Moving to Canada from Russia
What to Expect
Everything you need to know before relocating from Russia to Canada — costs, safety, healthcare, and practical first steps.
If you moved from Russia to Canada, you would find that Canada is 2.3 times more expensive than Russia overall. A RUB5,785,942 salary in Russia would need to be roughly CA$168,897 in Canada to maintain the same lifestyle, and you’d need to navigate life in English and French.
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 Russia to Canada.
What does your salary buy?
RUB5,785,942 → CA$168,897
To maintain the same standard of living in Canada
Calculate with your salary →Where you'll feel the difference day-to-day
Restaurants
pay 2.2 times more
Groceries
pay 2.2 times more
Transportation
pay 2.2 times more
Housing
pay 4.0 times more
Childcare
pay 97.2% more
Entertainment and Sports
pay 2.6 times 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 23% more than cities in Russia.
Compare cities head-to-head
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Who Else Is Making This Move?
How many people actually move from Russia 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
- 254,831
- · · ·
-
24.84,735
Russia
Key Indicator Comparison
Key indicators for anyone considering a move from Russia 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 Russia leads in feel safe walking at night.
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
Russia 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
Russia 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 Russia 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
Russia generally does better on employment & economy, though Canada leads in gdp per capita.
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
Canada performs significantly better than Russia across all family life metrics.
Data: Federal Tax Service of Russia, The World Factbook, United Nations SDG Indicators, World Bank
What's the Climate Like?
Monthly averages — select a city to compare.
Avg. annual high / low
Avg. annual high / low
| Months | Moscow | Ottawa |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 27°/15°F (-3°/-10°C) | 27°/10°F (-3°/-12°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 62°/45°F (17°/7°C) | 64°/45°F (18°/7°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 68°/52°F (20°/11°C) | 75°/55°F (24°/13°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 36°/26°F (2°/-3°C) | 41°/25°F (5°/-4°C) |
View all months
| Month | Moscow | Ottawa |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 21°/10°F (-6.3°/-12.3°C) | 21°/4°F (-6.1°/-15.3°C) |
| Feb | 24°/12°F (-4.2°/-11.1°C) | 25°/8°F (-4.1°/-13.3°C) |
| Mar | 35°/22°F (1.5°/-5.6°C) | 36°/19°F (2.2°/-7.1°C) |
| Apr | 51°/35°F (10.4°/1.7°C) | 51°/33°F (10.8°/0.6°C) |
| May | 65°/46°F (18.4°/7.6°C) | 66°/46°F (19.1°/7.7°C) |
| Jun | 71°/53°F (21.7°/11.5°C) | 75°/55°F (23.8°/12.7°C) |
| Jul | 74°/56°F (23.1°/13.5°C) | 80°/60°F (26.5°/15.4°C) |
| Aug | 71°/54°F (21.5°/12.0°C) | 77°/57°F (24.9°/14.1°C) |
| Sep | 60°/45°F (15.4°/7.1°C) | 67°/48°F (19.5°/9.1°C) |
| Oct | 47°/36°F (8.2°/2.1°C) | 54°/37°F (12.5°/3.0°C) |
| Nov | 34°/26°F (1.1°/-3.3°C) | 41°/27°F (4.8°/-2.8°C) |
| Dec | 26°/17°F (-3.5°/-8.6°C) | 27°/12°F (-3.0°/-11.1°C) |
Data:
Russian Federal Service for Hydrometeorology and Environmental Monitoring,
Meteorological Service of Canada
Visitor Visa Requirements
Short-stay tourist visa rules between Russia 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.
Russia passport holder visiting Canada
Visa Required
Canada passport holder visiting Russia
Visa RequiredData: 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 Russia?
No — Canada is on average about 59% more expensive than Russia. 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$42,224 in Canada on a RUB5,785,942 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 42.6 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.
Is Canada safe for expats?
Canada generally does better on safety, though Russia leads in feel safe walking at night. The homicide rate in Canada is 2.3 per 100,000 people, compared to 6.8 in Russia. About 88% of people in Canada feel safe walking alone at night.
How is healthcare in Canada compared to Russia?
Russia 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 38.3 in Russia. Canada scores 91 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Russia: 79).
What's the weather like in Canada compared to Russia?
The average high temperature in Ottawa is 52°F, compared to 48°F in Moscow. Ottawa receives around 37.1 in of rainfall per year, while Moscow gets 27.2 in.
What language do they speak in Canada?
The official languages in Canada are English and French. In Russia, the official language is Russian.
