Mutual Fund Expense Ratios: Canadian compared to US

[benryan]

(Hopefully, this is not too far of topic, it is more US and Canadian investing)

I have been using morningstar.com and morningstar.ca to look at the Management Expense Ratios of various Stock Mutual Funds I own. The US Expense Ratios vary from 0.18% to 1.75%. The Canadian Expense Ratios vary from 2.13% to 2.70%.

Anyone known if these expense ratios are comparable or not. (i.e. are they measuring the same thing?)

Examples

Looking at the Expense Ratio on the US site.

http://quicktake.morningstar.com/FundNe ... X&pmts=FS1

Looking at the MER% number on the Canadian site.

http://www.morningstar.ca/globalhome/qu ... undid=3104

[benryan]

According to a Morningstar Minute webcast, Canada Expense Ratio's are the highest in the world. Average of 2.20% against US average 0.81%.

Article author: Rudy Luukko - 18 May 07
http://www.morningstar.ca/globalhome/Fe ... .asp?tab=5

[nelsona]

I understand gas prices are higher in canada too.

Unfortunately, in either case, there is little that you can do about comparive prices if you live in canada. You can't drive everyday to US to fill up, and you can't buy US mutuals either.

You can fight to lower MERs, but the fact that they are lower in US is of little consequence.