Most Canadians are unaware of the true cost of health care because they never see a bill for medical services, but the Fraser Institute has calculated what the average family will spend to stay healthy in 2026.

The study suggests that a typical Canadian family of four will pay an estimated $21,115 for public health-care insurance this year. This assumes that the family consists of two parents and two children with an average household income of $202,885.

Single Canadians will pay $6,464 for health care insurance, and single parents with one child will pay $6,966.

The report adds that heath care insurance is one of the most increasingly expensive things we buy. Between 1997 and 2026, the cost of public health care insurance for the average Canadian family increased 2.3 times as fast as the cost of food, 1.7 times as fast as the average income, and 1.5 times as fast as the cost of shelter.