Cost of living

Budget for a student per year (in Canadian Dollars):
As is always the case, the city which you choose to reside in, reflects your budget. For example if you choose to live in Montreal:
Rent: could be about $500 per month (in the heart of the city) for a living space of around 35 square meters.  If you choose to live about 10 minutes away from the heart of the city, rent can go down to about $300 per month. On the other hand, if you were to go to Toronto rent can go up to $700 per month. Note that this would also include electricity and heating, and a kitchen equipped with oven/stove, fridge, etc.
Food: around $150 to $200 per month (depends on how much you eat!)
Telephone: probably around $30 per month (not including long distance.)  In Canada local calls are free.
In general if you wanted to live very comfortably, you would have to spend between 10 and 15 thousand dollars a year.

TAX:
A 7% Goods & Services Tax (GST) is applicable to all transport, accommodation, restaurant meals and just about anything else you are likely to purchase all over Canada. On top of this, in most of Canada, a provincial sales tax is also added on top. In some provinces, the total sales tax can come to around 15% on top of the quoted price. It is very important to rememebr that tax is not included in the price quoted, you must add it into your expenses before you reach a cash register.

TIPPING:
Tips are generally given to waiters, cab drivers, hairdressers, and hotel attendants. The amount to tip is generally 10-15% of the total bill.

Some typical costs for living in Canada (Canadian dollars):
Bus Fare One Way (local): $2.00
Local Telephone Call: $0.25
Average Restaurant Meal: $10.00 - 25.00 per person
Movie: $8.50
Letter within Canada: $0.46
International Postage (letter): $0.95
Meals Budget: $5-10
Mid-range: $10-25
Top-end: $25 and upwards
Lodging Budget: $12-25 (youth hostels, etc)
Mid-range: $25-80
Top-end: $100 and upwards
Coke: $1 for a can of coke from a vending machine
McDonald's Hamburgers: $1 on average (small normal hamburger)
Rented movies: $5 (new rentals).
Night Clubs: Cover charge about $5 to 10, depending on club.
Average Pair of Jeans: $50 to 60
Newspaper: either 50 cents or $1 (Saturdays and Sundays)