If you’re weighing up the best places to live in Canada as a Brit thinking about moving, the short answer is: Toronto for jobs, Vancouver for lifestyle, Calgary for value, Montreal for culture, and Halifax or Ottawa if you want space without the big-city price tag. Which one suits you depends on your budget, your visa route and how much winter you can stomach. This guide covers the cities UK movers shortlist most, what it actually costs to get there, and the mistakes that catch people out.
Where UK movers actually settle in Canada
Canada is vast (roughly 5,000 miles from Newfoundland to Vancouver Island, further than London to New York), so “best” depends heavily on what you’re optimising for. Here’s how the main contenders stack up.
Toronto: the deepest job market
Toronto draws more UK expats than anywhere else in Canada, mainly because the job market in finance, tech and professional services is the strongest in the country. British newcomers tend to land in Roncesvalles, Leslieville, the Beaches, or the GO Train suburbs like Mississauga and Oakville if they need more space for a family. The catch is housing: the benchmark home price across the Greater Toronto Area sits well above the national average, and most professionals end up needing a car within a year despite the transit network.
Vancouver: the lifestyle pick
Vancouver tops most quality of life rankings in Canada, with mountains, ocean and the mildest winters of any major city, and it has a large British community around Kitsilano and the North Shore. The trade-off is well known: a one-bedroom flat in the city centre averages around CAD $2,650 a month, putting housing costs near London levels. Tech, film production and shipping are the main industries if you’re job-hunting here.
Calgary: the value option
Calgary offers a lower cost of living than Toronto or Vancouver without giving up city infrastructure, and it’s a common choice for families who want space. Average monthly living costs (excluding rent) sit around CAD $1,508 for a single person, according to Global Citizen Solutions. Proximity to the Rockies means hiking and skiing are genuinely on your doorstep, not a weekend flight away.
Montreal: the cultural outlier
Montreal is officially French-speaking and feels closer to a European city than anywhere else on this list, though central neighbourhoods are functionally bilingual and the English-speaking community goes back centuries. Winters rival Toronto’s for cold, and summers run hot and humid, a bigger seasonal swing than most UK arrivals expect. It suits people drawn to arts, academia or a genuinely different pace of life.
Halifax and Ottawa: quality of life over popularity
Ottawa and Halifax score near the top of Numbeo’s Quality of Life in Canada Index despite being among the least chosen cities by UK movers, which tells you something about the gap between where people go and where the data says they’d be happiest. Halifax offers coastal, small-city living at a noticeably lower cost than Toronto or Vancouver. Ottawa, as the capital, combines clean streets, bilingual services and reasonable housing, with suburbs like Kanata offering more space for your money.
Visa routes for UK citizens
Working out where to live only matters once you’ve settled on how you’ll actually get there, and this is where a lot of UK research goes wrong.
Working Holiday (IEC): the easiest way in
British citizens aged 18 to 35 can apply for the International Experience Canada Working Holiday permit, and the UK has an unusually generous deal: up to 36 months’ stay across two participations, longer than almost any other partner country gets. Fees are modest, typically CAD $185 to $370 (roughly £100 to £200) depending on which extras apply, plus proof of at least CAD $2,500 in funds and mandatory health insurance for the full stay. The 2026 pool opened on 19 December 2025 with around 9,330 spots for UK citizens, and entry is by random selection rather than first-come, first-served.
Express Entry: the route for skilled workers
For anyone over 35, or planning to stay permanently, Express Entry is the main pathway. It manages three federal programmes, including the Federal Skilled Worker Program and the Canadian Experience Class, and ranks candidates on a points-based Comprehensive Ranking System. Recent Canadian Experience Class draws in 2026 have landed between 507 and 547 points, while Provincial Nominee draws typically sit much higher (711 to 802) thanks to a 600-point provincial boost. Application costs for a single adult run to roughly CAD $1,590 (around £865), covering the processing fee and the Right of Permanent Residence Fee, before you add language testing, credential assessment and medical checks.
eTA: not a route to move at all
A common and costly misunderstanding is treating Canada’s Electronic Travel Authorisation as permission to relocate. The eTA costs CAD $7, lasts up to five years, and lets you visit for up to six months at a time, nothing more. If you’re planning to work or settle, you need a work permit or permanent residence, not an eTA.
What it actually costs to move
Total costs vary enormously by visa route and household size. A single person moving on a Working Holiday visa can typically get set up for £4,000 to £7,000, while a couple shipping a full household through Express Entry should budget £14,000 to £20,000 or more, according to Anglo Pacific’s 2026 figures. Shipping alone for a typical three-bedroom UK home in a 20ft container runs £4,800 to £6,200 with a four to six week transit time, while a shared container for a smaller household costs £2,400 to £3,800 over six to eight weeks. Anyone moving with just personal effects can use baggage shipping instead, at roughly £75 to £110 per standard box.
Mistakes to avoid
- Assuming your UK profession transfers automatically. Regulated professions (nursing, engineering, law, teaching) usually need Canadian licensing before you can practise, and that process can take months.
- Underestimating winter outside the coast. Toronto, Calgary, Montreal and Ottawa all see proper sub-zero winters; only Vancouver and Victoria are genuinely mild by Canadian standards.
- Skipping the Educational Credential Assessment. Express Entry applicants need their UK qualifications formally assessed, and leaving it late is one of the most common causes of a stalled application.
- Not budgeting for healthcare gaps. Provincial healthcare typically doesn’t kick in from day one, so private cover is essential for the first few months in most provinces.
- Treating city popularity as a proxy for liveability. Toronto draws the most UK arrivals yet scores lowest of the major cities on Numbeo’s quality of life index, while quieter cities like Ottawa score near the top.
FAQS
What is the best place to live in Canada for a British family?
Calgary and Ottawa are common picks for families, offering more space and a lower cost of living than Toronto or Vancouver while still having solid schools and services. The right choice depends on your job sector and how much winter you’re prepared to handle.
Is Toronto or Vancouver better for UK expats?
Toronto has the deepest job market, particularly in finance and tech, while Vancouver offers a better lifestyle and milder winters at a similar or higher housing cost. Choose Toronto for career opportunities and Vancouver for climate and scenery.
Do UK citizens need a visa to move to Canada?
Yes. British citizens are visa-exempt only for short visits under the eTA scheme; to live or work in Canada you need a work permit or permanent residence, most commonly through the Working Holiday (IEC) route or Express Entry.
How much does it cost to move from the UK to Canada?
A single person on a Working Holiday visa can typically manage the move for £4,000 to £7,000, while a couple relocating permanently through Express Entry with a full household should budget £14,000 to £20,000, according to Anglo Pacific.
What is the easiest way for a young Brit to move to Canada?
The International Experience Canada Working Holiday permit is the most straightforward route for UK citizens aged 18 to 35, requiring proof of funds and health insurance rather than a job offer or points score.
Which Canadian city has the lowest cost of living?
Among the cities UK movers shortlist, Calgary and Halifax are generally the most affordable, with average living costs well below Toronto and Vancouver.
Can a Working Holiday visa lead to permanent residence?
Yes. Many UK movers use the Working Holiday route to gain 12 months of skilled Canadian work experience, then apply through the Canadian Experience Class under Express Entry.
Do I need my UK qualifications assessed to move to Canada?
Yes, if you’re applying through Express Entry. An Educational Credential Assessment confirms how your UK qualifications compare to the Canadian equivalent, and it’s required before your application can be scored.
