Moving to Canada from Illinois
What to Expect
Considering a move from Illinois to Canada? Here's how the two compare on cost, climate, safety, and more.
If you moved from Illinois to Canada, you would find that Canada is 12.5% cheaper than Illinois. A $75,000 salary in Illinois would need to be roughly CA$108,722 in Canada to maintain the same lifestyle. Expect a noticeable climate shift — Ottawa averages 52°F vs 63°F in Springfield, making it significantly cooler.
How Far Will Your Money Go?
A breakdown of how everyday costs differ between Illinois and Canada.
What does your salary buy?
$75,000 → CA$108,722
To maintain the same standard of living in Canada
Calculate with your salary →How key spending categories compare
Restaurants
pay 8.2% less
Groceries
pay 2.8% more
Transportation
pay 2.2% less
Housing
pay 12.6% less
Childcare
pay 51.2% less
Entertainment and Sports
pay 8.2% 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 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 10% less than cities in Illinois.
Compare cities head-to-head
Get free moving quotes to Canada
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.
- ✅ Up to 5 quotes from screened movers
- ✅ Licensed and insured providers only
- ✅ 100% free — you choose who contacts you
Who Else Is Making This Move?
What the data shows about people moving from Illinois to Canada.
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.
- 720,083
- 699,190
- 633,547
- 537,504
-
5.273,226
United States
- 254,831
Key Indicator Comparison
The numbers behind daily life in Canada compared to Illinois.
How's the healthcare?
share of adults with obesity
Canada performs significantly better than Illinois across all health & wellbeing metrics.
Will I have good infrastructure?
share of households with internet
Canada performs significantly better than Illinois across all infrastructure metrics.
What are the job prospects?
percentage of the labour force without work
a broad measure of economic output per person
share of people below the poverty line
Illinois generally does better on employment & economy, though Canada leads in poverty rate.
Is it good for families?
average years of life at birth
Canada performs significantly better than Illinois 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.
Avg. annual high / low
Avg. annual high / low
| Months | Springfield | Ottawa |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 42°/25°F (6°/-4°C) | 27°/10°F (-3°/-12°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 74°/52°F (23°/11°C) | 64°/45°F (18°/7°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 83°/61°F (29°/16°C) | 75°/55°F (24°/13°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 52°/33°F (11°/1°C) | 41°/25°F (5°/-4°C) |
View all months
| Month | Springfield | Ottawa |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 35°/19°F (1.6°/-7.4°C) | 21°/4°F (-6.1°/-15.3°C) |
| Feb | 40°/23°F (4.4°/-5.2°C) | 25°/8°F (-4.1°/-13.3°C) |
| Mar | 52°/32°F (11.2°/0.1°C) | 36°/19°F (2.2°/-7.1°C) |
| Apr | 65°/42°F (18.1°/5.8°C) | 51°/33°F (10.8°/0.6°C) |
| May | 75°/53°F (23.8°/11.4°C) | 66°/46°F (19.1°/7.7°C) |
| Jun | 83°/62°F (28.4°/16.6°C) | 75°/55°F (23.8°/12.7°C) |
| Jul | 86°/65°F (30.1°/18.6°C) | 80°/60°F (26.5°/15.4°C) |
| Aug | 85°/64°F (29.4°/17.6°C) | 77°/57°F (24.9°/14.1°C) |
| Sep | 79°/55°F (26.1°/12.6°C) | 67°/48°F (19.5°/9.1°C) |
| Oct | 66°/44°F (19.1°/6.6°C) | 54°/37°F (12.5°/3.0°C) |
| Nov | 52°/34°F (11.3°/1.1°C) | 41°/27°F (4.8°/-2.8°C) |
| Dec | 38°/22°F (3.5°/-5.3°C) | 27°/12°F (-3.0°/-11.1°C) |
Data:
National Weather Service,
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 holder visiting Canada
Visa Free
Canada passport holder visiting United States
Visa FreeData: 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 Illinois?
Canada and Illinois are within a few percent on overall cost, though specific items in specific cities can swing either way.
How much money do I need to move to Canada?
Budget about CA$27,180 for 3 months in Canada (based on a $75,000 comparable annual salary), then add the one-off costs: flights, shipping, a rental deposit, and visa fees.
Can I work remotely from Canada?
From major Canada cities the network usually holds up. Visa rules, your employer's stance on overseas employees, and tax residency in Illinois and Canada are what actually decide it long-term.
How is healthcare in Canada compared to Illinois?
Canada performs significantly better than Illinois across all health & wellbeing metrics.
What's the weather like in Canada compared to Illinois?
The average high temperature in Ottawa is 52°F, compared to 63°F in Springfield. Ottawa receives around 37.1 in of rainfall per year, while Springfield gets 37.4 in.
What language do they speak in Canada?
The official languages in Canada are English and French. In Illinois, the official language is English.
