Moving abroad can bring many surprises, especially when it comes to living expenses. Louise Ware-Armstrong, a lifestyle and travel vlogger who recently relocated from Somerset, UK, to Niagara Falls, Ontario, Canada, has shared what shocked her most about her monthly bills in her new home.
While rent and utility costs were roughly in line with her expectations, one particular expense stood out as significantly higher: mobile phone plans. In a TikTok video that has attracted over 11,000 likes, Louise explained, “One of the most expensive bills in Canada is your phone plan. You cannot find a cheap phone plan anywhere.”
Louise revealed that the combined cost for her mobile phone, home internet, and TV bundle comes to about 400 Canadian dollars (roughly £215) each month. She added, “When I first moved here, there was no phone plan under $60 a month that didn’t exclude the phone itself. It’s crazy expensive.”
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Her experience sparked a lively discussion online, with many Canadians agreeing that the high cost of phone plans is a major financial challenge across the country. According to the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC), mobile phone tariffs have decreased somewhat recently but remain notably higher compared to many other countries.
Price comparison site WhistleOut reports the average Canadian mobile phone bill is about CA$64 (£34) monthly, considerably more than the typical UK cost which ranges between £15 and £20 depending on the contract, as noted by the UK regulator Ofcom.
Industry experts attribute Canada’s higher mobile phone prices to less competition in the market and the high costs of maintaining network infrastructure.
Louise also shared details of her other monthly expenses since moving: she pays around 1,650 Canadian dollars in rent for a two-bedroom apartment, plus separate charges for electricity, gas, and water. Still, the surprising size of her phone and internet bill remains the biggest financial shock she’s faced overseas.