Moving to Canada from Italy
What to Expect
Everything you need to know before relocating from Italy to Canada — costs, safety, healthcare, and practical first steps.
If you moved from Italy to Canada, you would find that Canada is 15.1% more expensive than Italy overall. A €67,000 salary in Italy would need to be roughly CA$123,000 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 69°F in Rome, making it significantly cooler.
Planning this move? Get up to 5 free, no-obligation quotes from vetted international movers. Get free quotes ↓How Far Will Your Money Go?
What to expect for your wallet after moving from Italy to Canada.
What does your salary buy?
€67,000 → CA$123,000
To maintain the same standard of living in Canada
Calculate with your salary →Where you'll feel the difference day-to-day
Restaurants
pay 10.2% less
Groceries
pay 8.7% more
Transportation
pay 17.5% less
Housing
pay 55.3% more
Childcare
pay 32.0% more
Entertainment and Sports
pay 13.2% more
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 1% less than cities in Italy.
Compare cities head-to-head
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Who Else Is Making This Move?
How many people actually move from Italy to Canada, based on official data.
Who's moving to Canada?
Top countries of origin for Canada's foreign-born residents.
- 720,083
- 699,190
- 633,547
- 537,504
- 273,226
-
6.254,831
Italy
Key Indicator Comparison
Key indicators for anyone considering a move from Italy to Canada.
Is it safe?
per 100,000 people per year
of residents who feel safe walking alone at night
per 100,000 people per year
Canada generally does better on safety, though Italy leads in homicide rate.
How's the healthcare?
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
Italy generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Canada leads in health coverage index.
What about the environment?
deaths attributable to air pollution per 100k people
tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year
Italy generally does better on environment, though Canada leads in air pollution deaths.
Will I have good infrastructure?
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 performs significantly better than Italy across all infrastructure metrics.
What are the job prospects?
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 generally does better on employment & economy, though Italy leads in unemployment rate.
Is it good for families?
average years of life at birth
deaths per 1,000 live births — lower is better
government spending on education as % of GDP
Italy generally does better on family life, though Canada leads in education spending.
Sources: World Bank (2021–2025), United Nations SDG Indicators (2016–2021), World Health Organization (2024), Italian Revenue Agency (2016), Canada Revenue Agency (2016), The World Factbook (2008). How we calculate this
What's the Climate Like?
Monthly averages — select a city to compare.
Avg. annual high / low
Avg. annual high / low
| Months | Rome | Ottawa |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 56°/39°F (13°/4°C) | 27°/10°F (-3°/-12°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 72°/53°F (22°/11°C) | 64°/45°F (18°/7°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 85°/63°F (29°/17°C) | 75°/55°F (24°/13°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 62°/45°F (17°/7°C) | 41°/25°F (5°/-4°C) |
View all months
| Month | Rome | Ottawa |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 53°/38°F (11.9°/3.1°C) | 21°/4°F (-6.1°/-15.3°C) |
| Feb | 55°/38°F (13.0°/3.5°C) | 25°/8°F (-4.1°/-13.3°C) |
| Mar | 59°/41°F (15.2°/5.2°C) | 36°/19°F (2.2°/-7.1°C) |
| Apr | 64°/46°F (17.7°/7.5°C) | 51°/33°F (10.8°/0.6°C) |
| May | 73°/53°F (22.8°/11.6°C) | 66°/46°F (19.1°/7.7°C) |
| Jun | 80°/60°F (26.9°/15.3°C) | 75°/55°F (23.8°/12.7°C) |
| Jul | 87°/64°F (30.3°/18.0°C) | 80°/60°F (26.5°/15.4°C) |
| Aug | 87°/65°F (30.6°/18.3°C) | 77°/57°F (24.9°/14.1°C) |
| Sep | 80°/59°F (26.5°/15.2°C) | 67°/48°F (19.5°/9.1°C) |
| Oct | 71°/52°F (21.4°/11.3°C) | 54°/37°F (12.5°/3.0°C) |
| Nov | 61°/44°F (15.9°/6.9°C) | 41°/27°F (4.8°/-2.8°C) |
| Dec | 55°/40°F (12.6°/4.2°C) | 27°/12°F (-3.0°/-11.1°C) |
Data:
Italian Air Force- Department of Meteorology,
Meteorological Service of Canada
Visitor Visa Requirements
Short-stay tourist visa rules between Italy 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.
Italy passport holder visiting Canada
Electronic Travel Authorisation
Canada passport holder visiting Italy
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 Italy?
No — Canada is on average about 15% more expensive than Italy. City-level variation matters.
How much money do I need to move to Canada?
Plan for at least 3 months of living expenses — roughly CA$30,750 in Canada on a €67,000 comparable salary — plus one-off moving costs (flights, shipping, a rental deposit, and visa fees).
Can I work remotely from Canada?
Internet is rarely the blocker — Canada has 42.5 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.
Is Canada safe for expats?
Canada generally does better on safety, though Italy leads in homicide rate. The homicide rate in Canada is 2.0 per 100,000 people, compared to 0.6 in Italy. About 88% of people in Canada feel safe walking alone at night.
How is healthcare in Canada compared to Italy?
Italy generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Canada leads in health coverage index. There are 28.2 doctors per 10,000 people in Canada, compared to 41.9 in Italy. Canada scores 91 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Italy: 84).
What's the weather like in Canada compared to Italy?
The average high temperature in Ottawa is 52°F, compared to 69°F in Rome. Ottawa receives around 37.1 in of rainfall per year, while Rome gets 31.7 in.
What language do they speak in Canada?
The official languages in Canada are English and French. In Italy, the official languages are Catalan and Italian.
