In recent years, more and more Canadians have made the move to the US, for a range of reasons, which may be related to the economy, better job prospects, the climate, or simply the different style of life. If you’re considering long distance moving to the USA from Canada, also, then you need to assess various factors.
You may be tempted by the fact that the USA has more varied and generally warmer weather or the higher average salaries in the US. However, you also have to take into account the American healthcare system, which can be very expensive and the fact that crime rates are quite high in many large US cities.
In this guide, we'll look at the key factors without considering which you won't be able to make up your mind.
High Stream Moving is proud to offer professional local and long distance moving services in Toronto and all across Canada and the USA.
Salaries are higher, on average, in the US, and living costs are general lower, along with property costs. This section explores these financial factors in greater detail.
The unemployment rate in Canada is 6.7 per cent, while in America it is 4.1 per cent (employment rates may vary widely from state to state) – people may find it easier to find work in the US.
In terms of salaries, the US again wins out. It has higher average salaries compared to Canada at $71,000 (US) to $68,000 (Canada) so workers can expect to earn at least a bit more money for doing the same job in the US as in Canada. Plus, given the fact that the US dollar is more valuable than the Canadian dollar, the difference in salaries is larger than it may first appear.
Canadian workplace culture is more focused on a healthy work-life balance: has more job security than the U.S., shorter work hours and paid parental leave, which can help you gain more stability at work.
There is strong demand in Canadian health care, construction, transport, technology and education while the U.S. has more varied options, including fields such as technology, health care, finance, marketing, logistics, transportation, sales and retail.
It’s a question of weighing up your overall budget and the things you need to purchase most, as well as how much more money you could possibly make in the US, to determine if it works out as a better value proposition for you.
Home prices in Canada are significantly higher than in the United States; $617,000 in Canada and only $445,000 in the United States. So, you should be able to find a home more cheaply in the US, though you may not have one with the same size and amenities as you might expect in Canada.
Food and general grocery costs are a little less expensive in the US compared to Canada, so families will generally spend less on their weekly supplies: for example, a pound of rice in Canada can cost around $1.50, but is just $1 in the US.
Gas prices also tend to be a bit cheaper in the United States, and the same can be said for public transport costs, so it costs less to get around in the US, though America does not have as strong a public transport infrastructure as Canada.
As for energy bills – gas, electricity, etc. – these are relatively comparable between the US and Canada without notable differences. It really depends on which parts of the countries you live in, as some parts of America and Canada will have much cheaper or more expensive energy.
As far as tax goes, you will usually pay less in tax in the United States than you would in Canada, though it depends on the type of work you do and if you run your own business. For income tax, Canada has five brackets from 15% to 33%, while the US has seven brackets from just 10% to 37%. Tax levels vary from state to state.
Because of this, it’s not certain that you will pay more or less tax in the US if you move there as a Canadian. Those on higher incomes may pay a bit more, while those on lower incomes may pay less. It’s worth remembering, also, that tax rates are always subject to change according to the economy and political situation in each nation.
Next, we’ll look at how your typical lifestyle may vary when moving from Canada to the USA in terms of things like everyday security and your medical bills.
Without a doubt, health care is one of the largest differentials separating the US and Canada.
In Canada, you do not have to pay for a hospital stay or for treatment and surgery because of the universal health care system, which gives citizens free access to the health care they need. Prescription drugs are available at pharmacies and these costs are on you. Free health care is provided through compulsory taxes. This is also why they are slightly higher than in the US.
Americans buy an insurance plan that covers medical expenses or get health insurance through other means, such as an employer – the most affordable (at least from what we found) Care Act health insurance costs more than $7,500 a year on average.
Even with insurance, American nationals and citizens have to pay deductibles for every insurance claim. They also have to pay part of all healthcare bills and may be left with thousands to pay even after the insurance has covered part of them. Because of this, despite the higher salaries in the US, more money has to be allocated for medical fees.
In most metrics, like the murder rate (5 in the US and 2.06 in Canada) and rape rate (27.3 in the US and 1.7 in Canada), the US has a worse crime. It has more overall crimes, too, with 11.88 million compared to Canada’s 2.52 million, though Canada has almost twice as much crime in proportion to its population (80.25 cases per 1,000 people to America’s 41.29).
Many US cities have more violent crime and drug-related crime compared to many of Canada’s. Comparing Toronto and LA, for example, shows the latter to have higher crime levels.
Donald Trump won a second term as President of the United States in 2024, and it led to policy changes.
Trump has pledged to reduce taxes, which potentially offer middle-income families notable savings: for households earning between $60,000 and $100,000 annually it can be an additional $1,000 per year.
The administration is eyeing tariffs on certain countries (possibly including Canada) which could disrupt energy, automotive, and manufacturing industries on both sides of the border. The long-term consequences remain uncertain but it could lead to job losses or downward pressure on wages in affected sectors.
It is difficult to say how these changes will affect Canadians which planning to move to the United States, but it is impossible not to take them into account.
High Stream Moving is proud to offer professional local and long distance moving services in Toronto and all across Canada and the USA.
This will not give you a perfect picture of emigration, but it will help you outline the most important issues.
High Stream Moving is ready to help you with your move if you decide to do so. Contact us at (800) 430-1537 to get the advice you need today.