Moving to Canada from Spain
What to Expect
A comprehensive look at what changes when you move from Spain to Canada — from daily expenses to quality of life.
If you moved from Spain to Canada, you would find that Canada is 24.4% more expensive than Spain overall. A €65,850 salary in Spain would need to be roughly CA$115,377 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 68°F in Madrid, making it significantly cooler. How your spending power changes when you relocate from Spain to Canada. What does your salary buy? €65,850 → CA$115,377 To maintain the same standard of living in Canada The biggest cost differences at a glance Restaurants pay 4.5% less Groceries pay 36.5% more Transportation pay 3.4% more Housing pay 43.8% more Childcare pay 51.1% more Entertainment and Sports pay 47.2% 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 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 6% more than cities in Spain. Compare cities head-to-head 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. Real numbers on people moving from Spain to Canada, and how the trend has changed. Top countries of origin for Canada's foreign-born residents. How Spain and Canada stack up on safety, healthcare, jobs, and infrastructure. per 100,000 people per year of residents who feel safe walking alone at night per 100,000 people per year Spain generally does better on safety, though Canada leads in feel safe walking at night. 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 Spain generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Canada leads in health coverage index. deaths attributable to air pollution per 100k people tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year Spain generally does better on environment, though Canada leads in air pollution deaths. 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 generally does better on infrastructure, though Spain leads in internet access. 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 performs significantly better than Spain across all employment & economy metrics. average years of life at birth deaths per 1,000 live births — lower is better government spending on education as % of GDP Canada generally does better on family life, though Spain leads in infant mortality. Data: Agencia Tributaria, Spain, The World Factbook, United Nations SDG Indicators, World Bank Monthly averages — select a city to compare. Avg. annual high / low Avg. annual high / low Data: Short-stay tourist visa rules between Spain 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. Spain passport holder visiting Canada Canada passport holder visiting Spain Data: Henley Passport Index. Check with the destination country's embassy for the most current requirements. Day-to-day costs in Canada run about 8% higher than Spain on average; specific cities can swing further. A safe rule of thumb is 3 months of local expenses plus relocation costs. On a €65,850 comparable salary, that's around CA$28,844 in Canada for everyday spending, before flights, shipping, a rental deposit, and visa fees. 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 Spain and Canada. Spain generally does better on safety, though Canada leads in feel safe walking at night. The homicide rate in Canada is 2.3 per 100,000 people, compared to 0.7 in Spain. About 88% of people in Canada feel safe walking alone at night. Spain 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 44.8 in Spain. Canada scores 91 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Spain: 85). The average high temperature in Ottawa is 52°F, compared to 68°F in Madrid. Ottawa receives around 37.1 in of rainfall per year, while Madrid gets 16.6 in. The official languages in Canada are English and French. In Spain, the official languages are Basque, Catalan, Galician and Spanish. How Far Will Your Money Go?
Cost of living by city
Get free moving quotes to Canada
Who Else Is Making This Move?
Who's moving to Canada?
Spain Key Indicator Comparison
Is it safe?
How's the healthcare?
What about the environment?
Will I have good infrastructure?
What are the job prospects?
Is it good for families?
What's the Climate Like?
Months Madrid Ottawa Jan–Mar 55°/40°F (13°/4°C) 27°/10°F (-3°/-12°C) Apr–Jun 73°/53°F (23°/12°C) 64°/45°F (18°/7°C) Jul–Sep 86°/64°F (30°/18°C) 75°/55°F (24°/13°C) Oct–Dec 58°/44°F (14°/7°C) 41°/25°F (5°/-4°C) View all months
Month Madrid Ottawa Jan 50°/37°F (9.8°/2.7°C) 21°/4°F (-6.1°/-15.3°C) Feb 54°/39°F (12.0°/3.7°C) 25°/8°F (-4.1°/-13.3°C) Mar 61°/43°F (16.3°/6.2°C) 36°/19°F (2.2°/-7.1°C) Apr 65°/46°F (18.2°/7.7°C) 51°/33°F (10.8°/0.6°C) May 72°/52°F (22.2°/11.3°C) 66°/46°F (19.1°/7.7°C) Jun 83°/61°F (28.2°/16.1°C) 75°/55°F (23.8°/12.7°C) Jul 90°/66°F (32.1°/19.0°C) 80°/60°F (26.5°/15.4°C) Aug 88°/66°F (31.3°/18.8°C) 77°/57°F (24.9°/14.1°C) Sep 80°/60°F (26.4°/15.4°C) 67°/48°F (19.5°/9.1°C) Oct 67°/51°F (19.4°/10.7°C) 54°/37°F (12.5°/3.0°C) Nov 56°/43°F (13.5°/6.2°C) 41°/27°F (4.8°/-2.8°C) Dec 50°/38°F (10.0°/3.6°C) 27°/12°F (-3.0°/-11.1°C) 
Agencia Estatal de Meteorología, 
Meteorological Service of Canada Visitor Visa Requirements
Frequently Asked Questions
Is it cheaper to live in Canada than Spain?
How much money do I need to move to Canada?
Can I work remotely from Canada?
Is Canada safe for expats?
How is healthcare in Canada compared to Spain?
What's the weather like in Canada compared to Spain?
What language do they speak in Canada?
