Moving to Canada from Greece

moving to

What to Expect

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

If you moved from Greece to Canada, you would find that Canada is 35.6% more expensive than Greece overall. A €65,700 salary in Greece would need to be roughly CA$130,814 in Canada to maintain the same lifestyle, and you’d need to navigate life in English and French. Expect a noticeable climate shift — Ottawa averages 52°F vs 72°F in Athens, making it significantly cooler.

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How Far Will Your Money Go?

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

What does your salary buy?

€65,700 CA$130,814

To maintain the same standard of living in Canada

Calculate with your salary →

The biggest cost differences at a glance

Restaurants

pay 35.9% more

Groceries

pay 51.5% more

Transportation

pay 2.9% less

Housing

pay 75.5% more

Childcare

pay 72.7% more

Entertainment and Sports

pay 28.8% 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.

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 24% more than cities in Greece.

Compare cities head-to-head

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Who Else Is Making This Move?

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

Moved in 2023
310 ↑ 19% vs 2022

people moved from Greece 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 Greece 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

GR
1.1
CA
2.3
Road traffic deaths United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

per 100,000 people per year

GR
7.3
CA
4.7

Greece generally does better on safety, though Canada leads in road traffic deaths.

How's the healthcare?

Healthcare spending per person World Bank, 2024

annual government + private spending per person

GR
$3,454
CA
$7,646
Doctors per 10,000 people United Nations SDG Indicators, 2022

affects wait times and access to care

GR
63.7
CA
25.0

Greece 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

GR
23.0
CA
8.0
CO₂ emissions per capita World Bank, 2024

tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year

GR
5.0t
CA
14.0t

Greece 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

GR
43.0
CA
42.6
Water stress level United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

higher means greater strain on freshwater supply

GR
20.7%
CA
3.7%

Canada generally does better on infrastructure, though Greece leads in broadband per 100 people.

What are the job prospects?

Unemployment rate The World Factbook, 2023

percentage of the labour force without work

GR
11.0%
CA
5.4%
GDP per capita The World Factbook, 2023

a broad measure of economic output per person

GR
$36,300
CA
$55,800

Canada performs significantly better than Greece across all employment & economy metrics.

Is it good for families?

Life expectancy The World Factbook, 2022

average years of life at birth

GR
81.5 yrs
CA
83.8 yrs
Infant mortality The World Factbook, 2022

deaths per 1,000 live births — lower is better

GR
3.5
CA
4.4

Canada generally does better on family life, though Greece leads in infant mortality.

Data: GSIS, Greece, The World Factbook, United Nations SDG Indicators, World Bank

What's the Climate Like?

Monthly averages — select a city to compare.

Athens Rain: 16.3 in/yr (414 mm)
72° / 54°F

Avg. annual high / low

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

Avg. annual high / low

Months Athens Ottawa
Jan–Mar 57°/42°F (14°/6°C) 27°/10°F (-3°/-12°C)
Apr–Jun 78°/57°F (26°/14°C) 64°/45°F (18°/7°C)
Jul–Sep 90°/67°F (32°/20°C) 75°/55°F (24°/13°C)
Oct–Dec 65°/50°F (18°/10°C) 41°/25°F (5°/-4°C)
View all months
Month Athens Ottawa
Jan 54°/41°F (12.5°/5.2°C) 21°/4°F (-6.1°/-15.3°C)
Feb 56°/42°F (13.5°/5.4°C) 25°/8°F (-4.1°/-13.3°C)
Mar 60°/44°F (15.7°/6.7°C) 36°/19°F (2.2°/-7.1°C)
Apr 68°/49°F (20.2°/9.6°C) 51°/33°F (10.8°/0.6°C)
May 79°/57°F (26.0°/13.9°C) 66°/46°F (19.1°/7.7°C)
Jun 88°/65°F (31.1°/18.2°C) 75°/55°F (23.8°/12.7°C)
Jul 92°/69°F (33.5°/20.8°C) 80°/60°F (26.5°/15.4°C)
Aug 92°/69°F (33.2°/20.7°C) 77°/57°F (24.9°/14.1°C)
Sep 85°/63°F (29.2°/17.3°C) 67°/48°F (19.5°/9.1°C)
Oct 74°/56°F (23.3°/13.4°C) 54°/37°F (12.5°/3.0°C)
Nov 65°/50°F (18.1°/9.8°C) 41°/27°F (4.8°/-2.8°C)
Dec 57°/44°F (14.1°/6.8°C) 27°/12°F (-3.0°/-11.1°C)

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

Visitor Visa Requirements

Short-stay tourist visa rules between Greece 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.

Greece passport

Greece passport holder visiting Canada

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

Canada passport holder visiting Greece

Visa Free
Canada passport holders can enter Greece 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 Greece?

Day-to-day costs in Canada run about 23% higher than Greece 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$32,704 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 Greece and Canada.

Is Canada safe for expats?

Greece generally does better on safety, though Canada leads in road traffic deaths. The homicide rate in Canada is 2.3 per 100,000 people, compared to 1.1 in Greece.

How is healthcare in Canada compared to Greece?

Greece 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 63.7 in Greece. Canada scores 91 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Greece: 77).

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

The average high temperature in Ottawa is 52°F, compared to 72°F in Athens. Ottawa receives around 37.1 in of rainfall per year, while Athens gets 16.3 in.

What language do they speak in Canada?

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

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At a Glance

GR CA
Population 10,533,871 38,232,593
Currency Euro (€) Canadian Dollar (CA$)
Languages Greek English, French
Driving side Right Right
Calling code +30 +1
Time zones 1 6
Emergency number 112 911