Is it cheaper to live in the U.S. or Canada? And which country offers a better quality of life?

A recent Investopia post, U.S. Or Canada: Which Country Is Best To Call Home?, considered a variety of factors, including average salaries, cost of food and other daily life items, health care, post-secondary education, and parental leave.

While the analysis was perhaps oversimplified, the conclusions were:

Average salaries are similar in the two countries.

General cost of living is somewhat higher in Canada. Food costs, in particular, are higher in Canada.

Cost of post-secondary education is much lower in Canada.

Cost of health care is much higher in the U.S., and health insurance is not universally available.

Canada has much more generous social services, including its parental leave policy.

The summary? In the long run, families will fare better in Canada, because of the lower health and education costs and more liberal social policies.

What do you think? Are there other important factors to consider in assessing cost and quality of life?

If you’ve moved between the U.S. and Canada, please leave a comment and share your experience.

Quebec City grocery photo by LWY (flickr)