Rent depends on where you are living, if your sharing an apartment with a friend in toronto, you need to search hard for better deals and the more you look the more options you get, in toronto you can share a room with a friend and the cost would be about $400-500 Per person all inclusive for a one bedroom and one living room apartment..depends how many of you share too..But i share with one of my friends here in london ontario and it costs s $330 per person all inclusive but than again i am not in toronto. I am in a small city.
For phone make a gmail account for your parents and than you can chat with them for free for hours and hours..of course you have to get a internet connection here in canada for that which costs about $45 a month but is cheaper than any calling card..My parents give me a miss call on the phone and i talk to them on gmail as long as i want to..Download google talk...but as a newcomer you will need a pay as you go phone, i got one for $35 and i paid about $20 dollar approximately a month, but as you will get settled in Canada you will need to get a contract phone which allow you to talk to people in Canada not just in India..Infact, the more Canadian contacts you make, the need for an contract phone will be increasing as well, so you can talk to them locally.....The good companies are rogers,bell,kudoo,Fido. I got a 3 year contract with rogers.
For food, there are alot of desi grocery stores here so no problem for that.
Have any more questions let me know, ts good to help out other people who are comming to Canada.