Moving to Canada from France
What to Expect
Everything you need to know before relocating from France to Canada — costs, safety, healthcare, and practical first steps.
If you moved from France to Canada, you would find that Canada is 1.1% cheaper than France overall. A €65,850 salary in France would need to be roughly CA$105,701 in Canada to maintain the same lifestyle. What to expect for your wallet after moving from France to Canada. What does your salary buy? €65,850 → CA$105,701 To maintain the same standard of living in Canada Where you'll feel the difference day-to-day Restaurants pay 16.4% less Groceries pay 5.8% more Transportation pay 19.9% less Housing pay 44.5% more Childcare pay 4.7% more Entertainment and Sports pay 6.4% 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. 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 1% more than cities in France. Compare cities head-to-head We've teamed up with a vetted network of international movers to help MyLifeElsewhere readers plan their move with confidence. Tell us about your move and get up to 5 free, no-obligation quotes in under 2 minutes. How many people actually move from France to Canada, based on official data. people moved from France to Canada · OECD (latest data available) Top countries of origin for Canada's foreign-born residents. Key indicators for anyone considering a move from France to Canada. per 100,000 people per year of residents who feel safe walking alone at night per 100,000 people per year France generally does better on safety, though Canada leads in feel safe walking at night. 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 France generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Canada leads in health coverage index. deaths attributable to air pollution per 100k people tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year France generally does better on environment, though Canada leads in air pollution deaths. 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 France leads in broadband per 100 people. 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 performs significantly better than France across all employment & economy metrics. average years of life at birth deaths per 1,000 live births — lower is better government spending on education as % of GDP France generally does better on family life, though Canada leads in life expectancy. Data: Direction Générale des Finances Publiques, The World Factbook, United Nations SDG Indicators, World Bank Monthly averages — select a city to compare. Avg. annual high / low Avg. annual high / low Short-stay tourist visa rules between France 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. France passport holder visiting Canada Canada passport holder visiting France Data: Henley Passport Index. Check with the destination country's embassy for the most current requirements. Costs in Canada and France are broadly similar overall, though categories like rent and dining differ between cities. Plan for at least 3 months of living expenses — roughly CA$26,425 in Canada on a €65,850 comparable salary — plus one-off moving costs (flights, shipping, a rental deposit, and visa fees). Internet is rarely the blocker — Canada has 42.6 fixed broadband subscriptions per 100 people. The real questions are legal: digital nomad visa eligibility, your employer's overseas-work policy, and tax residency in both countries. France 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 1.6 in France. About 88% of people in Canada feel safe walking alone at night. France 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 33.4 in France. Canada scores 91 on the WHO universal health coverage index (France: 85). The average high temperature in Ottawa is 52°F, compared to 60°F in Paris. Ottawa receives around 37.1 in of rainfall per year, while Paris gets 25.6 in. The official languages in Canada are English and French. In France, the official language is French. How Far Will Your Money Go?
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What's the Climate Like?
Months Paris Ottawa Jan–Mar 48°/38°F (9°/3°C) 27°/10°F (-3°/-12°C) Apr–Jun 65°/50°F (18°/10°C) 64°/45°F (18°/7°C) Jul–Sep 74°/58°F (23°/14°C) 75°/55°F (24°/13°C) Oct–Dec 52°/43°F (11°/6°C) 41°/25°F (5°/-4°C) View all months
Month Paris Ottawa Jan 44°/36°F (6.9°/2.5°C) 21°/4°F (-6.1°/-15.3°C) Feb 47°/37°F (8.2°/2.8°C) 25°/8°F (-4.1°/-13.3°C) Mar 53°/41°F (11.8°/5.1°C) 36°/19°F (2.2°/-7.1°C) Apr 58°/44°F (14.7°/6.8°C) 51°/33°F (10.8°/0.6°C) May 66°/51°F (19.0°/10.5°C) 66°/46°F (19.1°/7.7°C) Jun 71°/56°F (21.8°/13.3°C) 75°/55°F (23.8°/12.7°C) Jul 76°/60°F (24.4°/15.5°C) 80°/60°F (26.5°/15.4°C) Aug 76°/60°F (24.6°/15.4°C) 77°/57°F (24.9°/14.1°C) Sep 69°/54°F (20.8°/12.5°C) 67°/48°F (19.5°/9.1°C) Oct 60°/49°F (15.8°/9.2°C) 54°/37°F (12.5°/3.0°C) Nov 51°/42°F (10.4°/5.3°C) 41°/27°F (4.8°/-2.8°C) Dec 46°/38°F (7.8°/3.6°C) 27°/12°F (-3.0°/-11.1°C) Visitor Visa Requirements
Frequently Asked Questions
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Météo-France
Meteorological Service of Canada
