Moving to Canada from Estonia

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What to Expect

A comprehensive look at what changes when you move from Estonia to Canada — from daily expenses to quality of life.

If you moved from Estonia to Canada, you would find that Canada is 47.4% more expensive than Estonia overall. A €65,700 salary in Estonia would need to be roughly CA$136,307 in Canada to maintain the same lifestyle, and you’d need to navigate life in English and French.

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How Far Will Your Money Go?

How your spending power changes when you relocate from Estonia to Canada.

What does your salary buy?

€65,700 CA$136,307

To maintain the same standard of living in Canada

Calculate with your salary →

The biggest cost differences at a glance

Restaurants

pay 5.1% less

Groceries

pay 70.9% more

Transportation

pay 36.9% more

Housing

pay 95.8% more

Childcare

pay 2.3 times more

Entertainment and Sports

pay 19.0% more

See full cost of living breakdown
Exchange rate: 1 EUR = 1.62 CAD (July 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.

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Who Else Is Making This Move?

Real numbers on people moving from Estonia to Canada, and how the trend has changed.

Moved in 2023
20 ↑ 33% vs 2022

people moved from Estonia 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 Estonia and Canada stack up on safety, healthcare, jobs, and infrastructure.

Is it safe?

Homicide rate United Nations SDG Indicators, 2022

per 100,000 people per year

EE
1.5
CA
2.3
Feel safe walking at night United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

of residents who feel safe walking alone at night

EE
75%
CA
88%

Estonia 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

EE
$3,741
CA
$7,646
Doctors per 10,000 people United Nations SDG Indicators, 2022

affects wait times and access to care

EE
34.4
CA
25.0

Estonia 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

EE
13.0
CA
8.0
CO₂ emissions per capita World Bank, 2024

tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year

EE
7.8t
CA
14.0t

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

Will I have good infrastructure?

Broadband per 100 people United Nations SDG Indicators, 2022

fixed broadband subscriptions — key for remote work

EE
40.4
CA
42.6
Water stress level United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

higher means greater strain on freshwater supply

EE
10.8%
CA
3.7%

Canada generally does better on infrastructure, though Estonia leads in internet access.

What are the job prospects?

Unemployment rate The World Factbook, 2023

percentage of the labour force without work

EE
6.3%
CA
5.4%
GDP per capita The World Factbook, 2023

a broad measure of economic output per person

EE
$42,000
CA
$55,800

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

Is it good for families?

Life expectancy The World Factbook, 2022

average years of life at birth

EE
77.9 yrs
CA
83.8 yrs
Infant mortality The World Factbook, 2022

deaths per 1,000 live births — lower is better

EE
3.4
CA
4.4

Estonia generally does better on family life, though Canada leads in life expectancy.

Data: Estonian Tax and Customs Board, The World Factbook, United Nations SDG Indicators, World Bank

What's the Climate Like?

Monthly averages — select a city to compare.

Tallinn Rain: 27.3 in/yr (693 mm)
48° / 36°F

Avg. annual high / low

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

Avg. annual high / low

Months Tallinn Ottawa
Jan–Mar 31°/21°F (0°/-6°C) 27°/10°F (-3°/-12°C)
Apr–Jun 57°/41°F (14°/5°C) 64°/45°F (18°/7°C)
Jul–Sep 65°/51°F (19°/10°C) 75°/55°F (24°/13°C)
Oct–Dec 40°/31°F (4°/-1°C) 41°/25°F (5°/-4°C)
View all months
Month Tallinn Ottawa
Jan 29°/20°F (-1.4°/-6.6°C) 21°/4°F (-6.1°/-15.3°C)
Feb 29°/18°F (-1.8°/-7.5°C) 25°/8°F (-4.1°/-13.3°C)
Mar 36°/24°F (2.0°/-4.3°C) 36°/19°F (2.2°/-7.1°C)
Apr 47°/32°F (8.2°/0.1°C) 51°/33°F (10.8°/0.6°C)
May 59°/41°F (14.9°/5.0°C) 66°/46°F (19.1°/7.7°C)
Jun 66°/49°F (19.1°/9.7°C) 75°/55°F (23.8°/12.7°C)
Jul 70°/54°F (21.2°/12.1°C) 80°/60°F (26.5°/15.4°C)
Aug 68°/53°F (19.9°/11.6°C) 77°/57°F (24.9°/14.1°C)
Sep 58°/45°F (14.5°/7.2°C) 67°/48°F (19.5°/9.1°C)
Oct 48°/38°F (9.1°/3.3°C) 54°/37°F (12.5°/3.0°C)
Nov 38°/30°F (3.3°/-1.2°C) 41°/27°F (4.8°/-2.8°C)
Dec 33°/24°F (0.3°/-4.6°C) 27°/12°F (-3.0°/-11.1°C)

Data: Estonian Meteorological and Hydrological Institute Estonian Meteorological and Hydrological Institute, Meteorological Service of Canada Meteorological Service of Canada

Visitor Visa Requirements

Short-stay tourist visa rules between Estonia 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.

Estonia passport

Estonia passport holder visiting Canada

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

Canada passport holder visiting Estonia

Visa Free
Canada passport holders can enter Estonia 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 Estonia?

Day-to-day costs in Canada run about 28% higher than Estonia on average; specific cities can swing further.

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$34,077 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 Estonia and Canada.

Is Canada safe for expats?

Estonia 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 1.5 in Estonia. About 88% of people in Canada feel safe walking alone at night.

How is healthcare in Canada compared to Estonia?

Estonia 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 34.4 in Estonia. Canada scores 91 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Estonia: 79).

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

The average high temperature in Ottawa is 52°F, compared to 48°F in Tallinn. Ottawa receives around 37.1 in of rainfall per year, while Tallinn gets 27.3 in.

What language do they speak in Canada?

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

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At a Glance

EE CA
Population 1,211,524 38,232,593
Currency Euro (€) Canadian Dollar (CA$)
Languages Estonian English, French
Driving side Right Right
Calling code +372 +1
Time zones 1 6
Emergency number 112 911