<p>Canada is home to some of the most affordable cities in North America for budget-conscious international students hoping to study abroad.</p>
<p>Remitly, an international money <span style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">transfer service, <a href="https://blog.remitly.com/immigration/cheapest-countries-to-study-abroad/#Cheapest_countries_and_cities_to_study_abroad_in_North_America" target="_blank" rel="noopener">published a report</a> on</span> the most affordable countries and cities for studying abroad.</p>
<p>&#8220;Contrary to popular belief, studying in North America doesn&#8217;t have to break the bank,&#8221; reads the study.</p>
<p>The report compared the cost and affordability of living in North American cities, based on tuition fees, visa costs, and overall cost of living. It found that Canada remains a more affordable option for those who want to study abroad. In fact, out of the 10 most affordable cities for students in North America, seven are in Canada. The only U.S. cities to make it in the top 10 are Columbia (#5), Lansing (#6), and Lincoln (#7).</p>
<p>The report states, &#8220;Canada outshines the U.S. for North American value, with Winnipeg offering the continent&#8217;s most budget-friendly quality higher education.&#8221;</p>
<p>With an Education Expenses index score of 50.62 out of 100, Winnipeg is the top choice for students looking for an affordable education. On average, students can expect to pay $1,607 per month to rent a one-bedroom apartment, in addition to an average tuition fee of $41,952.</p>
<p>Although Canada introduced tighter restrictions for international students, a survey by ApplyBoard revealed that <a href="https://dailyhive.com/canada/international-students-survey-canada" target="_blank" rel="noopener">94 per cent of respondents</a> showed some level of interest in studying in Canada.</p>
<p>According to the report, Winnipeg&#8217;s strong sense of community makes it the ideal destination for international students.</p>
<p>&#8220;The University of Winnipeg itself is also known for having smaller class sizes, great for those who want a more personal education experience,&#8221; reads the report.</p>
<p>Montreal, Que., ranks second with an index score of 51.20, followed by Kingston, Ont., in the third spot with an index score of 51.57. In Canada&#8217;s most affordable cities, students can expect to pay an average tuition of $41,939.69. Read on to discover which Canadian cities offer the best value for students.</p>
<h2>Winnipeg, Man.</h2>
<div id="attachment_2150017" style="width: 1090px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-2150017" class="wp-image-2150017 size-full" src="https://images-dh-production-baselayer.dailyhive.com/uploads/2025/06/winnipeg.jpeg" alt="canada study" width="1080" height="810" srcset="https://images-dh-production-baselayer.dailyhive.com/uploads/2025/06/winnipeg.jpeg 1080w, https://images-dh-production-baselayer.dailyhive.com/uploads/2025/06/winnipeg-500x375.jpeg 500w, https://images-dh-production-baselayer.dailyhive.com/uploads/2025/06/winnipeg-1024x768.jpeg 1024w" sizes="(max-width: 1080px) 100vw, 1080px" /><p id="caption-attachment-2150017" class="wp-caption-text">@uwinnipeg/Instagram</p></div>
<p><strong>Ranking:</strong> #1</p>
<p><strong>Average monthly rent for a one-bedroom apartment:</strong> $1,607</p>
<p><strong>Education expenses index score:</strong> 50.62</p>
<h2>Montreal, Que.</h2>
<div id="attachment_2150069" style="width: 730px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-2150069" class="size-full wp-image-2150069" src="https://images-dh-production-baselayer.dailyhive.com/uploads/2025/06/mcgill.jpg" alt="canada study" width="720" height="540" srcset="https://images-dh-production-baselayer.dailyhive.com/uploads/2025/06/mcgill.jpg 720w, https://images-dh-production-baselayer.dailyhive.com/uploads/2025/06/mcgill-500x375.jpg 500w" sizes="(max-width: 720px) 100vw, 720px" /><p id="caption-attachment-2150069" class="wp-caption-text">@mcgillu/Instagram</p></div>
<p><strong>Ranking:</strong> #2</p>
<p><strong>Average monthly rent for a one-bedroom apartment:</strong> $1,923.97</p>
<p><strong>Education expenses index score:</strong> 51.20</p>
<h2>Kingston, Ont.</h2>
<div id="attachment_2150058" style="width: 1090px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-2150058" class="size-full wp-image-2150058" src="https://images-dh-production-baselayer.dailyhive.com/uploads/2025/06/457814139_1033165951296796_4171208163380002710_n.jpg" alt="canada study" width="1080" height="1080" srcset="https://images-dh-production-baselayer.dailyhive.com/uploads/2025/06/457814139_1033165951296796_4171208163380002710_n.jpg 1080w, https://images-dh-production-baselayer.dailyhive.com/uploads/2025/06/457814139_1033165951296796_4171208163380002710_n-500x500.jpg 500w, https://images-dh-production-baselayer.dailyhive.com/uploads/2025/06/457814139_1033165951296796_4171208163380002710_n-1024x1024.jpg 1024w, https://images-dh-production-baselayer.dailyhive.com/uploads/2025/06/457814139_1033165951296796_4171208163380002710_n-150x150.jpg 150w" sizes="(max-width: 1080px) 100vw, 1080px" /><p id="caption-attachment-2150058" class="wp-caption-text">@queensuniversity/Instagram</p></div>
<p><strong>Ranking:</strong> #3</p>
<p><strong>Average monthly rent for a one-bedroom apartment:</strong> $1,959.36</p>
<p><strong>Education expenses index score:</strong> 51.57</p>
<h2>Edmonton, Alta.</h2>
<div id="attachment_2150070" style="width: 691px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-2150070" class="size-full wp-image-2150070" src="https://images-dh-production-baselayer.dailyhive.com/uploads/2025/06/461989421_1681966439260303_2343404620479658127_n.jpg" alt="universities" width="681" height="681" srcset="https://images-dh-production-baselayer.dailyhive.com/uploads/2025/06/461989421_1681966439260303_2343404620479658127_n.jpg 681w, https://images-dh-production-baselayer.dailyhive.com/uploads/2025/06/461989421_1681966439260303_2343404620479658127_n-500x500.jpg 500w, https://images-dh-production-baselayer.dailyhive.com/uploads/2025/06/461989421_1681966439260303_2343404620479658127_n-150x150.jpg 150w" sizes="(max-width: 681px) 100vw, 681px" /><p id="caption-attachment-2150070" class="wp-caption-text">@ualberta/Instagram</p></div>
<p><strong>Ranking:</strong> #4</p>
<p><strong>Average monthly rent for a one-bedroom apartment:</strong> $1,819.33</p>
<p><strong>Education expenses index score:</strong> 52.60</p>
<h2>Waterloo, Ont.</h2>
<div id="attachment_2150072" style="width: 1090px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-2150072" class="size-full wp-image-2150072" src="https://images-dh-production-baselayer.dailyhive.com/uploads/2025/06/500418702_18505595599013146_824706627801073623_n.jpg" alt="waterloo" width="1080" height="1080" srcset="https://images-dh-production-baselayer.dailyhive.com/uploads/2025/06/500418702_18505595599013146_824706627801073623_n.jpg 1080w, https://images-dh-production-baselayer.dailyhive.com/uploads/2025/06/500418702_18505595599013146_824706627801073623_n-500x500.jpg 500w, https://images-dh-production-baselayer.dailyhive.com/uploads/2025/06/500418702_18505595599013146_824706627801073623_n-1024x1024.jpg 1024w, https://images-dh-production-baselayer.dailyhive.com/uploads/2025/06/500418702_18505595599013146_824706627801073623_n-150x150.jpg 150w" sizes="(max-width: 1080px) 100vw, 1080px" /><p id="caption-attachment-2150072" class="wp-caption-text">@uofwaterloo/Instagram</p></div>
<p><strong>Ranking:</strong> #8</p>
<p><strong>Average monthly rent for a one-bedroom apartment:</strong> $2,375.53</p>
<p><strong>Education expenses index score:</strong> 53.62</p>
<h2>Saskatoon, Sask.</h2>
<div id="attachment_2150076" style="width: 1090px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-2150076" class="size-full wp-image-2150076" src="https://images-dh-production-baselayer.dailyhive.com/uploads/2025/06/489845323_18503620645018665_3331538969198938520_n-e1749067147448.jpg" alt="saskatoon" width="1080" height="976" srcset="https://images-dh-production-baselayer.dailyhive.com/uploads/2025/06/489845323_18503620645018665_3331538969198938520_n-e1749067147448.jpg 1080w, https://images-dh-production-baselayer.dailyhive.com/uploads/2025/06/489845323_18503620645018665_3331538969198938520_n-e1749067147448-500x452.jpg 500w, https://images-dh-production-baselayer.dailyhive.com/uploads/2025/06/489845323_18503620645018665_3331538969198938520_n-e1749067147448-1024x925.jpg 1024w" sizes="(max-width: 1080px) 100vw, 1080px" /><p id="caption-attachment-2150076" class="wp-caption-text">@usask/Instagram</p></div>
<p><strong>Ranking:</strong> #9</p>
<p><strong>Average monthly rent for a one-bedroom apartment:</strong> $1,690.85</p>
<p><strong>Education expenses index score:</strong> 54.24</p>
<h2>Ottawa, Ont.</h2>
<div id="attachment_2150083" style="width: 1090px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-2150083" class="size-full wp-image-2150083" src="https://images-dh-production-baselayer.dailyhive.com/uploads/2025/06/488066755_18496363450052383_4716840828619937706_n.jpg" alt="university ottawa" width="1080" height="1080" srcset="https://images-dh-production-baselayer.dailyhive.com/uploads/2025/06/488066755_18496363450052383_4716840828619937706_n.jpg 1080w, https://images-dh-production-baselayer.dailyhive.com/uploads/2025/06/488066755_18496363450052383_4716840828619937706_n-500x500.jpg 500w, https://images-dh-production-baselayer.dailyhive.com/uploads/2025/06/488066755_18496363450052383_4716840828619937706_n-1024x1024.jpg 1024w, https://images-dh-production-baselayer.dailyhive.com/uploads/2025/06/488066755_18496363450052383_4716840828619937706_n-150x150.jpg 150w" sizes="(max-width: 1080px) 100vw, 1080px" /><p id="caption-attachment-2150083" class="wp-caption-text">@uottawa/Instagram</p></div>
<p><strong>Ranking:</strong> #10</p>
<p><strong>Average monthly rent for a one-bedroom apartment:</strong> $2,264.27</p>
<p><strong>Education expenses index score:</strong> 54.51</p>
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Canada is home to the most affordable cities in North America for budget-conscious international students looking to study abroad.