Best Cities in Canada for Students: 2025 QS Rankings, Top Universities, Cost of Living

Canada is one of the best destinations to pursue higher education for international students. The Canadian universities are globally recognized for their high quality education, hands-on learning, and cutting edge research, etc. Majority of the international students prefer to study in Canada across top cities like Ottawa, Toronto, Montreal, Quebec City and Vancouver. All of these cities are listed in the QS Best Student Cities in the world based on the number of top universities, employability, desirability, and affordable education.

These cities are home to some of the top ranked universities in the world including University of Toronto, McGill University, University of Ottawa, UBC among others. Studying in one of the best cities in Canada is an ideal choice for students as they also offer high employment opportunities for graduates. Many top companies reside in these cities with popular recruiters being Google, Microsoft, Deloitte, McKinsey Scotiabank and various others.

Best Cities in Canada for Students

Montreal

Montreal tops the list of Best cities in Canada for students and currently ranks #10th globally and #1st in Canada by QS Rankings 2025. The city of Montreal is situated in Quebec State and is widely regarded as the “cultural capital of Canada”. Montreal has performed quite well in 4 out of 5 ranking indicators and ranks among top globally. There are a wide range of courses available in Montreal, which are offered by more than 50 universities across the city. The city offers safe environment for students and hence ranks #15 for student view as well as #19 for desirability. Here, you can expect to spend around 3,332 CAD (2.06 lakhs INR) per month for living expenses.

Below are the top-ranked universities in Montreal according to QS Rankings 2025

Check out some of the factors why international students should choose to study in Montreal:

Toronto

Toronto is the 2nd Best Student city in Canada and ranks #11th in QS Rankings 2025. It is home to Canada's no.1 university i.e University of Toronto. The city is well known for its quality of life and cultural diversity among international students. It is also ranks higher for student view, occupying #13th rank. With a strong presence of top MNCs from across the world, graduates can find plenty of jobs and internship opportunities in Toronto. Some of the top companies in Toronto include Accenture, IBM, Deloitte, Scotiabank, Amazon, Microsoft, and Google.

Let's have a look at some of the top ranked universities in Toronto by QS World University Rankings:

Following are some of the factors that makes Toronto one of the best cities in Canada for students:

Vancouver

Vancouver is one of the top 20 best cities for students in the world and 3rd best in Canada according to QS Rankings 2025. It is one of the top 50 cities in terms of graduate employment and ranks #28 for Employer Activity by QS. You can easily find your desired job upon graduation in Vancouver, regardless of field of study. Part-time jobs are also available for international students with a minimum hourly wage around 17.50 CAD (1083 INR). The most popular university in Vancouver is UBC, which ranks among the top 50 globally by all the major ranking agencies including QS, THE and U.S. News. It occupies 3rd rank in Canada according to QS Rankings 2025.

Check out the top universities in Vancouver with their latest QS Rankings:

Given below are the factors which makes Vancouver one of the top 5 students cities in Canada:

Ottawa

Ottawa is the capital of Canada, which occupies #57th rank in the QS Best student cities Rankings 2025. It is a multilingual city, where you can find people equally fluent in English and French. The top universities in Ottawa include University of Ottawa and Carleton University. Being the capital city, Ottawa boosts a strong economy with presence of industries such as technology, finance, and healthcare. Various student events are hosted annually in the city, with the most popular events being Ottawa International Student Festival. It is one most popular cities among international students and ranks #21st for desirability and #39 for student view.

Check out the top ranked universities in Ottawa with latest QS World University Rankings:

Following are the factors that demonstrate why Ottawa is one of the top students cities in the country:

Quebec City

Quebec City is the capital of Quebec province, where the majority of the population speaks French. The city is home to 37 historical sites, with some being listed among the UNESCO World Heritage Sites. The cost of living is relatively low in Quebec City compared to other cities in Canada, with estimated living expenses around 2,192 CAD (1.35 lakhs INR). Moreover, the cost of study is also cheaper in Quebec City, with an average tuition fee around 20,700 CAD (12.82 lakhs INR). Majority of the colleges in Quebec offer vocational training and college training courses along with undergraduate and graduate level degrees. There are a lot of paid internship and work study opportunities for international students, which allows them to work up to 20 hours per week.

Laval University is the top ranked institution in Quebec City, which ranks #423 in the QS World University Rankings 2025. It is followed by University of Quebec, which occupies a global rank of #851-900 in QS Rankings 2025.

Check our factors and features that make Quebec City an ideal study destination for international students:

Every Canadian city is unique in it's own way. Some of them are popular for cultural diversity, rich history, while others are known for academic excellence and ample job opportunities. You must shortlist the city based on your preference, considering factors such as affordability, student safety, career outcomes and other benefits offered to international students.