Moving to Canada from Colorado

moving to

What to Expect

Everything you need to know before relocating from Colorado to Canada — costs, safety, healthcare, and practical first steps.

If you moved from Colorado to Canada, you would find that Canada is 17.2% cheaper than Colorado. A $75,000 salary in Colorado would need to be roughly CA$94,116 in Canada to maintain the same lifestyle. Expect a noticeable climate shift — Ottawa averages 52°F vs 65°F in Denver, making it significantly cooler.

How Far Will Your Money Go?

What to expect for your wallet after moving from Colorado to Canada.

What does your salary buy?

$75,000 CA$94,116

To maintain the same standard of living in Canada

Calculate with your salary →

Where you'll feel the difference day-to-day

Restaurants

pay 21.0% less

Groceries

pay 4.6% less

Transportation

pay 2.7% less

Housing

pay 26.7% less

Childcare

pay 44.0% less

Entertainment and Sports

pay 11.8% less

See full cost of living breakdown
Exchange rate: 1 USD = 1.42 CAD (June 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.

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 23% less than cities in Colorado.

Colorado

Boulder 74%

Compare cities head-to-head

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Who Else Is Making This Move?

How many people actually move from Colorado to Canada, based on official data.

Moved in 2023
10,640 ↑ 2% vs 2022

people moved from United States 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

Key indicators for anyone considering a move from Colorado to Canada.

How's the healthcare?

Adult obesity rate Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (PLACES), 2022

share of adults with obesity

CO
26.3%
CA
29.4%

Colorado performs better than Canada across all health & wellbeing metrics.

Will I have good infrastructure?

Internet access US Census Bureau (American Community Survey), 2023

share of households with internet

CO
92.9%
CA
93.0%

Canada performs significantly better than Colorado across all infrastructure metrics.

What are the job prospects?

Unemployment rate Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2025

percentage of the labour force without work

CO
3.6%
CA
5.4%
GDP per capita Bureau of Economic Analysis, 2024

a broad measure of economic output per person

CO
$74,650
CA
$55,800

Colorado performs better than Canada across all employment & economy metrics.

Is it good for families?

Life expectancy OECD Regional Demography, 2022

average years of life at birth

CO
78.3 yrs
CA
83.8 yrs

Canada performs significantly better than Colorado across all family life metrics.

Data: Bureau of Economic Analysis, Bureau of Labor Statistics, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (PLACES), OECD Regional Demography, US Census Bureau (American Community Survey)

What's the Climate Like?

Monthly averages — select a city to compare.

Denver Rain: 14.3 in/yr (363 mm)
65° / 36°F

Avg. annual high / low

Ottawa Rain: 37.1 in/yr (943 mm)
52° / 34°F

Avg. annual high / low

Months Denver Ottawa
Jan–Mar 48°/21°F (9°/-6°C) 27°/10°F (-3°/-12°C)
Apr–Jun 72°/43°F (22°/6°C) 64°/45°F (18°/7°C)
Jul–Sep 85°/55°F (29°/13°C) 75°/55°F (24°/13°C)
Oct–Dec 53°/26°F (12°/-3°C) 41°/25°F (5°/-4°C)
View all months
Month Denver Ottawa
Jan 44°/17°F (6.7°/-8.1°C) 21°/4°F (-6.1°/-15.3°C)
Feb 46°/19°F (7.9°/-7.3°C) 25°/8°F (-4.1°/-13.3°C)
Mar 54°/26°F (12.4°/-3.1°C) 36°/19°F (2.2°/-7.1°C)
Apr 62°/33°F (16.4°/0.7°C) 51°/33°F (10.8°/0.6°C)
May 71°/43°F (21.9°/5.9°C) 66°/46°F (19.1°/7.7°C)
Jun 82°/52°F (28.0°/11.3°C) 75°/55°F (23.8°/12.7°C)
Jul 89°/59°F (31.9°/14.9°C) 80°/60°F (26.5°/15.4°C)
Aug 87°/58°F (30.7°/14.4°C) 77°/57°F (24.9°/14.1°C)
Sep 78°/48°F (25.8°/9.1°C) 67°/48°F (19.5°/9.1°C)
Oct 65°/37°F (18.5°/2.6°C) 54°/37°F (12.5°/3.0°C)
Nov 52°/24°F (11.2°/-4.2°C) 41°/27°F (4.8°/-2.8°C)
Dec 43°/17°F (6.0°/-8.3°C) 27°/12°F (-3.0°/-11.1°C)

Data: National Weather Service National Weather Service, Meteorological Service of Canada Meteorological Service of Canada

Visitor Visa Requirements

Short-stay tourist visa rules between United States 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.

United States passport

United States passport holder visiting Canada

Visa Free
United States passport holders can enter Canada without a visa.
Canada passport

Canada passport holder visiting United States

Visa Free
Canada passport holders can enter United States 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 Colorado?

Yes — Canada is on average about 11% cheaper than Colorado. City-level variation can be significant.

How much money do I need to move to Canada?

Plan for at least 3 months of living expenses — roughly CA$23,529 in Canada on a $75,000 comparable salary — plus one-off moving costs (flights, shipping, a rental deposit, and visa fees).

Can I work remotely from Canada?

Usually fine from major cities in Canada. The harder questions are legal — digital nomad visa eligibility, your employer's overseas-work policy, and tax residency in both countries.

How is healthcare in Canada compared to Colorado?

Colorado performs better than Canada across all health & wellbeing metrics.

What's the weather like in Canada compared to Colorado?

The average high temperature in Ottawa is 52°F, compared to 65°F in Denver. Ottawa receives around 37.1 in of rainfall per year, while Denver gets 14.3 in.

What language do they speak in Canada?

The official languages in Canada are English and French. In Colorado, the official language is English.

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At a Glance

CA
Population 5,029,196 38,232,593
Currency United States Dollar ($) Canadian Dollar (CA$)
Languages English English, French
Driving side Right Right
Calling code +1 +1
Time zones 11 6
Emergency number 911 911