What I Spend Each Month as a University Student at Waterloo
Justin Lau, 20
University of Waterloo, computer engineering, co-op
I built a computer in Grade 10 and I loved doing the research before buying the parts. I decided to take computer engineering at the University of Waterloo because they have a co-op program. We do six four-month co-op terms in between four-month school terms. We work and study straight through the summers. I’m now in my third year. My parents covered my first year of tuition and living expenses with an RESP, but I’ve paid for my tuition and other costs since then with money I’ve made during my co-op placements. Currently, I’m earning $34 an hour as a full-time software engineering intern.
I also have my own YouTube channel, called Jlau, where I make content about education, like what my program is like at Waterloo and how I got my co-op placements. I earn about $10,000 a year on YouTube through ads and sponsorships. Companies like AI resume builders and online-course creators will pay me to make sponsored videos for them. I spend seven to 10 hours a week working on my channel.
Housing: $0
I’m currently on a co-op term and the job is remote, so I live with my parents in Mississauga. My office is in Brampton, and I go in once a month for get-togethers like board game nights or team dinners. Previously, I did a co-op term in Belleville, Ontario, and the company I was working for covered my rent. When I’m on a school term, I rent a room in Waterloo. This year, I rented a room in an apartment for $950 a month. I sublet it when I’m away on co-op.
Groceries: $500
My mom usually buys groceries and cooks for me, my dad and herself. Since I’ve been earning money from my co-op, I want to help out, so sometimes my mom uses my credit card to pay for food. I end up contributing about $500 a month. It feels nice to give back to my parents. My mom usually shops at Asian grocery stores, like BTrust and YuanMing. I’ve been snacking on a lot of dried seaweed and pepperoni lately, so I ask her to get me those snacks sometimes.
Eating out: $500
I eat out a lot, usually three or four times a week. It’s always when I’m with my friends or my girlfriend. Sometimes we get McDonald’s—my girlfriend and I can split an $8 Big Mac Deal, or we get ramen, which comes to about $40 for the two of us. Sometimes we go to Chinese restaurants for fried rice or dumplings, which costs about $30. I usually cover dinner, but my girlfriend will buy bubble tea, which we usually get once a week. Recently I went back to Waterloo to hang out with some of my friends and we split a pizza, which cost $5 per person.
Transportation: $100
My girlfriend lives in Toronto and I visit her a few times a week. I take Mississauga Transit, which costs $3.50 and gets me a free transfer for Toronto transit. We take an Uber about once a week—for example, if we’re in a rush to get to a movie. That’s about $10 or $15. I go back to Waterloo to see my friends about once a month. I take the GO bus to get there, which costs $16, or $8 on a special weekend pass.
Entertainment: $120
My girlfriend and I go to the movies two or three times a month, so I spend about $40 a month on tickets. Recently, we saw Wicked and It Ends With Us. We like karaoke, too. That costs $20 and we go about twice a month. I also enjoy escape rooms. I do that once or twice a month and it costs $27 to $35 each time.
Spotify subscription: $7.22
I have a Spotify student subscription. I listen to a lot of K-pop, 60s and 80s music, and pop like Taylor Swift, Maroon 5 and Coldplay.
Video editing for YouTube: $50
Twice a month, I pay a friend, who is a professional video editor, $25 to edit a video for me. Clients typically like a more polished look. My editing style is more artsy, creative and comedic.
Squishmallow: $30
My girlfriend really likes plush toys. I bought it on Amazon as a present for her.
Tripod: $130
I bought a camera tripod and a 128GB memory card from Best Buy to shoot videos for my channel.
Total monthly spend: $1437.22
This story appears in the 2025 edition of the Ultimate Guide to Canadian Universities. You can buy the issue for $19.99 here or on newsstands.
