Everybody knows Toronto is an expensive place to live in. I saw a lot of numbers on the internet and was very anxious before making the move to Canada because of it. People were telling me that an apartment is around 1700CAD on average and I was scared because it was a bit out of my comfort zone.
So I made an actual monthly calculation of living expenses in Toronto and here are some tips on how to cut back while still being able to have some on the side.
- Living: This was the toughest part of our move. When we first arrived in Toronto, we rented an Airbnb for 1 week and luckily, we were able to find a home within our first 3 days. Bringing a pet with us, people have been telling us it would be more difficult to look for a place because some places are not pet-friendly. Surprisingly, it was very seldom that we encountered places that weren’t.
My suggestion is looking at Kijiji and Craigslist while you still haven’t gotten to Canada. This helps a lot. Also, check out some of the property management websites like Metcap and Akelius. - Groceries: Groceries in Toronto are awesome because they’re clean, have almost everything and have great prices. My suggestion is download the Flipp app. This app collects all the flyers and coupons and allows you to look for items and stores that are having deals on these items. My go-to supermarkets are No Frills, Fresh Co and the groceries in Chinatown. They have fresh vegetables, fruits and meat.
- Dining and eating out: Toronto is a diverse city that has plenty of options. If you want to try different types of food on a budget, I suggest using sites like Groupon to get the best deals. Also, for take-out, some restaurants offer great deals during specific times. Apps like Ritual Foodora and SkipTheDishes sometimes have great deals up to 50% off.
A lot of restaurants Downtown also offer great deals on their lunch menus. - Transportation: Get a Presto pass. This is a reloadable card that let’s you take any number of trips, in any direction, for two hours after you tap your card to pay a fare. After the two hours are up, you will be charged another fare the next time you tap. One trip is 3.25CAD. If you’re using it everyday, better get a monthly unlimited pass that costs 155CAD.
Ride-sharing apps like Uber and Lyft also randomly give you 25% sometimes that you can use for a number of rides. - Clothing: Winter clothes can be expensive but is a necessary expense given Toronto’s harsh winters. My favorite places to shop for winter stuff is Uniqlo. Their down goose jackets will set you back around 250CAD and it’s totally worth it. Also, you might want to invest in their Heattech™, which comes in warm™, extra warm™ and ultra warm™. SVP Sports is also another place that has great deals on clothes and footwear all the time.
- Appliances and Furniture: Try Kijiji and Facebook groups to score some great deals on appliances. Ikea also sells furniture at a good price.
- Job Hunting: This is probably the most important part. Before moving to Canada, try to get a Canadian number using burner apps. This will allow you to apply for jobs before moving and allow potential employers to contact you. Create an account on Indeed.ca because this is where a lot of potential employers look for candidates. Download Jobspotter app. It is an app that lets you take photos of the help wanted sign you see on store fronts and in exchange, you get Amazon cash.
- Entertainment and Learning: One thing I loved instantly about Toronto is the staggering amount of free things you can do in the city. The Toronto Public Library has a ton of workshops for learning like Adobe Photoshop to Gardening. The parks also have free movie nights during the summer where you can watch films under the stars.
I hope this guide helps new immigrants to adjust faster and adapt to life in the city. It truly is a wonderful, multicultural place that is brimming with opportunities.
If you have a few more questions or reactions, please feel free to leave a comment and I will try my best to give you an answer..
YIUTUBE 