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Plan your money in Canada.
Budget for your first months, understand what life costs here, and send money home without losing it to hidden fees.
First-month budget · Toronto
- Rent, deposit and utilities
- Groceries and transit
- Money home each month
Work out the numbers before they surprise you.
Budget calculator
Rent, transit, groceries and phone for your city and household, with your first-month costs.
Plan your budgetCompare transfers
See what your family actually receives once the fee and exchange-rate markup are counted.
Compare transfersCost of living
Rent, transit, groceries and phone across five cities, side by side.
Compare citiesWhere newcomers lose money.
Three things catch almost everyone in the first year.
The first-month cash crunch
First and last month’s rent, deposits, winter clothes and furniture all land before your first paycheque.
Hidden exchange-rate markups
A “no fee” transfer can cost more than one with a fee if the exchange rate is marked up.
Starting with no credit
No Canadian credit history means deposits, prepaid plans and higher costs until you build one.
Compare what your family actually receives.
Pick a destination to see how the fee, the exchange rate and speed add up.
Start with these.
Building a Canadian credit score from zero
The first card to get and the habits that build a score fast.
What life costs in five Canadian cities
Rent, transit, groceries and phone, side by side.
Tax basics for your first year
Why your arrival date matters, and where to get free help.
One money tip a week.
Budgeting, credit and sending money home, written for newcomers.
