🇨🇦 Canada · A realistic 2026 budget for newcomers — rent, food, transport, and what a month actually costs.
Wondering how far your salary goes in Mississauga? Here’s what everyday life costs, in local prices — the numbers that matter when you’re deciding to move or negotiating a package.
What things cost
One-bed condo, City Centre or Port CreditCAD 2,100–2,600 / month
One-bed flat, older stock in Cooksville, Dixie or MaltonCAD 1,700–2,100 / month
Hydro, heat and water, one personCAD 120–220 / month, higher in an electrically heated flat
Groceries, one personCAD 450–600 / month
MiWay adult monthly PRESTO passCAD 145 / month in 2026, with free transfers to the TTC and GO under One Fare
Good to know
Population
≈720,000 at the 2021 census and estimated near 780,000 since — for decades Canada's sixth-largest city, and recently overtaken by neighbouring Brampton
Languages
English. More than half of residents were born outside Canada; Punjabi, Urdu, Arabic, Polish, Mandarin, Tagalog and Portuguese are all widely spoken at home
Currency
Canadian dollar (CAD)
Time zone
EST/EDT (GMT−5/−4) — the same clock as Toronto, New York and Ottawa
Power plug
Type A and B, 120 V, 60 Hz
Climate
Humid continental, moderated slightly by Lake Ontario — hot humid summers, cold snowy winters, and lake-effect cloud that makes November to February grey
Driving side
Right
Sales tax
13% HST — 5% federal plus 8% provincial, the same rate as everywhere in Ontario
Local government
Two tiers: the City of Mississauga and the Region of Peel, with services actively being transferred between them under the Peel Transition Implementation Act, 2025
Some of this may be out of date. Spotted something inaccurate? Help us keep it right for the next newcomer.
A note on budgeting
Rent is usually the swing factor — location and whether bills are included move the number most. Build your estimate from the rent band above, add a monthly living figure, and keep a buffer for one-off setup costs (deposits, a residence permit, a local SIM, first-month transport). Globe Quest turns this into a personalized Mississauga checklist so nothing setup-related catches you off guard.
Plan your move to Mississauga
A free, AI-personalized plan — the language, culture, and setup steps timed to your move date.