Your receipt might look completely different across the border. A lot of everyday stuff costs a lot more in Canada due to things like smaller order sizes & more regulations, and the difference in price tags is measurable.
Here are twelve household items that cost more in Canada than in the United States. Which ones do you think are worth going across the border for a lower price?
Laundry detergent
The cost of something like Tide is actually quite different across the border. The 152-count tub of Tide PODS Free & Gentle sells for around $45.39 CAD.
But the same tub is a mere $31 CAD across the border. One of the main reasons for differences is higher freight costs in a smaller Canadian market.
Toilet paper
Toilet paper is another product that we pay a bit more for over here. A 12-mega-roll pack of Charmin Ultra Soft is around $22.90 CAD at Walmart, with around 244 sheets on each roll.
Yet Walmart’s American site sells a 12-mega-roll pack of Cottonelle Ultra Comfort for approximately $18 CAD. It may not seem like much, but every sheet counts.
Dish soap and cleaning sprays
We’re apparently paying more for cleaning. A regular bottle of disinfectant spray is around $14.99 CAD over here, yet retailers down south sell the same bottle for around $9.75 CAD.
It’s mostly due to the fact that retailers have extra import duties to pay & stricter rules over packaging here. Stores have to be far more careful with safety & hazard labels, and that additional compliance costs extra.
Light bulbs
The cost of light bulbs is higher in Canada, and especially for LEDs. You can purchase a four-pack of A19 LEDs on sale for roughly $10.96 CAD.
But Americans can get the same pack for $8.70 CAD on sale. Stores in the United States tend to run better promos on multi-pack purchases, and that means they can spread the costs over a much larger market.
Small kitchen appliances
Small kitchen appliances are more expensive in Canada because of higher electronic import fees & a lack of big-box competitors here. Research shows that Canadians pay roughly 20-30% more for kettles & blenders than Americans.
That’s true, even after converting currencies. The difference is especially clear with higher-end brands.
Vacuum cleaners
Another cleaning cost that we pay more for is vacuum cleaners. Premium models will cost you around $749.99 CAD, and that’s after discounts.
But Americans can get cordless models for around $278 CAD after deals. They have a larger appliance market, so retailers can support more frequent sales cycles. Their promotional pricing is far cheaper.
Pet food (dry dog and cat food)
The cost of pet food is different between the two countries, which is quite ironic given that Canada imports around 90% of its pet food from American suppliers. We pay around $46 CAD for a mid-range dog-food bag, while Americans pay roughly $34 CAD.
Tariffs on some meats & specialty ingredients are causing input costs to increase over here. It’s actually enough to push the Canadian shelf prices on kibbles to be much higher than similar American brands.
Cooking oil
Canadians buy far less cooking oil as a nation than Americans do. That’s one of the main reasons that we have to pay more for it than our neighbours down South.
The United States imported around US$6.3 billion of it in 2022, but we imported around US$1.1 billion. Our per-bottle cost is quite a bit higher than in America. A standard bottle of oil could cost a couple more dollars than in the States.
Dishwasher pods
The huge US-sized tubs of dishwasher pods don’t really exist in Canada, so we usually pay more for the ones that we have. American warehouse clubs have larger containers & more per-pod markdowns than Canadian ones do.
A pack of dishwasher pods in Canada might work out to be around $0.33 CAD per load. But most American bulk tubs are closer to $0.20 to $0.30 CAD per load, and that’s before the big holiday sales.
Reusable water bottles & tumblers
Stanley bottles are all the rage at the moment, both in Canada and the USA. It sells in most American outdoor shops for around $55 CAD. But it’s closer to $65 CAD in the majority of Canadian retail stores.
Most Canadian stores also experience fewer huge clearance events than the large American chains. They don’t sell as much volume, so they can’t afford to reduce their items as much.
Garbage bags
You’d think that garbage bags would be relatively cheap everywhere. But that’s not quite right. Canadians often pay more for large name-brand boxes than Americans do.
A 90-count kitchen bag is around $18-20 CAD, or US$13-15. Yet the same size is only around $11-12 at most American retailers, and it’s because higher energy & recycling program costs in Canada are baked into our prices.
Paper towels
It doesn’t matter whether you’re buying a normal pack or a multi-roll bundle in Canada. You’re probably going to pay more than Americans do. A 12-roll pack is roughly US$14 to $16 in Canada, but it’s closer to US$10 to $12 in the United States.
American plants run far larger production lines. That means their per-sheet costs are lower, so customers pay less, too.
Sources: Please see here for a complete listing of all sources that were consulted in the preparation of this article.
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