Do you have fine wine tastes on a cheap beer budget? It’s ok. Most students are living on a budget. If not, they’re likely students getting themselves into a cycle of debt.
As a University student, every penny matters when it comes to spending; worse still, there are no voucher codes or deals for housing, making it a lot harder to save money on rent. Here at University Magazine, we look at the most affordable cities In Canada for Students.
The Most Affordable Cities In Canada For Students 2018
1. Windsor, Ontario
The cost of living in Windsor is 0.7% above the national average. The city, which lies directly across from Detroit, Michigan, is one of Canada’s main centers for the automotive industry. Tourism, education, and government services are major employers too.
Home To: University of Windsor
2. Quebec City, Quebec
In Quebec City, the cost of living is only 0.9% above the national average. Quebec’s capital, Quebec City’s largest employer, is the provincial government. The manufacturing, security, and defence industries are large employers in this mainly French-speaking city.
Home To: Université Laval
3. Moncton, New Brunswick
With a little over 70,000, Moncton is New Brunswick’s largest city. It is also one of the cheapest cities to live in the Maritimes, with the cost of living 5.2% below the national average. In addition, the city has a robust and diverse economy.
Home To: Université de Moncton
4. Gatineau, Quebec
Gatineau has a cost of living of 1.3% above the national average, much cheaper than Ottawa directly across the river, where the cost of living is 26.1% above the national average. Because it’s so close to Ottawa, Gatineau is home to many federal government offices.
Home To: Université du Québec en Outaouais
5. London, Ontario
London’s cost of living is 0.5% above the national average. The city is located about 170 km southwest of Toronto, and its economy is based on the medical research, education, IT and insurance industries.
Home To: Western University
6. Abbotsford, British Columbia
With a cost of living of 3.6% below the national average, Abbotsford is the cheapest of British Columbia’s larger cities. The town lies about 70 km from Vancouver in the Fraser Valley region.
Home To: University of the Fraser Valley
7. Thunder Bay, Ontario
The cost of living in Thunder Bay is only 0.1% above the national average. Lying on the shores of Lake Superior, Thunder Bay is the commercial, administrative and medical center of Northwestern Ontario, with many people working in the public sector.
Home To: Lakehead University
8. Kitchener, Ontario
In Kitchener, the cost of living is 3.7% above the national average. The city, located about 100 km southwest of Toronto, is home to a diverse economy based on manufacturing, finance, insurance, healthcare and digital media.
Home To: Conestoga College
9. Fredericton, New Brunswick
In Fredericton, the cost of living is 2.2% above the national average. The largest employers in New Brunswick’s capital are the public sector and universities, but the IT sector here is growing fast. Fredericton has a population of about 58,000.
Home To: University of New Brunswick
10. St. Catharines, Ontario
St. Catharines is one of the cheapest cities to live in in Ontario, with the cost of living 0.5% below the national average. The largest city in the Niagara Region, St. Catharines, is mainly a base for the manufacturing and service industries.
Home To: Brock University
