Home internet in Canada is among the most expensive in the developed world. Here is what Canadians are actually paying and how to spend less.
Average internet bill in Canada
| Speed Tier | Monthly Cost |
|---|---|
| Basic (25-50 Mbps) | $35–$55 |
| Mid-range (75-150 Mbps) | $55–$80 |
| Fast (150-300 Mbps) | $75–$100 |
| Gigabit (1,000 Mbps) | $90–$130 |
| Gigabit+ fibre (1.5 Gbps) | $110–$150 |
The average Canadian household pays $80-95/month for home internet.
How Canada compares internationally
| Country | Average Monthly Cost (comparable plan) |
|---|---|
| 🇨🇦 Canada | $75–$100 |
| 🇺🇸 United States | $60–$80 |
| 🇬🇧 United Kingdom | $35–$55 |
| 🇦🇺 Australia | $55–$75 |
| 🇫🇷 France | $30–$50 |
Major Canadian internet providers compared
Big providers
| Provider | Availability | Technology | 100 Mbps Plan | 300 Mbps Plan | 1 Gbps Plan |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bell | ON, QC, Atlantic | Fibre/DSL | $65–$80 | $80–$95 | $95–$120 |
| Rogers | ON | Cable/Fibre | $60–$75 | $75–$95 | $95–$115 |
| Telus | BC, AB | Fibre/DSL | $65–$80 | $80–$95 | $95–$115 |
| Shaw (Rogers) | BC, AB | Cable | $60–$75 | $75–$90 | $90–$110 |
| Videotron | QC | Cable/Fibre | $55–$70 | $70–$85 | $85–$105 |
| SaskTel | SK | Fibre/DSL | $60–$75 | $75–$90 | $90–$110 |
| MTS (Bell) | MB | Fibre/DSL | $60–$75 | $75–$90 | $90–$110 |
Third-party resellers (20-40% cheaper)
| Provider | Availability | 75 Mbps Plan | 150 Mbps Plan | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| TekSavvy | ON, QC, BC, AB | $40–$50 | $55–$70 | Longest-running reseller |
| Carry Telecom | ON | $35–$45 | $50–$60 | Budget-focused |
| Distributel | ON, QC | $40–$50 | $55–$65 | Solid reputation |
| Fizz | QC, ON | $38–$48 | $50–$65 | Videotron sub-brand |
| Oxio | ON, QC, AB, BC | $40–$50 | $55–$65 | Modern interface |
| Start.ca | ON | $42–$52 | $55–$70 | Strong customer service |
| CIK Telecom | ON | $35–$45 | $50–$60 | Good value |
Third-party resellers use the same physical infrastructure (Bell or Rogers lines) but charge significantly less.
Cable vs fibre vs DSL
| Feature | Cable | Fibre (FTTH) | DSL |
|---|---|---|---|
| Max download speed | Up to 1 Gbps | Up to 8 Gbps | Up to 100 Mbps |
| Max upload speed | 30-60 Mbps | Up to 8 Gbps | 10-30 Mbps |
| Latency | Low-medium | Very low | Medium |
| Reliability | Slows during peak | Consistent | Consistent |
| Availability | Widely available | Growing (urban) | Widely available |
| Price | Mid-range | Mid-high | Low-mid |
Fibre offers the best performance, especially for upload speeds. Cable is widely available and more affordable. DSL is the cheapest but slowest option.
How much speed do you actually need?
| Household Usage | Recommended Speed |
|---|---|
| 1 person, email/browsing | 25-50 Mbps |
| 1-2 people, streaming + work from home | 50-100 Mbps |
| 2-3 people, multi-device streaming | 100-300 Mbps |
| 4+ people, heavy streaming + gaming | 300-500 Mbps |
| Home office, large uploads, 4K streaming | 500 Mbps–1 Gbps |
Most Canadian households do not need more than 100-150 Mbps. Speed tests on major provider forums suggest that 80-90% of users actually consume less than 50 Mbps in typical usage moments.
Average internet cost by province
| Province | Average Monthly Bill |
|---|---|
| British Columbia | $80–$95 |
| Alberta | $75–$95 |
| Saskatchewan | $75–$90 |
| Manitoba | $70–$85 |
| Ontario | $80–$100 |
| Quebec | $60–$80 |
| New Brunswick | $75–$90 |
| Nova Scotia | $80–$95 |
| PEI | $75–$90 |
| Newfoundland & Labrador | $80–$95 |
Quebec tends to have the lowest internet prices due to stronger competition from Videotron and its flanker brand Fizz.
Annual internet costs
| Approach | Monthly | Annual |
|---|---|---|
| Big provider, 300 Mbps | $85–$95 | $1,020–$1,140 |
| Big provider, 100 Mbps | $65–$80 | $780–$960 |
| Reseller, 150 Mbps | $55–$65 | $660–$780 |
| Reseller, 75 Mbps | $40–$50 | $480–$600 |
Switching from a big provider to a third-party reseller at a similar speed tier saves $300-450/year.
How to lower your internet bill
- Switch to a third-party reseller — TekSavvy, Start.ca, Carry Telecom, Oxio, and others offer 20-40% savings on the same physical lines
- Call retention when your promo expires — big providers almost always have unpublished retention deals 15-25% below regular pricing
- Downgrade your speed — if you pay for 300 Mbps but only need 100 Mbps, downgrading saves $15-30/month
- Buy your own modem/router — rental fees of $10-15/month add $120-180/year to your bill
- Bundle strategically — some providers discount internet when bundled with TV or phone, but only if the bundle price is actually cheaper than internet alone
- Watch for new-customer promotions — switching providers every 1-2 years often gets you the best pricing
- Negotiate — call and mention competitor pricing; agents are often authorized to match or beat it
- Skip add-ons — Wi-Fi pods, security packages, and premium tech support are usually unnecessary expenses