Cross-border habits go much further than price tags. In fact, while some everyday purchases exist in both countries, they feel routine in the United States but are more likely to cause Canadians to stop and think before purchasing.
A lot of these differences are down to how companies market their products on either side of the border. Americans treat them as regular parts of life, but Canadians are more likely to weigh them up first.
Here are eight things Americans spend freely on that Canadians think twice about. Which of these purchases often has you second-guessing yourself at the cash register?
Bottled water multipacks
All that bottled water in American grocery stores feels endless, and quite a lot of our southern neighbours see multi-packs as an essential. One survey from Vivreau found that 33% of Americans rely on bottled water as their main drinking source.
But here in Canada, we’re more likely to drink water straight from the tap and avoid buying such huge bottled water multipacks. Only 11% of Canadians rely on bottled water as their main source of water.
Stacking streaming subscriptions
It’s easy for streaming apps to pile up in American households, with one survey from Parks Associates finding that each home has around six video service subscriptions. That works out to be around $148 a month in spending.
Of course, Canadians do subscribe to streaming services, but it seems that our churn rates are a lot higher. thinkTV research found that 19% of Canadians plan to cancel their streaming subscriptions within three months. The churn rate in America is a lot lower at 5.5%.
Renting a storage unit
Storage buildings seem like they’re everywhere in the United States, especially near suburban highways. Inside Self-Storage figures show that there are over 67,000 facilities across the country, or approximately 7.7 square feet of storage per person.
However, here in Canada, storage facilities aren’t as common. The same source estimates the national supply in Canada closer to 3.1 square feet per person, so it seems that we’re not as keen on throwing our things in storage like Americans are.
Eating out and takeout meals
It’s the norm in both America and Canada to go for a meal at a restaurant. But it seems it’s a little more normalized down south.
According to Statistics Canada, the average Canadian household spends around CAD$3,351 annually on restaurant food.
But in America, the USDA Economic Research Service said that the rate was around CAD$6,100 annually. It seems that Americans are far happier to dine out than we are.
Halloween décor, candy, and costumes
Seasonal spending also differs on each side of the border, especially during the fall. The National Retail Federation estimated that Americans spent around US$13.1 billion on Halloween in 2025, which works out to be around CAD$156.4 per person.
But the rate for Canadians was much lower. Apparently, we only spend around CAD$57 per person during Halloween, so it appears we’re not as willing to celebrate the spooky season as our southern neighbours.
Gym memberships
You might be surprised to learn that a higher percentage of Americans have a gym membership compared to Canadians. A Fitness Industry Council of Canada summary estimated that approximately 15.5% of Canadians have a gym membership.
However, down south, 24.9% of Americans have a membership, according to data from the Health and Fitness Association. They might not necessarily be in better shape than others, yet it seems they’re more willing to spend money on going to the gym.
Hotels and nights away from home
The way that people spend on overnight stays is almost its own story, with data showing that the average American household spends around CAD$1,950 each year on hotels and motels. The rate is far lower for Canadians.
In fact, we tend to only spend around CAD$910 a year on accommodation away from our homes. Both of us travel, but Americans are happier to spend money on more expensive lodging.
Built-in dishwashers in the home
Yes, buying a dishwasher might seem like the norm in America, but it’s not the same in Canada. Data shows that around 73% of Americans have a dishwasher in their homes, or 89.79 million out of 123.53 million households.
Only 59.2% of Canadian households also have one in their homes. It’s the same appliance, simply with a different rate of agreeing to install one.
Sources: Please see here for a complete listing of all sources that were consulted in the preparation of this article.
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