Canadian salaries by city — 2025 snapshot
Mid-level Software Engineer base salary in CAD, reflecting the city's demand and cost-of-living premium.
| City | SWE Senior | PM Senior | Data Scientist |
|---|---|---|---|
🏙️ Toronto ON | CA$109K | CA$133K | CA$107K |
🌲 Vancouver BC | CA$100K | CA$122K | CA$99K |
⛽ Calgary AB | CA$92K | CA$112K | CA$91K |
⚜️ Montréal QC | CA$85K | CA$103K | CA$85K |
Toronto
ON · Senior SWE median: CA$109K
Canada's largest tech market. Most competitive, highest salaries.
Full salary guide →Vancouver
BC · Senior SWE median: CA$100K
Strong Amazon/Microsoft presence. High cost of living.
Full salary guide →Calgary
AB · Senior SWE median: CA$92K
No provincial income tax — highest net take-home in Canada.
Full salary guide →Montréal
QC · Senior SWE median: CA$85K
Global AI hub (Mila). Lower salaries, much lower cost of living.
Full salary guide →Canadian salary vs US salary — the real comparison
The direct comparison often discourages Canadian job seekers — but it misses important context:
How to negotiate your Canadian salary
Research your 75th percentile
Use Levels.fyi (tech), LinkedIn Salary, and Glassdoor. Find the 75th percentile for your role, level, and city in CAD. This is your anchor number.
Reference Canadian market data explicitly
Say: 'Based on Levels.fyi and LinkedIn salary data for senior software engineers in Toronto, the market range is CA$145K–CA$175K. I'm targeting the upper end at CA$170K given [specific value you bring].'.
Don't forget the full package
Beyond base: sign-on bonus, RRSP matching (typically 3–5% of salary), stock options, extra vacation days, remote flexibility. All are negotiable at most Canadian employers.
Alberta negotiation tip
Alberta has no provincial income tax. If you're comparing a Calgary role to a Toronto role, your effective take-home on CA$120K in Calgary equals approximately CA$130K in Toronto. Use this when comparing competing offers.
Frequently asked questions
What is the average tech salary in Canada?
The average software engineer salary in Canada is approximately CA$105,000–CA$130,000 for mid-level roles and CA$130,000–CA$165,000 for senior roles, varying significantly by city. Toronto and Vancouver command the highest salaries (10–15% above the national average), while Montréal is 15–20% below the national tech average but has a much lower cost of living.
How do Canadian tech salaries compare to US salaries?
Canadian tech salaries are approximately 30–50% lower than equivalent US salaries in absolute dollar terms (even accounting for CAD/USD exchange rate). A senior software engineer earning CA$160,000 in Toronto would typically earn USD $200,000–$250,000 at an equivalent US employer. This gap narrows significantly when accounting for Canada's healthcare, work-life balance, and lower cost of living outside major cities.
Is it worth negotiating salary in Canada?
Yes — 62% of Canadian hiring managers expect negotiation. The average negotiation gap (difference between first offer and final offer for candidates who negotiate) is CA$8,000–CA$15,000 for professional roles. Anchor at the 75th percentile for your role and city using market data. Use the data to justify the ask, not leverage or ultimatums.
What is the best salary resource for Canadian jobs?
The most reliable Canadian salary data sources in 2025 are: Levels.fyi (best for tech — actual compensation data), LinkedIn Salary (broad coverage), Glassdoor (company-specific ranges), and the Government of Canada Job Bank salary tool (free, government-maintained). For negotiation benchmarks, combine at least two sources before making your ask.
Practice negotiating your Canadian salary — free
Zari runs live salary negotiation simulations with realistic Canadian employer pushback — in CAD. Free first session.
Practice negotiating free