Just wondering what costs are like in Canada. Would be our first time out of the country. I use the Allstays app to look for campgrounds. Not sure if they are indicating US dollars or Canadian with their $$$. All info is appreciated. ML

Most sites we used were in Canadian dollars. You should use a credit card to get the best exchange rate on date and time used.We used cash machines to get Canadian money after crossing into our friends to the north. See if your bank has an affilliate in Canada Fuel costs need to be converted from liters to US gallons and then price converted to US dollars to get a better comparison.Our last trip through Canada found the converted prices were close to what we were paying in Washington state at the time.

One trick we do is when we travel south is take out USA dollars in lump sums of $500 increments so we only pay the international exchange rate once, instead of using the credit card, and having every transaction charged the rate.There are a few credit cards I believe that don’t charge the international exchange rate, but my MC isn’t one of them.Also a lot of places close the the Boarder with the USA will take USA dollars when you pay for something, however you will not get a very good exchange rate.When my relitives from Oregon visit they change their money into Canadain money at our Credit Union. The Banks up here will also give you the best exchange rate, so check with your bank and see who they are connected with in Canada.Cheers and have a great trip up here.... soup.

You should be getting at least $1.25 value for every Can. dollar. That helps a lot when you see how much more fuel, beer and alcohol cost us. Our credit card adds on about 35% exchange fees when we spend money in the US.

OP: Verify with your bank. We do not pay exchange fees when using the affiliate bank. We get a kick back on fuel and other purchases in CA. Banks around here do not have foreighn currency. You must order it and pay fee.When crossing back into US, we count up how much Canadian money we have. We then do a fuel stop and put in the tank.

Honestly, our prices up here are all over the map. And they're often higher than yours, for exactly the same things. Gas, for example, might be C$1.33/L in BC, and right next door in Alberta C$1.09/L. That's US$4.02/US gallon in BC, and US$3.30 in Alberta. The exchange rate is currently 1 US$ = 1.251 C$, so you think you're getting a deal when you come up here with US$, but if the same stuff you buy in the US is marked up 30% or more, the exchange rate difference is negated. You pay more for the same things up here.Most of our provinces (except Alberta) have a provincial HST on just about everything. It's like your state sales tax, and it can be up to 15% in our provinces in the east, to 5% in Alberta which doesn't have a PST. They only pay the Federal part called the GST there. Unless stated, prices on the stickers on the merchandise up here do not include sales taxes, so be aware. Typically food from grocery stores isn't taxed up here, same as in the US. However, if it's junk food, or you buy it in a restaurant, then it usually is taxed with that HST/sales tax thing.If you compare prices in Canada to prices in the US, and do the math to convert the money back and forth, we often get less and pay more for just about everything up here. If you exchange your US dollars for C$ up here, be aware that most Canadian financial institutions charge a foreign currency conversion/handling fee of around 2.5%. It gets blended into the exchange rate when they process your money. If possible, I would go to your local US bank and inquire about buying Canadian cash from them, as you might get a better currency conversion fee there, or they might not charge one at all. I'm not sure how US banks order and exchange foreign currencies, but I think there are some that don't charge that hidden 2.5% like our banks do up here.

Cost of travel | Good Sam Community

FULLTIMEWANABE
Explorer
Jan 03, 2018
Best exchange rate for our smaller amounts of US$ to C$'s or vice versa has not been the banks but the Exchange currency desk in our local mall believe it or not. On just a couple hundred UK pounds exchanged to Can dollars we ended up C$60 better off so ...........

Check credit card fees for using out of country as most do charge a premium.

For larger (house sales or similar) money exchanges we use a company like MoneyCorp or similar that doesn't have the spreads and extra fees our banks tend to charge us.

Also Alberta is the only province within Canada that has ZERO PST/HST on goods, and generally for the most part has the cheaper gasoline has been our experience. As stated before, BC tends to a lot higher priced by comparison to our province, to the tune of we say "BC stands for Bring Cash". Gorgeous province to visit but sure is expensive compared to many others we've travelled in.

And yes, generally speaking almost everything (California type states aside), is generally cheaper to buy in the US than Canada even with a 25% exchange rate premium considered.

Enjoy your trip to our beautiful country and do take time to smell the roses as you go!

FTW
MDKMDK
Explorer
Jan 03, 2018
Don't you mean "take the time to stop and smell the wild roses"? :)
4runnerguy
Explorer
Jan 03, 2018
FULLTIMEWANABE wrote:
Also Alberta is the only province within Canada that has ZERO PST/HST on goods, and generally for the most part has the cheaper gasoline has been our experience. As stated before, BC tends to a lot higher priced by comparison to our province, to the tune of we say "BC stands for Bring Cash". Gorgeous province to visit but sure is expensive compared to many others we've travelled in.

This was our experience with one exception. AB had higher costs for beer than BC. Not that we consume much of it, but we like to sample the local brews as we travel.
MDKMDK
Explorer
Jan 03, 2018
The thing I noticed when we visit Alberta was the price tagged price was what was on the receipts (usually), unless the item was covered under the federal GST (5%). It felt odd when the numbers matched and there was no "HST" line as part of a sub total. Simplified shopping?

I also didn't find their liquor prices much better than elsewhere in Canada, except at Coutts/Sweet Grass in the duty free. Got some Irish whiskey for about half of what I pay for it around Ontario when we crossed into Montana. Very impressed with that.
FULLTIMEWANABE
Explorer
Jan 03, 2018
MDKMDK wrote:
Don't you mean "take the time to stop and smell the wild roses"? :)

Alberta's wild rose country eh? ;)
qtla9111
Nomad
Jan 03, 2018
Being from Mexico, Canada was off the map us in 2014. Gas was 5.75 a gallon in Langley. We did find a few boondocking sites but few and far between.

Food prices were incredibly high along with rv park prices. Provencial parks weren´t much different.

Would we go back? You bet. A beautiful country, clean, environmentally friendly and the Canadians were the best hosts.
tony_lee
Explorer
Jan 04, 2018
Fizz wrote:
It’s a strange world.
Americans not going north because it costs too much.
Canadians not going south because of a poor exchange rate.

Canadians racing through the US and sighing with relief when they cross into Mexico.

Personally, food, alcohol and fuel prices are totally irrelevant as factors affecting my travel plans - they are what they are so whinge and get over it, or stay home.
MDKMDK
Explorer
Jan 04, 2018
FULLTIMEWANABE wrote:
MDKMDK wrote:
Don't you mean "take the time to stop and smell the wild roses"? :)

Alberta's wild rose country eh? ;)

You got it, man. :B (Or ma'am?)
Alberta is my favorite province and I've been in them all except the Rock. If I ever decide I've had enough of living in Ontari-airy-uh-oh, I'd move out to wild rose country in a heartbeat. :C
kcfissel
Explorer
Jan 07, 2018
When are the wild roses in bloom in Alberta?
Veebyes
Explorer II
Jan 09, 2018
Fuel & CG rates are usually quoted inclusive of taxes. The USD is only 75-80 cents to the CDN $ depending on exchange rate of the day. The last few years have been a great time for USD people to travel to Canada. I was very surprised at how few US tagged RVs I saw on Newfoundland in 2016 & how few again in Ontario last year. Canada is a beautiful place with wonderful people. Everyone is born with a Tim Hortons cup permanently in one hand.

Some things are more. Fuel being one of them however you go into Canada with tanks full & try to come out near empty. It is a game to play. Grocery stores are different. You might need a looney to use a cart. They are more concerned about the enviroment. Take your own bags into the store. Some charge for packing bags.