SIM cards aren’t as simple to acquire as other places in the world, such as in Asia. In Canada, you have the following choices:

Have a phone plan, which makes you pay for both the phone and the monthly data plan. This option allows you to have a newer phone and have a payment plan that comes with it. The prices for this option are high though.

Alternatively, you can bring/buy your own phone which might end up costing you more at the start, but saves you heaps of money in the long run. instead of paying for the phone & the plan, you only pay for the plan, which oftentimes offers a better plan at a cheaper rate.

Wifi is pretty accessible everywhere you go. Malls, restaurants, sometimes buses, cinemas, cafes will have free wifi. It is possible to travel without buying a SIM card, for the country you’re in. I recommend buying one though in case you need to call someone in an emergency.

If you plan on doing a Working Holiday Visa or IEC, and spending a few seasons here, make sure you bring all sorts of clothes. The summers get really warm, unlike people believe (30+ degrees Celsius) but the winters are also very cold. If you are in the east, it can get to -25 degrees celsius. Near the Vancouver area the winters are more mild but a good winter coat is still required.

I am from Quebec where the winter is very cold and I despise it. However, dressing warm makes a whole difference on the experience. Get beanies, mitts, scarfs and proper boots and that’ll make the transition into the frigid Canadian winters a little easier.

A lot of people are surprised to hear that it can get extremely hot in Canada. As cold as it gets, we get the extreme opposite in the summer. Places further West such as British Columbia rarely get above 30 degree Celsius outside of a heatwave but over on the East is a different story. Summers can consistently get as hot as 35 degree Celsius.

Canada uses the Canadian dollar as their currency. 1 cad equals to $0.75usd as of November 2022.

You can also withdraw money at any ATM but there will be a banking fee (usually between $2-$4).

You can open a bank account anywhere in Canada, but if you are not a Canadian citizen you will have to provide legal documents as proof such as your visas/work permit and your passport.

Depending on where you are located/visiting, the transportation varies quite a bit. Public transportation is truly amazing in cities such as Toronto, Vancouver and Montreal, getting you pretty much anywhere with the underground metro system. Ubers and taxis are available, and so are buses running from early on until the night. 

If you are located in a bit of a remote area such as in the mountains or in rural areas, it becomes a bit of a different story. A car is preferable but bus travel is also doable, depending on your motivation level and time schedule. For instance, there are buses running from Vancouver to Whistler, but considering that it’s a 2 hour drive, the runs are not as frequent and you have to book your seat ahead of time. Whistler and surrounding areas have their own transport system as well, but do not commute to nearby towns. Taxis become quite expensive because the drive is at least 40 min, so a car is definitely preferable.

In the summertime, most cities also have a shared bike system. All across the city or town they will have e bike station, that you can rent from or drop your bike off. So if you have to go somewhere and you feel like biking, you can locate the nearest bike station near yours, and the nearest near the place you are going, and the city also has bike dedicated lane, to ensure everyone’s safety. Every city will have a different app to download for the locations of bike stands and show bike availability.

Shared ride apps are something very useful if you want to commute and don’t have the budget for a car. The app allows you to book rides with strangers, for a very small fee anywhere between $5 to $10. The times will not necessarily coincide with your exact plans but if you don’t mind waiting around or being early, this is definitely something worth taking advantage of.

A surprising amount if people are not actually aware of the large wildlife Canada has to offer. From the squirrel to the bear, you have to be very aware of your surroundings and be prepared. If you live in the woods or just close to nature in general, some bear precautions need to be put into place, such as having bear spray. Never leaving your rubbish or food out or in your tent while camping. Being loud when you walk in the forest is also advised. Driving at night is also not advisable, considering that most wildlife is very active at night, and can create danger. Obviously this is sometimes unavoidable but air caution while driving.

If you are from a commonwealth treaty country, a working holiday visa can be granted to you, circumstances approving. That means that you are allowed to enter the country and be legal to work, open bank accounts and what not. The processing time varies anywhere between 3 months to 6 months. Compared to Australia, you do not have to do any sort of farm work in order to be granted a 2nd year. From there, a lot of people decide to then apply for their permanent residency, which can take up to another 2 year processing time. 

From my experience, I would say that each province is a bit different when it comes to prices so I will be only comparing prices in Montreal and Whistler since that is where I lived most in Canada

Whistler is shockingly expensive. There is unfortunately no other way to put it but to be direct and honest. I thought Australia was expensive but oh wow. The demand in Whistler is so high, that all prices are through the roof. Literally from the price of fruit to the price of rent. For instance, to share a big house with 2 other couples, a private bathroom and private room, we were paying $2000/ month per couple. Everywhere you go, prices are near double regular prices so be ready to spend a lot of money very quickly, and to work a lot. Since the tipping culture is a big thing here, and Whistler being a tourist town, people spend a lot of money in restaurants, so most people in Whistler work in hospitality jobs. It’s not surprising or rare to hear people juggling 2 jobs just to make ends meet. Driving to the next town is about 40 minutes so if you live in those places, and are driving back and to whistler everyday, fuel becomes a big part of your budget. You get to learn how to save money such as local deals, thrift shops, food banks and eating in, but those tips and hacks take some time to learn, so at the beginning you always find yourself spending a lot of money. 

The East Coast is a bit different. Because everything is so accessible, prices are a lot more normal and affordable. For a studio apartment near Jean-Talon Marche, my partner and I paid $950 a month, all utilities included. Cafe prices vary between $5 to $12 as you would expect in the city, and transportation also varies between $3.25 to $7, depending on the public transportation of your choice. 

As a traveller, I would say that the biggest part of your budgeting will have to do with accomodation and food shopping. My phone contract also costs a lot here.