Housing prices force Canadians to leave the country

In recent years, Canada has seen a significant number of its citizens leaving the country. There are a variety of reasons why Canadians might choose to leave, including work opportunities, personal preferences, or family ties abroad. In this article, we’ll take a closer look at how many Canadians have left Canada in recent years, where they’re going, and why they’re leaving.

How Many Canadians Have Left Canada?

According to data from the Canadian government, approximately 2.8 million Canadians lived abroad in 2019. This represents about 7.5% of the country’s population. However, it’s important to note that not all of these individuals have permanently left Canada. Some may be living abroad temporarily for work or educational opportunities, while others may be living abroad part-time or seasonally.

In terms of permanent emigration, data from Statistics Canada shows that between 2001 and 2019, an average of about 50,000 Canadians per year left the country to live abroad permanently. This represents a small fraction of the overall Canadian population, but it’s still a significant number.

These are statistics only provided up to 2019! Since COVID pandemic started, the number of Canadians leaving Canada has increased dramatically! Pandemic restrictions followed by many closures, mandates and other Government policies has polarized Canada and Canadians. Economy downturn caused even more discouragement among Canadian population!

Food, gasoline prices and other products like cars have skyrocketed in past years. But the biggest bummer and one of the biggest reasons why Canadians flock abroad is Housing prices! Housing has never been so unaffordable in Canada! This time we are not going to investigate what caused this hardship to Canadians, instead we want to compare housing prices in Canada to some of favourite destinations Canadians go to when leaving Canada for good.

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More and more Canadians are moving to Mexico, and not only for the milder weather. According to a recent survey by Far Homes, many Canadians are frustrated with the high cost of living and are moving to Mexico as a result. The Far Homes research indicates that since 2020, Canadians have been relocating to Mexico at a rate of almost 4 times annually. The real estate website has also outlined the causes of Canadians departing all of the major cities in the nation. Even more people are settling down permanently in Mexico.

Studio apartment in tourist hot spot of Mexico – Playa Del Carmen costs only $245.000 CAD while same studio in Toronto or Vancouver would cost $499.000 – $799.000.

Luxury home with 3,520 Sq.Ft. with 4 room, 4 bath in Playa Del Carmen cost $825.000 while similar home in Toronto or Vancouver would costs about $2,400,000 – $3,400,000 in Toronto and Vancouver.

“For example, you can save a lot on rent (106.6 per cent lower!), groceries (81.1 per cent cheaper!), and restaurants (122.0 per cent lower!). Even without factoring in rent, consumer prices in Playa del Carmen are 83.5 per cent lower than in Toronto.” “Consumer prices, including rent, are 52.9 per cent lower in Cancun, while rent prices are 71.2 per cent lower. You can also expect to pay 41.5 per cent less for dining out and 43.2 per cent less for groceries. The benchmark home price in Vancouver is $1,143,900, whereas, in Cancun, homes are, on average, 88.8 per cent less expensive to buy,” Far Homes states on its website.

Mexico is not the only destination for Canadians who decide to leave in recent years! Other countries like USA is top choice. Again the main reason why Canadians leave Canada for US is cost of living.

The cost of living for example in Ontario, Canada and Texas, United States can vary depending on the city and region that is compared but we will take and average approach to things. In general, the cost of living in Ontario is higher than in Texas.

Housing costs in Ontario are generally higher than in Texas, particularly in major cities like Toronto and Ottawa. For example, the average home price in Toronto is over $1 million, while in Houston, Texas, the average home price is around $300,000 USD. Additionally, rental prices in Ontario are often way higher than in Texas.

Food and other daily expenses are also generally more expensive in Ontario than in Texas. According to Numbeo, a website that compares cost of living data, the cost of groceries and dining out in Ontario is about 10-20% higher than in Texas.

READ MORE: A standard house price in Canada costs twice as much as it does in the US

Similar situation is in Florida, the cost of living in Florida is lower than in Ontario.

Housing costs in Florida are generally lower. The average home price in Miami, Florida is around $530,000 CAD, while in Toronto, the average home price is over $1 million. Additionally, rental prices in Florida are often lower than in Ontario.

Food and other daily expenses are also generally less expensive in Florida than in Ontario. According to Numbeo, the cost of groceries and dining out in Florida is about 10-20% lower than in Ontario.

In addition to housing and food costs, there are several other areas where the cost of living in Florida is generally lower than in Ontario:

1. Taxes: Florida does not have a state income tax, whereas Ontario has both federal and provincial income taxes. This can result in significant savings for individuals living in Florida.
2. Utilities: The cost of utilities, such as electricity and natural gas, are generally lower in Florida than in Ontario. This is largely due to the milder climate in Florida, which reduces the need for heating and other energy-intensive activities.
3. Transportation: The cost of transportation, such as gas and car insurance, is generally lower in Florida than in Ontario. Additionally, Florida has a well-developed public transportation system, which can help to further reduce transportation costs.
4. Entertainment: Florida is known for its numerous tourist attractions, such as theme parks and beaches, which can provide affordable entertainment options for residents. Ontario also has many attractions, but they may be more expensive due to the higher cost of living.

It’s worth noting that there are also several areas where the cost of living in Ontario is generally higher than in Florida, such as healthcare and education. Additionally, while Florida may have lower housing costs on average, this can vary widely depending on the specific location and type of housing.

And the list goes on for many more US States compared to Ontario, British Columbia, Quebec and many other provinces and major cities.

Here is the list of Countries, Canadians go to when leaving Canada:

Turkey

Spain

Ireland

Panama

Costa Rica

New Zeeland

Portugal

Italy

USA

Mexico