The Canadian Expat Packing List: What to Bring, What to Buy There, and What to Leave Behind

Everyone overpacks. Every single person. You’ll bring things you never open and wish you’d brought things you left behind. The goal isn’t a perfect suitcase — it’s making the mistakes that cost $15 at a local pharmacy instead of $200 in overweight baggage fees.

This list is built for Canadians moving to a furnished rental in Mexico, Portugal, Thailand, or Costa Rica — the countries we cover. If your apartment comes with a bed, a kitchen, and WiFi (most furnished rentals do), you need far less than you think.

The Rule: If You Can Buy It There for Less Than the Baggage Cost, Leave It

An extra checked bag costs $50-100 CAD each way on most airlines. An overweight bag fee is $100-200. If the item you’re debating can be purchased at your destination for under $50 — leave it. Buy it when you land. You’ll get the right version for the climate, the right voltage, and you’ll have less to drag through three airports.

This single rule eliminates half the packing anxiety.

Bring: The Non-Negotiables

Documents (carry-on only — never check these)

  • Passport (valid 6+ months beyond your arrival date — some countries require this)
  • Printed copies of your visa approval or visa appointment confirmation
  • International driver’s licence (if you plan to drive — get this from CAA before you leave)
  • Medical records summary — a letter from your GP listing conditions, medications, and recent test results. Invaluable if you see a new doctor abroad
  • Prescription copies with generic drug names (brand names differ by country)
  • Travel insurance policy printed — including the emergency phone number
  • Photocopies of everything above, stored separately from originals
  • Digital copies of all documents in cloud storage (Google Drive, iCloud)

Medications (3-6 month supply)

Bring a full supply of any prescription medication you take regularly. Many common medications are available abroad — sometimes over the counter — but the brand names, dosages, and formulations may differ. Having your Canadian supply gives you time to find a local doctor and pharmacy without any gaps in treatment.

Keep medications in their original labelled pharmacy containers. Customs officers in all three countries may ask about unlabelled pills. A letter from your doctor confirming the prescriptions helps if you’re carrying a large quantity.

Tech gear

  • Laptop + charger (your work tool — bring the one you know works)
  • Phone + charger
  • Universal power adapter — Mexico uses the same plugs as Canada (Type A/B). Portugal uses Type F (round two-pin). Thailand uses a mix. A good universal adapter covers all three

  • Noise-cancelling headphones — essential for video calls from cafés and shared spaces

  • Portable power bank — for long travel days and as backup during power outages
  • USB drive or external hard drive with copies of all your documents

Shoes (the one thing people get wrong)

Bring two pairs of good walking shoes. Sidewalks in Mexico City are uneven. Lisbon’s hills will test your ankles. Chiang Mai’s markets require shoes you can slip on and off. Good walking shoes in your size and width are harder to find abroad — North American sizes aren’t standard in most countries, and the selection is limited outside major shopping centres.

Leave the dress shoes. You won’t need them. Bring one pair of comfortable sandals and two pairs of shoes you’d walk 10 km in.

Comfort items (small, irreplaceable)

  • A favourite book or two (English-language bookstores exist but the selection is unpredictable)
  • Any specific skincare or personal care product your skin depends on — local alternatives exist but finding your exact match takes time
  • Photos of family, a small keepsake — sounds sentimental, matters at month three
  • Canadian snacks that don’t exist abroad (ketchup chips survive the journey; butter tarts do not)

Buy There: Everything Else

Your first day in a new city will include a trip to a pharmacy or supermarket. This is normal. It’s also one of the first ways you start learning your neighbourhood — where the shops are, what brands are available, how pricing works.

Clothing

Bring a week’s worth of clothes appropriate for the climate. Buy the rest locally. Here’s why:

  • Mexico and Thailand: You need lightweight, breathable clothing. The heavy cotton and wool in your Canadian closet are useless. Local markets sell climate-appropriate clothes at reasonable prices.
  • Portugal: You’ll need layers — Lisbon’s winters are mild but damp. The clothing is European-sized and stylish. Shopping in Portugal is one of the better aspects of living there.
  • All three: Your Canadian winter coat takes up half a suitcase and you’ll use it for two weeks a year when you visit home. Leave it with family or in storage.

Household items

Your furnished rental has bedding, towels, kitchen basics, and cleaning supplies. If something is missing or not to your standard, you can replace it locally within a day. Don’t pack towels, sheets, pillows, kitchen gadgets, or cleaning products. They’re heavy, bulky, and available everywhere.

Toiletries

Bring travel sizes for the first few days. Every country has pharmacies and supermarkets stocked with toothpaste, shampoo, deodorant, sunscreen, and soap. International brands (Dove, Nivea, Colgate) are available in all three countries. Specialty items (specific SPF, prescription skincare) are worth bringing a supply of until you find local equivalents.

Over-the-counter medications

Ibuprofen, antihistamines, cold medicine, stomach remedies — all available at local pharmacies, often cheaper and without a prescription. In Mexico, pharmacy culture is extensive — Farmacias Similares and Farmacias del Ahorro are on nearly every block. In Thailand, pharmacies stock a wide range. In Portugal, farmácias are well-stocked and pharmacists are knowledgeable.

Leave Behind: The Overpacker’s Trap

  • Books (in bulk). Bring one or two. The rest go on a Kindle or stay home. English-language book swaps exist in every expat community.
  • Kitchen appliances. Different voltage, different plugs, and your rental already has what you need. Don’t bring a blender across the Pacific.
  • Winter clothes (beyond one versatile layer). If you’re visiting Canada in December, buy a cheap coat at a thrift store or borrow one. Don’t haul a parka through Chiang Mai for 11 months.
  • Sentimental items that would devastate you if lost. Luggage gets delayed, stolen, or damaged. If losing it would break your heart, leave it somewhere safe in Canada.
  • “Just in case” items. The formal outfit you might need. The third power adapter. The extra set of sheets. If the sentence starts with “just in case,” you don’t need it. Everything is available for purchase at your destination.

Country-Specific Notes

Mexico

  • Same electrical plugs as Canada — no adapter needed
  • Sunscreen is expensive in tourist areas. Bring a good supply or buy it at a Walmart or Costco in a major city (yes, both exist in Mexico)
  • If you take specific over-the-counter medications, check the generic names — they may be sold under different brand names

Portugal

  • European round-pin plugs (Type F) — you need an adapter. Buy a multi-pack before you leave or at the airport
  • Clothing is reasonably priced and well-made. Don’t overpack clothes for Portugal — you’ll want to shop there
  • Bring a light rain jacket. Lisbon winters are mild (8-15°C) but rainy from November to March

Thailand

  • Mixed plug types — most modern buildings accept North American plugs, but bring a universal adapter for older buildings
  • Larger shoe sizes (men’s 11+, women’s 9+) are genuinely difficult to find. Bring yours.
  • Deodorant in Western-style formulations can be harder to find outside Bangkok. Bring your preferred brand or buy it at a major mall chain

The Two-Bag Test

Here’s the reality check: most experienced expats move with two checked bags and a carry-on. That’s roughly 50-70 kg. If everything you’re bringing doesn’t fit in that, you’re bringing too much.

The first move is always the heaviest. By your second year, you’ll move countries with one bag and wonder what you were thinking the first time.

For the full cost picture at your destination, see our guides for Mexico City, Lisbon, and Chiang Mai. Starting the visa process? Our Mexico and Portugal D7 visa guides walk you through it step by step.

Need health insurance sorted before you go? See our Health Insurance for Canadians Abroad guide.

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This guide is for informational purposes only. Airline baggage policies, medication import rules, and product availability change — verify details before making decisions. All costs in CAD unless noted.

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