Food plays a significant role in every culture, and Canada is no exception. As one of the most multicultural countries in the world, our restaurant scene reflects the diversity and vibrancy of our people. From Vancouver’s Michelin-starred sushi spots to Montreal’s famous stacked smoked meat sandwiches, our heritage is as rich as our dinner tables.
Of course, exploring diverse cuisines is a big part of what it means to be Canadian.
According to Statistics Canada, the average Canadian household spends $3,351 annually on dining out at restaurants, including takeout and delivery. That adds up to just under $65 a week. However, similar to the well-known latte debate, takeout spending has often become a target in discussions about affordability. The common suggestion is to cook at home, save money, and use those savings toward a home purchase. But the reality? Zoocasa analyzed 34 major markets to find out. You might want to sit down for this one…preferably at your favorite brunch spot.
Priced Out and Dining Out
According to Touch Bistro’s 2025 Canadian Diner Trends Report, 30% of diners order takeout or delivery at least once a week. The habit is most common among younger generations, with 31% of Millennials and 30% of Gen Z reporting weekly orders, compared to 23% of Gen X and just 15% of Boomers. With nearly 1.1 million Canadians juggling more than one job, it’s no surprise that busy schedules leave many reaching for that office-ordered salad, the kind that just hits different when someone else makes it. And here’s the kicker: some of the most unaffordable housing markets in the country also happen to serve up the most unforgettable meals. While you’re told to skip takeout to save for a home, the city’s tempting you with a buzzy new Michelin-starred Italian restaurant going viral for its multi-layered tiramisu.
The Meals You’d Miss to Save for a Mortgage
Greater Vancouver has the highest real estate prices, with an average home price of $1,268,885, requiring a 20% down payment of $253,777. At average savings rates, that’s 76 years of scrimping. You’d have to give up every last dim sum brunch, every late-night sushi fix, and you still wouldn’t make a dent. Greater Toronto isn’t far behind, demanding 67 years to save $224,176 for a typical $1.1M home. Mississauga clocks in at 62 years for a $206,086 down payment. That’s an entire lifetime of skipping Jamaican patties grabbed between subway transfers, avocado toast at the hottest new brunch spot, bánh mì from your favourite hole-in-the-wall, and birria tacos that make you believe in love at first bite.
Lobster Rolls and Long-Term Savings
Even in Canada’s more affordable East Coast, the idea that making dinner at home instead of going on a Friday night date at a local restaurant will unlock the doors to homeownership is more wishful thinking than a financial strategy. In Newfoundland and Labrador, which tops the list for affordability, it still takes 20 years to save a 20% down payment on a $337,608 home. By the time your newborn is choosing dorm room decor and cramming for second-year exams, you might finally be house hunting. In Saint John, it’s 22 years, in Halifax-Dartmouth, nearly 37.
That’s decades of saying no to fish and chips, chowder, and the kind of fresh-off-the-boat lobster roll that makes life by the Atlantic taste like a vacation. When savings timelines stretch across multiple decades, skipping takeout becomes less of a practical tip and more of a prolonged punishment. And honestly? If you’re going to be in it for the long haul, you might as well enjoy the ride, preferably with a basket of fried clams and a view of the harbour.
Ribeyes and Real Estate: Can Albertans Have Their Steak and Eat It Too?
Things look slightly more digestible in Alberta, especially outside the province’s major metro areas. While Calgary tops the chart with an average home price of $665,702 and a 40-year savings horizon, other cities offer more realistic options. In Edmonton, a $457,016 home would require a down payment of $91,403 and 27 years to save for it. That’s still a long haul, but it doesn’t mean giving up your favourite ribeye or turning down your Friday night donair run. Twenty-seven years is long enough to switch careers, raise a teenager, and go to Disney, and still not quite have enough saved—but hey, at least dinner stayed delicious. In smaller cities like Lethbridge, Red Deer, Fort McMurray, Grande Prairie, and Medicine Hat, where prices fall under the $410,000 mark, you might buy a home before retirement age and keep your BBQ habit alive.
You Don’t Need to Choose Between Montreal Bagels or a Magnificent Backyard
Then there’s Quebec, where prices are more reasonable compared to other parts of the country, but still come with a long runway when considering skipping takeout. In Montreal, it would take 39 years to save a 20% down payment. In Sherbrooke, 33. Gatineau, 31. Even in more affordable spots like Quebec City (28 years), Trois-Rivières (24 years), and Saguenay (22 years), we’re still talking about decades of saving. Let’s get real: are you going to give up every bagel brunch, skip every smoked meat lunch, and say no to cider season for the next two to four decades? Non merci. Giving up the food that makes life in Quebec so flavourful for a mortgage you might secure by 2050 doesn’t just feel unrealistic.
The Real Recipe for Homeownership
No matter where you live in the country, for most people, reaching homeownership requires far more than the elimination of life’s culinary joys. It takes structural change, higher incomes, policy innovation, or in some cases, a significant windfall. Until then, enjoy ordering a late-night McDonald’s run after a baseball game or night out. It won’t make or break your housing journey, but it just might make your week.
