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Choosing a Mobile/ Internet Plan in Canada

Updated: July 14th, 2021


When you move to Canada, there is a wide variety of mobile or internet plans to choose from that needs to be compared to see which one is best for you.

Since Canada is distinct due to its incredibly large size with many widespread unpopulated areas, many of which are populated by the modern-day nomad, there are still areas that don’t provide internet sources. This poses a problem for those that like to explore America’s hat far away from city life or perhaps any civilization at all.

With the internet not being as abundant in some areas and many people like to travel to these locations often, like the Cascade Mountains and the Sierra Nevada in Canada, it doesn’t make sense to pay for an expensive mobile or internet plan, does it? In big cities like Toronto, Ontario, and Vancouver, however, residents require a lot of data, but also, a fast internet speed.

Needless to say, there are plenty of people with different mobile plans or internet needs that have to be met. Depending on where you reside in Canada, whether you have access to free WiFi permanently at your home, at work, or live off the grid, how much data and how fast you need it to be are two factors that you will have to take into consideration. Other than that, you must also consider budget-friendly options to support your up-and-coming Canada life.

The Best Affordable Mobile Plans

Woman working on cell phone and laptop

When you arrive in Canada, there will be a lot of things to think about and to mark on your checklist of things that you have to get done. Although the country can be more expensive to live in, your internet plan can be affordable and one less thing to worry about overpaying for, particularly if your internet usage is fairly low.

While some people like to make debt to keep up with a higher quality of life, for the most part, it is considered a better option to buy a mobile phone once-off than to pay a monthly installment on a two-year, sometimes longer, contract. However, if you can’t spare a couple of hundred dollars to buy a mobile outright with a limited monthly data plan that comes with your purchase, your next best option is to turn towards a monthly mobile payment plan. To do this, the best route to go is to choose an affordable mobile plan to reduce the overall cost of living in Canada.

1. Public Mobile

Public is recognized as one of the number one overall value suppliers of the most affordable mobile phone/ internet plans. Its best offer costs just $15 a month. With this mobile plan, you will get everything that you need to roam online every day, including 100 Canada-wide minutes, 250 MB bonus data with AutoPay, unlimited incoming calls and unlimited international text and picture messaging. When you sign up for AutoPay, you can also save $2 per month just for being a customer, which means you get and save more.

As one of Canada’s largest mobile networks, Public Mobile also offers more expensive mobile plans from $25 to $50, depending on your mobile data needs. The more you pay for a mobile plan, the more benefits you get.

Mobile/ Internet Plans with 3G Speed
Price/moData
$25500 MB
$352.5 GB
$404.5 GB>
$5010 GB

Visit Public Mobile for more information and to get started.

2. Telus Mobile

Offering low prices, Telus Mobile is a respected Canadian mobile phone service provider that is ideal for anyone that is looking for a basic plan. Telus chooses a plan tailored to what their customers need. They offer reliable coast-to-coast coverage, multiple connections for up to 20 devices with Smart Hub or 15 devices with Internet Hub and free support.


Mobile/ Internet Plans
Price/moData
$10100 MB
$30500 MB
$452 GB>
$706 GB
$8510 GB

Visit Telus Mobile for more information and to get started.

3. Virgin Mobile

Excellent price from a top carrier

If you don’t want to compromise on quality when choosing your mobile/ internet provider, then one of your best options is to pick Virgin Mobile as your mobile service provider. As a popular and high-quality option, Virgin Mobile is not as affordable as other mobile/ internet provider options on this list, yet they offer reasonable data options with benefits.


Mobile/ Internet Plans (Pay-Per-Use)
Price/moData
$281 GB
$453 GB
$508 GB>
$5511 GB
$6015 GB

Any of these mobile/ internet plan options are perfect for people that need to use the internet a lot and are especially recommended for anyone that requires 24-hour quality internet access. These plans are also suited for all-in internet and TV features.

Visit Virgin Mobile for more information and to get started.

4. Koodo Mobile

For everything you need from mobile/ internet plans to phone deals and data, Koodo Mobile has many special offers for newcomers in Canada at very reasonable prices. They also offer an incredible option for residents to, instead of buying a new phone in Canada, bring their own and get it optimized with a local mobile plan.

When you bring your own phone to Koodo Mobile, you pay $30 per month for 1 GB of shock-free data. This plan offers 0 minutes and unlimited incoming messages. If you want more data or unlimited minutes to make both local and international calls, you can opt to pay only $5 more for a pay-per-use plan that has unlimited minutes and messaging features. At $45, you can get 3 GB of shock-free data with unlimited minutes and messaging. For a list of promotional options starting at $50, visit the Koodo Mobile plans breakdown here.

Visit Koodo Mobile for more information and to get started.

5. Fido Mobile

This mobile service provider is also popularly known for offering a feature that allows you to build your own mobile/ internet plan. It’s most affordable plan is $45 a month, which provides you with 3 GB of mobile data. While this is a fairly reasonable price for the amount of data you get, Fido Mobile doesn’t offer plans for less than 3 GB of data.


Mobile/ Internet Plans
Price/moData
$508 GB (+3 GB bonus data)
$55-$7011 GB - 15 GB (+ 3 GB bonus data)
$452 GB>
$706 GB
$8510 GB

With every plan purchase, you receive a free Fido SIM card and save $45 on your setup service fee when activating your plan online. These mobile plan options are for existing phones or new phones that can be purchased from Fido Mobile.

Visit Fido Mobile for more information and to get started.

What About Wi-Fi?

A limited or uncapped Wi-Fi plan at home works best if you spend a lot of time either working or studying from home and require stable internet for a couple of hours or more on any given day. Everybody likes to have the internet at home, which is self-explanatory, given that we live in a digital world. Likely, you will also have Wi-Fi at your workplace, which you won’t have to pay for. However, setting up Wi-Fi at home can become a big expense.

Although it’s the simplest way to stay connected, you must consider if you can afford a month-to-month plan that will provide you with a set amount of data. If you are from the US, then you’ll be happy to find that Wi-Fi plans work precisely the same in Canada, which means that you can even make use of your existing equipment to set it up. If you don’t have Wi-Fi at home, and you would like to download or watch large files from the internet, then it’s not recommended to use your mobile internet data for it as this can become quite costly. Alternatively, you can visit public places with Wi-Fi hotspots, such as campgrounds, malls, and marinas instead.

The best Wi-Fi internet plans on a budget include:

  • Virgin 25Mbps plan - A limited usage plan at $60/mo, capped at 50 GB
  • Fizz 10Mbps plan - A basic uncapped plan at $30, and to upgrade, 30Mbps speed at $24
  • Teksavvy 15Mbps - An unlimited usage plan at $38.95/mo, and to upgrade, 30Mbps at $48.95
  • Acanac 25Mbps plan - A variety of unlimited data plans at $45/mo

5 Ways to lower your mobile phone bill

Take Your Pick

Domino placement

When you move to Canada, one of the most important things to do is to get your digital devices sorted. While there is no single way to set up your mobile phone with the right mobile/ internet data plans, not even to mention other digital devices like your laptop or computer devices, Canadian mobile service providers usually offer free support and are ready to assist you, no matter what queries you have.

If you are new to Canadian immigration and are yet to start the process of applying for Canadian residency, you can consult a government-approved Regulated Canadian Immigration Consultant (RCIC) for more information on how to simplify the immigration process for you.,