Going to Ontario, Canada...are things cheaper? If so, which?

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Marie

Actually, because PA has just about the USA's highest alcohol prices, many wines are cheaper in Ontario (but not beer or spirits).

Almost everything else is more expensive in Canada (we need to have taxes remember to pay for our health care and to be a more egalitarian, fairer society). A couple of exceptions, seemingly strange: some American-grown produce (because you have certain market controls) like spinach and small grapefruit and winter tomatoes, and excellent private label jarred pickles (apparently Americans have import controls that protect domestic pickle producers),
and, recently, occasionally, certain cuts of pork and beef (we still get 99Â¢/lb ground beef sales; prime rib roasts and steaks were on sale last week for $ 3.99/lb. Most performance shows are a bit cheaper. Of course our prescription drugs are cheaper. Housing is both cheaper and not - you won't find past industrial towns with much of their housing abandoned and buyable for a song as you do in parts of PA, but housing in wealthier areas here in Canada less expensive than similar areas in PA..

julie travelcaster

Are you going to Ontario the province or Ontario the city also? I'd say there were very few things that are cheaper in Ontario (though my experience is in Markham and Thunder Bay in Ontario the Province, not Ontario the city). Indeed with the current weakness of the US Dollar, Canada in general and Ontario province in specific is more expensive.

The only exceptions I can think of are Cheese, which seems to be a little less expensive there, and local products - like Amethysts in Thunder Bay.

Maryn

The exchange rate is working against you, US dollars vs. Canadian. The only purchases where you're likely to see savings are things which are local or regional products which didn't have to ship as far and may cost less because of it.

CanTexan

As of this morning, $1.00 CD = $ 1.04 US (the Canadian dollar is worth MORE than the US dollar).

All manufactured goods (including liquor and processed foods) are far more heavily taxed in Canada than in the US ... leading to generally higher sticker prices for pretty much all items. In addition, there is the combined sales tax ... which, for Ontario, sits at 14 percent (6 for the federal government, 8 for the province).

The more "high-tech" or "value added" the product, the higher the taxation will be. As a rule: vehicles cost about 30 percent more on the sticker, consumer electronics cost are listed about 25 percent higher, and appliances are listed about 20 percent higher.

It goes right down to books as well; ever look at the sticker price of a book? A paperback that sells for $8.99 US is listed at $14.99 CD.

This doesn't mean there aren't deals out there ... particularly if you're hunting a hard-to-find item.

p h

Due to the high value of the Canadian dollar, I doubt you will save any money and it could cost more.

agrin1369

if you buy a tv chances are it will cost you the same now. If you buy clothes, food, etc etc then it will be about twice ... little less. but significantly more.

RaceNut17

A couple years back yup it was great. I used to trek to Montreal from Boston at least once a year in college. The dollar was strong and you could get items for about $.75 on the $1. Now it is a little less tan equal in Canada favor. Once the war is over and things settle down globally and this housing market thing is a bit stable it will be back there. In like 10 or 15 years.

The Canadian dollar is worth more than the American dollar. Nothing is cheaper.

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