Canadian families spend more on taxes than housing, food and clothing combined: study
The Fraser Institute found that the average family with an income of $121,111 in 2025 would have paid $50,721 in total taxes.
Nearly half of the average Canadian family’s income goes towards taxes, accounting for more than their housing, food and clothing combined, according to a new study from the Fraser Institute.
“At a time when the cost of living is top of mind across the country, taxes remain the largest household expense for Canadian families,” said Jake Fuss, director of fiscal studies at the Fraser Institute and co-author of Taxes Versus the Necessities of Life: The Canadian Consumer Tax Index 2026 Edition.
