Retiring single in Canada
Rent by province, visas and taxes.
The money often works. The visa is the hard part. Rent by province below.
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1. Can you move there?
This is the first question, not the last. Canada has no retirement visa. A U.S. citizen can usually visit for up to six months at a time, and the border officer decides how long. Snowbirding works. Living there full time does not, unless you become a permanent resident.
Most retirees who make it get there through a Canadian spouse or common-law partner, or a family member who sponsors them. Canada’s skilled-worker system gives no age points from 45. Talk to a licensed Canadian immigration consultant or lawyer before you plan a budget.
2. Rent by province
No official study prices a comfortable retirement in each province. Rent is the biggest cost that differs, so we start there. These are Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation averages for a one-bedroom unit in purpose-built rentals in centres of 10,000 or more, October 2025.
We compare each to a typical federal retiree’s income: the average FERS annuity, $1,810 a month in fiscal 2022, plus the average Social Security retirement benefit, $2,071 in January 2026. That is $3,881 a month. Dollars converted at 71 U.S. cents per Canadian dollar, the October 22 rate.
| Province or territory | Rent (C$) | Rent (US$) | Share of $3,881 | Income for 30% |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| British Columbia | C$1,683 | $1,195 | 31% | $3,980 |
| Ontario | C$1,589 | $1,128 | 29% | $3,760 |
| Nova Scotia | C$1,492 | $1,059 | 27% | $3,530 |
| Alberta | C$1,402 | $995 | 26% | $3,320 |
| Saskatchewan | C$1,207 | $857 | 22% | $2,860 |
| Manitoba | C$1,206 | $856 | 22% | $2,850 |
| Quebec | C$1,094 | $777 | 20% | $2,590 |
| New Brunswick | C$1,077 | $765 | 20% | $2,550 |
| Prince Edward Island | C$1,052 | $747 | 19% | $2,490 |
| Newfoundland and Labrador | C$989 | $702 | 18% | $2,340 |
| Northwest Territories | C$1,757 | $1,247 | 32% | $4,160 |
| Canada average | C$1,382 | $981 | 25% | $3,270 |
“Income for 30%” is the monthly U.S. income that keeps rent at 30% of it, the line Canada’s housing agency uses for affordable. Figures for Yukon and Nunavut aren’t available.
Two warnings. These averages include long-time tenants, so a new lease usually costs more. And cities cost more than the province average: Vancouver and Toronto run well above it.
3. Your rent calculator
For the savings side of the math, see how much do I need to retire. Comparing with staying stateside? See what a single retiree with a pension needs in each state.
4. Health care
- Medicare stops at the border. It generally does not pay for care in Canada.
- FEHB follows you. OPM confirms FEHB covers you abroad. You usually pay the provider and file for reimbursement. Do not drop it; you cannot get it back.
- Provincial coverage needs residence. Permanent residents can join their province’s health plan. Some provinces make new residents wait up to three months. Check with the province before you move.
More on this in retiring abroad as a federal annuitant and our retiring abroad guide. Weighing FEHB plans? Use Warrior Insure’s FEHB premium estimator.
5. Taxes
- Social Security: Canada taxes it. Under the tax treaty, U.S. Social Security paid to a Canadian resident is taxed only by Canada, and 15% of it is tax-free there. The IRS says U.S. citizens living in Canada are exempt from U.S. tax on it.
- FERS annuity: both countries can tax it. Canada taxes residents on worldwide income. As a U.S. citizen you still file U.S. returns. Foreign tax credits are meant to stop double tax.
- Get a cross-border preparer. The credits, TSP withdrawals and Canadian forms are easy to get wrong.
Still working? Federal Warrior’s FERS pension estimator projects your annuity. Getting VA disability too? Warrior Disability’s calculator adds it in.
6. Frequently asked questions
Can an American retire to Canada?
Not just by moving there. Canada has no retirement visa. As a U.S. citizen you can usually visit for up to six months at a time, and the border officer decides how long. Living there full time takes permanent residence, which most retirees get through a Canadian spouse or partner, or a family sponsorship.
How much rent does a single retiree pay in Canada?
The average one-bedroom apartment rented for C$1,382 a month in October 2025, about $980 in U.S. dollars, according to Canada’s housing agency. British Columbia averaged C$1,683 and Newfoundland and Labrador C$989. New leases usually cost more than these averages, which include long-time tenants.
Does Medicare cover me in Canada?
Generally no. Medicare does not pay for care outside the United States except in narrow cases. FEHB keeps covering you abroad, and once you are a permanent resident you can join your province’s health plan, sometimes after a waiting period of up to three months.
Will Canada tax my Social Security?
Yes, if you live there. Under the U.S.-Canada tax treaty, U.S. Social Security paid to a Canadian resident is taxed only by Canada, and 15% of it is tax-free there. The IRS says U.S. citizens living in Canada are exempt from U.S. tax on those benefits.
Will I be taxed twice on my FERS annuity?
You should not pay full tax twice, but both countries can tax it. Canada taxes residents on their worldwide income, and as a U.S. citizen you still file U.S. returns. Foreign tax credits are meant to prevent double tax. Hire a preparer who does U.S.-Canada returns.
- Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation, average rent by bedroom type by province (October 2025)
- IRS Publication 915, Social Security benefits (U.S. citizens living in Canada)
- IRS Publication 597, U.S.-Canada tax treaty
- Government of Canada, visiting Canada
- OPM, FEHB program
- Medicare.gov, travel outside the U.S.
- Social Security Administration, 2026 COLA fact sheet (average retired-worker benefit)
- Congressional Research Service, federal retirement annuities (FY2022 averages)
Rents are province averages; exchange rate as of October 22, 2026. Immigration and tax rules change. Not legal, tax or immigration advice.