Study in Canada 2025: The Real Cost of Tuition, Rent, and Living for International Students

Study in Canada 2025: Tuition, Rent & Living Costs

For aspiring international students, financial planning has become more critical than ever. Global inflation, rising living costs, and recent policy shifts have made affordability the single most important factor when choosing a study destination.

Canada remains a top choice for price-conscious students, including those from India, but prospective students need to adapt their budgets to suit current cost realities. ApplyBoard's latest analysis, The Cost of an International Education in Canada in 2025, provides a crucial financial roadmap, highlighting the dramatic provincial variances in tuition and rent and demonstrating how strategic location choices can lead to substantial savings.

The New Cost Landscape: Tuition Fees

Tuition remains the single largest expense for most international students. For the 2025/26 academic year, average costs for a Canadian post-secondary education continued their upward trend, albeit at a slightly slower pace than last year:

Undergraduate Programs: The average annual tuition for international students surpassed CAD $41,000, marking a 4% increase from the previous year.

Postgraduate Programs: Average annual tuition rose by 3% to over CAD $24,000 annually.

Cumulatively, this means a four-year undergraduate degree can cost over CAD $177,000 in tuition alone, with a two-year graduate program costing nearly CAD $50,000.

The Financial Gap: Ontario vs. Atlantic Provinces

The most significant financial disparity lies in a student's choice of province. Ontario, which historically attracts the highest number of international students, is the most expensive, while the Atlantic provinces (New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, PEI, and Newfoundland and Labrador) and the Prairies (Alberta, Saskatchewan, and Manitoba) offer the greatest value:

The Most Expensive: Undergraduate tuition in Ontario is nearly 25% higher than in the next most expensive province, British Columbia.

The Most Affordable: Provinces like Newfoundland and Labrador and New Brunswick offer undergraduate tuition at less than half of Ontario's average.

Postgraduate Value: For graduate students, Saskatchewan and Newfoundland and Labrador offer average tuition that is less than half the national average, making them exceptionally cost-effective choices.

Choosing a four-year program in Newfoundland and Labrador (approx. $75,000 in total tuition) over one in Ontario (nearly $200,000) represents a potential savings of over $120,000 in tuition costs alone.

Rent and Living Expenses: A Rising Bar for Entry

Beyond tuition, living costs (including housing) have prompted the Canadian government to raise the proof of funds requirement to CAD $22,895, plus first-year tuition and travel costs, to ensure students are financially prepared.

This higher requirement reflects recent increases in rent prices across major Canadian cities. When it comes to off-campus one bedroom accommodations, there are significant variances in rent costs for international students:

Major Urban Centres: While rents in Toronto and Vancouver saw a modest 5% decrease in Q1 2025 due to increased rental supply, they remain the most expensive. A student pursuing a four-year degree in Vancouver is projected to incur over $110,000 in rent alone for a one-bedroom apartment.

Emerging Affordable Cities: Cities in the Prairies and Atlantic Canada offer significantly lower costs. Saint John and St. John's are the most cost-effective CMAs for rent, with average one-bedroom apartment rents remaining under $1,300 per month.

Balancing Cost with Career Opportunity

Despite the rising costs, Canada remains one of the top study destinations globally. In a recent poll of study abroad counselors, 91.4% cited the cost of studying as their students' top priority, but 87.8% also pointed to post-graduation work opportunities as a key factor.

"Today's students are making data-driven decisions about their futures," says Meti Basiri, Co-Founder and CEO of ApplyBoard. "They're not just asking how much it costs to study in Canada, but what they'll gain in return. The value of a Canadian education lies in its strong academic foundation, career-oriented programs, and the Post-Graduation Work Permit pathway, which enables up to three years of work experience after graduation. For students entering fast-growing sectors like technology, healthcare, and business, that experience often becomes the bridge to a long-term global career."

This strategic value is reflected in shifting student interests, which increasingly align with Canada's labour market needs:

Health and Sciences: Interest in health-related programs has surged, a promising trend for a country projected to face major healthcare shortages by 2031. The share of international student searches for Canadian health programs on ApplyBoard's platform rose by more than four percentage points in 2024 compared to the previous year. Among Indian students, 17% searched for programs in health and sciences, up from 13% in 2023. This is particularly significant given that Canada is expected to face shortages of around 78,000 doctors and 117,600 nurses within the next decade.

In-Demand Careers: Graduates holding PGWPs are increasingly filling gaps in critical sectors like healthcare, technology, and business, where Canada's demand for skilled talent continues to outpace domestic supply.

For international students, a successful journey depends on a well-researched financial and academic plan. By comparing tuition costs across provinces and exploring more affordable, high-quality cities in Atlantic Canada and the Prairies, students can significantly reduce their overall financial burden while securing a strong pathway to a rewarding career.

Contributed by Meti Basiri, Co-Founder and Chief Executive Officer, ApplyBoard