Moving to Canada from Peru

moving to

What to Expect

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

If you moved from Peru to Canada, you would find that Canada is 2.4 times more expensive than Peru overall. A PEN255,045 salary in Peru would need to be roughly CA$218,327 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 Lima, making it significantly cooler.

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How Far Will Your Money Go?

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

What does your salary buy?

PEN255,045 CA$218,327

To maintain the same standard of living in Canada

Calculate with your salary →

The biggest cost differences at a glance

Restaurants

pay 2.9 times more

Groceries

pay 2.2 times more

Transportation

pay 75.5% more

Housing

pay 3.3 times more

Childcare

pay 3.6 times more

Entertainment and Sports

pay 88.1% more

See full cost of living breakdown
Exchange rate: 1 PEN = 0.4168 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 Peru to Canada, and how the trend has changed.

Moved in 2023
750 ↑ 13% vs 2022

people moved from Peru 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 Peru 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

PE
5.7
CA
2.3
Feel safe walking at night United Nations SDG Indicators, 2022

of residents who feel safe walking alone at night

PE
39%
CA
88%

Canada performs significantly better than Peru across all safety metrics.

How's the healthcare?

Healthcare spending per person World Bank, 2024

annual government + private spending per person

PE
$956
CA
$7,646
Doctors per 10,000 people United Nations SDG Indicators, 2022

affects wait times and access to care

PE
16.2
CA
25.0

Peru generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Canada leads in doctors per 10,000 people.

What about the environment?

Air pollution deaths United Nations SDG Indicators, 2019

deaths attributable to air pollution per 100k people

PE
26.0
CA
8.0
CO₂ emissions per capita World Bank, 2024

tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year

PE
2.0t
CA
14.0t

Peru 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

PE
9.3
CA
42.6
Water stress level United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

higher means greater strain on freshwater supply

PE
7.2%
CA
3.7%

Canada performs significantly better than Peru across all infrastructure metrics.

What are the job prospects?

Unemployment rate The World Factbook, 2023

percentage of the labour force without work

PE
4.8%
CA
5.4%
GDP per capita The World Factbook, 2023

a broad measure of economic output per person

PE
$15,100
CA
$55,800

Peru generally does better on employment & economy, though Canada leads in gdp per capita.

Is it good for families?

Life expectancy The World Factbook, 2022

average years of life at birth

PE
68.9 yrs
CA
83.8 yrs
Infant mortality The World Factbook, 2022

deaths per 1,000 live births — lower is better

PE
10.8
CA
4.4

Canada performs significantly better than Peru across all family life metrics.

Data: Superintendencia Nacional de Aduanas y de Administración Tributaria, The World Factbook, United Nations SDG Indicators, World Bank

What's the Climate Like?

Monthly averages — select a city to compare.

Lima Rain: 0.5 in/yr (13 mm)
72° / 62°F

Avg. annual high / low

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

Avg. annual high / low

Months Lima Ottawa
Jan–Mar 79°/67°F (26°/19°C) 27°/10°F (-3°/-12°C)
Apr–Jun 71°/62°F (22°/16°C) 64°/45°F (18°/7°C)
Jul–Sep 66°/58°F (19°/15°C) 75°/55°F (24°/13°C)
Oct–Dec 71°/62°F (22°/16°C) 41°/25°F (5°/-4°C)
View all months
Month Lima Ottawa
Jan 78°/66°F (25.8°/19.1°C) 21°/4°F (-6.1°/-15.3°C)
Feb 80°/67°F (26.5°/19.4°C) 25°/8°F (-4.1°/-13.3°C)
Mar 79°/67°F (26.0°/19.2°C) 36°/19°F (2.2°/-7.1°C)
Apr 76°/64°F (24.3°/17.6°C) 51°/33°F (10.8°/0.6°C)
May 71°/61°F (21.7°/16.1°C) 66°/46°F (19.1°/7.7°C)
Jun 67°/60°F (19.7°/15.3°C) 75°/55°F (23.8°/12.7°C)
Jul 66°/59°F (18.7°/15.0°C) 80°/60°F (26.5°/15.4°C)
Aug 65°/58°F (18.4°/14.6°C) 77°/57°F (24.9°/14.1°C)
Sep 66°/58°F (18.7°/14.6°C) 67°/48°F (19.5°/9.1°C)
Oct 68°/59°F (19.9°/15.2°C) 54°/37°F (12.5°/3.0°C)
Nov 71°/62°F (21.9°/16.4°C) 41°/27°F (4.8°/-2.8°C)
Dec 75°/64°F (23.9°/17.7°C) 27°/12°F (-3.0°/-11.1°C)

Data: Servicio Nacional de Meteorología e Hidrología del Perú Servicio Nacional de Meteorología e Hidrología del Perú, Meteorological Service of Canada Meteorological Service of Canada

Visitor Visa Requirements

Short-stay tourist visa rules between Peru 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.

Peru passport

Peru passport holder visiting Canada

Visa Required
Peru passport holders need a visa to enter Canada.
Canada passport

Canada passport holder visiting Peru

Visa Free
Canada passport holders can enter Peru 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 Peru?

Day-to-day costs in Canada run about 105% higher than Peru 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 PEN255,045 comparable salary, that's around CA$54,582 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 Peru and Canada.

Is Canada safe for expats?

Canada performs significantly better than Peru across all safety metrics. The homicide rate in Canada is 2.3 per 100,000 people, compared to 5.7 in Peru. About 88% of people in Canada feel safe walking alone at night.

How is healthcare in Canada compared to Peru?

Peru generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Canada leads in doctors per 10,000 people. There are 25.0 doctors per 10,000 people in Canada, compared to 16.2 in Peru. Canada scores 91 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Peru: 71).

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

The average high temperature in Ottawa is 52°F, compared to 72°F in Lima. Ottawa receives around 37.1 in of rainfall per year, while Lima gets 0.5 in.

What language do they speak in Canada?

The official languages in Canada are English and French. In Peru, the official languages are Aymara, Quechua and Spanish.

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At a Glance

PE CA
Population 32,275,736 38,232,593
Currency Peruvian Nuevo Sol (PEN) Canadian Dollar (CA$)
Languages Aymara, Quechua, Spanish English, French
Driving side Right Right
Calling code +51 +1
Time zones 1 6
Emergency number 105 911