Is Canada underestimating the cost of living for international students?

According to a recent survey, the government of Canada's estimated living expense for an international student is nearly half what a student in Toronto typically spends.

The Canadian government is likely severely underestimating the cost of living for international students when weighing if they can support themselves financially, a new survey suggests.

According to a recent survey by the Daily Bread food bank, which was released on Wednesday, Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada’s estimated living expense used during the application process is nearly half of what a student in Toronto typically spends.

When applying for a study permit, a prospective international student must show “proof of financial support.” This means they must be able to show they can support themselves in Canada.

Applicants currently must prove they have $10,000 to support themselves on top of their tuition fees, which amounts to $833 per month.

If an applicant intends to bring a family member with them, they must also show an additional $4,000, or $333 per month.

For every additional family member, they must show $3,000, or $255 per month.

Daily Bread surveyed 180 international students who frequent four major Toronto food banks and found those numbers don’t seem to reflect the realities students face.

“In contrast, when we asked survey respondents how much they were spending per month on living expenses, excluding tuition, they reported an average of $1,517, which is close to double what the Government of Canada advertised as the cost of living,” the survey report said.