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At a Glance

BE CA
Population 11,941,781 41,651,653
Currency Euro (€) Canadian Dollar (CA$)
Languages Dutch, French, German English, French
Driving side Right Right
Calling code +32 +1
Time zones 1 6
Emergency number 112 911