A complete, sourced guide to salaries, taxes, and cost of living in Canada — built for job seekers, professionals, students, expats, employers, and researchers comparing pay across 500+ professions and 15 industries.
Figures above are illustrative national averages — see Methodology for how they're calculated.
Canada's salary landscape is shaped by its resource sector, a large services economy, and strong immigration-driven demand for skilled labour in technology, healthcare, and engineering. Pay tends to be highest in Ontario (especially Toronto) and Alberta's energy sector, and more moderate in Atlantic Canada.
Compared to its southern neighbour, Canada generally offers lower headline salaries but a more comprehensive public safety net, including universal healthcare, which changes how far a given salary actually goes.
All figures on this page are shown in USD for cross-country comparison and represent national average estimates. Actual pay depends on province, employer, and experience.
| Profession | Industry | Avg. Monthly | Avg. Annual | Typical Range |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Software Engineer | Technology | $8,100 | $97,200 | $70,000 – $150,700 |
| Data Scientist | Technology | $8,450 | $101,400 | $73,000 – $157,200 |
| Product Manager | Technology | $9,150 | $109,800 | $79,100 – $170,200 |
| Web Developer | Technology | $6,150 | $73,800 | $53,100 – $114,400 |
| IT Support Specialist | Technology | $4,050 | $48,600 | $35,000 – $75,300 |
| Registered Nurse | Healthcare | $5,700 | $68,400 | $49,200 – $106,000 |
| Physician (General) | Healthcare | $16,100 | $193,200 | $139,100 – $299,500 |
| Dentist | Healthcare | $12,800 | $153,600 | $110,600 – $238,100 |
| Pharmacist | Healthcare | $9,500 | $114,000 | $82,100 – $176,700 |
| Physical Therapist | Healthcare | $6,950 | $83,400 | $60,000 – $129,300 |
| Civil Engineer | Engineering | $6,600 | $79,200 | $57,000 – $122,800 |
| Mechanical Engineer | Engineering | $6,750 | $81,000 | $58,300 – $125,600 |
| Electrical Engineer | Engineering | $7,300 | $87,600 | $63,100 – $135,800 |
| Electrician | Construction | $4,750 | $57,000 | $41,000 – $88,400 |
| Plumber | Construction | $4,550 | $54,600 | $39,300 – $84,600 |
| Construction Worker | Construction | $3,350 | $40,200 | $28,900 – $62,300 |
| Architect | Construction | $6,350 | $76,200 | $54,900 – $118,100 |
| Teacher (K-12) | Education | $4,200 | $50,400 | $36,300 – $78,100 |
| University Professor | Education | $6,600 | $79,200 | $57,000 – $122,800 |
| School Administrator | Education | $6,000 | $72,000 | $51,800 – $111,600 |
| Retail Sales Associate | Retail | $2,450 | $29,400 | $21,200 – $45,600 |
| Retail Store Manager | Retail | $4,050 | $48,600 | $35,000 – $75,300 |
| Chef | Hospitality | $3,850 | $46,200 | $33,300 – $71,600 |
| Waiter / Waitress | Hospitality | $2,300 | $27,600 | $19,900 – $42,800 |
| Hotel Manager | Hospitality | $4,750 | $57,000 | $41,000 – $88,400 |
| Factory Worker | Manufacturing | $3,000 | $36,000 | $25,900 – $55,800 |
| Production Manager | Manufacturing | $6,250 | $75,000 | $54,000 – $116,200 |
| Government Administrator | Government | $4,850 | $58,200 | $41,900 – $90,200 |
| Police Officer | Government | $4,650 | $55,800 | $40,200 – $86,500 |
| Truck Driver | Transportation | $3,800 | $45,600 | $32,800 – $70,700 |
| Logistics Manager | Transportation | $6,050 | $72,600 | $52,300 – $112,500 |
| Marketing Manager | Marketing | $7,300 | $87,600 | $63,100 – $135,800 |
| Digital Marketing Specialist | Marketing | $4,750 | $57,000 | $41,000 – $88,400 |
| Corporate Lawyer | Legal | $11,300 | $135,600 | $97,600 – $210,200 |
| Paralegal | Legal | $4,200 | $50,400 | $36,300 – $78,100 |
| Sales Representative | Sales | $4,400 | $52,800 | $38,000 – $81,800 |
| Account Executive | Sales | $6,050 | $72,600 | $52,300 – $112,500 |
| Customer Service Representative | Customer Service | $2,900 | $34,800 | $25,100 – $53,900 |
| Call Center Manager | Customer Service | $5,000 | $60,000 | $43,200 – $93,000 |
| Accountant | Finance | $5,450 | $65,400 | $47,100 – $101,400 |
| Financial Analyst | Finance | $6,400 | $76,800 | $55,300 – $119,000 |
| Investment Banker | Finance | $12,500 | $150,000 | $108,000 – $232,500 |
| HR Manager | Various | $7,100 | $85,200 | $61,300 – $132,100 |
| Graphic Designer | Various | $4,150 | $49,800 | $35,900 – $77,200 |
Figures are illustrative national average estimates rounded for readability, not exact statistical values. See Methodology for how these are calculated.
For a worker earning close to the national average salary, meaningful savings are achievable outside of Toronto and Vancouver, where housing costs consume a much larger share of income. Canada's universal healthcare system also reduces one major variable cost compared to countries relying on private insurance.
National average asking rent is roughly $1,200–$1,400/month for a one-bedroom apartment, but this can exceed $2,200/month in Toronto or Vancouver and drop well below $1,000/month in smaller cities and Atlantic Canada.
Median home prices vary enormously — from under $300,000 USD in parts of Atlantic Canada and the Prairies to well over $900,000 USD in Toronto and Vancouver, among the least affordable major cities in North America.
Cities such as Winnipeg, Regina, Halifax, and Edmonton offer meaningfully lower housing costs than Toronto or Vancouver while still providing strong job markets in several industries.
Canada provides universal, publicly funded healthcare through its Medicare system, covering medically necessary hospital and physician services for all residents, funded through general taxation rather than direct premiums.
Core medical and hospital care is public; many Canadians also carry supplemental private insurance (often through an employer) to cover services not included in the public system, such as dental, vision, and prescription drugs.
There is generally no direct bill for a doctor's visit or hospital stay. Out-of-pocket costs mainly relate to dental, vision, and prescription medication not covered by the public system or a supplemental employer plan.
Public K-12 education is free and funded provincially. Private school options exist at additional cost, and French-immersion public programs are widely available outside Quebec.
Post-secondary tuition for Canadian residents typically runs $4,000–$8,000 USD/year at public universities, considerably lower than comparable US institutions, while international student tuition is substantially higher, often $15,000–$30,000 USD/year.
Major cities like Toronto, Montreal, and Vancouver have robust public transit systems (subway, streetcar, and bus networks), while more rural and suburban areas remain largely car-dependent.
Owning a car is common outside major urban cores. Fuel prices are generally somewhat higher than in the US, and winter driving conditions are a significant factor across much of the country for several months of the year.
The standard workweek is around 40 hours (37.5 in some sectors). Federal and provincial employment standards guarantee a statutory minimum of at least two weeks of paid vacation, increasing with tenure in many workplaces.
Remote and hybrid work is common, particularly in technology and professional services. Typical benefits include supplemental health/dental insurance, retirement savings plan contributions (e.g. RRSP matching), and paid vacation beyond the statutory minimum.
Foreign nationals generally need a work permit to work in Canada, often tied to a specific employer or obtained through economic immigration programs such as Express Entry, which assesses candidates on factors like skills, work experience, and language ability.
This is general information, not legal advice. For current, authoritative requirements, consult Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC), or a licensed immigration consultant/lawyer.
Based on the figures shown on this page, the average salary in Canada is approximately $5,100 per month, or around $61,200 per year, though this varies significantly by province, profession, and experience level.
This depends heavily on province and city. In Toronto or Vancouver, a salary comfortably above the national average is often needed to offset high housing costs, while the same salary can go much further in smaller cities.
The federal minimum wage is C$17.30/hour, but each province and territory sets its own minimum wage, which can be higher — always check the current rate for your specific province.
Combined federal and provincial tax is progressive, with combined top marginal rates commonly in the 40–54% range depending on the province and income level. Lower earners pay significantly less — see the Tax System section above.
Ontario and Alberta generally report the highest average salaries, driven by finance/tech in Ontario and the energy sector in Alberta, though Alberta also has no provincial sales tax.
Smaller cities and Atlantic Canada — such as Halifax, Winnipeg, and Regina — are generally considerably more affordable than Toronto or Vancouver.
Core medically necessary hospital and physician services are publicly funded and free at the point of use for residents. Dental, vision, and prescription drugs typically require supplemental insurance or out-of-pocket payment.
Employment standards guarantee a statutory minimum of at least two weeks of paid vacation per year, with many employers offering more, especially with increased tenure.
Technology roles on this page range from around $47,000/year for entry-level IT support roles to over $110,000/year for experienced product managers, generally somewhat below comparable US tech salaries.
Most foreign nationals need a work permit to work in Canada, often obtained through an employer sponsorship or an economic immigration program like Express Entry. See our Visa & Employment section for where to find official guidance.
Gross salary is your salary before deductions. Take-home pay is what remains after federal tax, provincial tax, and payroll contributions like CPP and EI are withheld — see our Take-Home Pay Examples section above.
The figures on this page represent base salary estimates and do not include bonuses, overtime, or benefits, which can meaningfully increase total compensation in many roles.
Data on this page is reviewed and updated manually on a regular cycle rather than pulled from a live feed. See the "Last Updated" note near the top of this page.
Figures are informed by categories of public sources such as government labour statistics, tax authority publications, and independent compensation surveys. See our Data Sources section below.
Yes — use the Compare tool on the Global Salary Atlas homepage to compare salary, tax, and cost of living between Canada and any other country in our database.
Figures on this page are informed by categories of public sources, including government labour statistics, national tax authority publications, public statistical agencies, and — where relevant for broader economic context — international organizations. These are named here as examples of the type of source we draw on, not as a claim of live or automated data access.
This page is manually reviewed and updated rather than fed by a real-time data feed. See the "Last Updated" note near the top of this page, and our full Data Sources and Methodology pages for more detail on how figures across Global Salary Atlas are sourced and verified.
Spotted a figure that looks outdated? Let us know — corrections are reviewed and applied on our regular update cycle.