Moving from Vancouver to Calgary
Jan 16th 2018, 4:30 pm
#16
Lost in BE Cyberspace
Joined: Aug 2005
Location: South of Calgary
Posts: 13,374
Re: Moving from Vancouver to Calgary
I really appreciate that thank you.
We don't know anyone in Calgary and so friendly faces would be great. When we land we'll arrange something, we don't have jobs so our calendars are entirely open.
It would be nice to get some advice from people and hear how people get on. I can imagine the first few months being like a child, not even knowing what shaver I should buy or washing up liquid
We don't know anyone in Calgary and so friendly faces would be great. When we land we'll arrange something, we don't have jobs so our calendars are entirely open.
It would be nice to get some advice from people and hear how people get on. I can imagine the first few months being like a child, not even knowing what shaver I should buy or washing up liquid
Depending upon your flight arrival time, I may be able to assist with collection from the airport etc. If you have already made contact with a realtor, they are likely to be willing to do this for you and show you how to obtain your SIN, Health Card etc. They will be lining up to assist you as, as a buyer, they are guaranteed a commission.
Apologies to the OP for the fred drift.
Jan 17th 2018, 6:41 am
#17
BE Enthusiast
Joined: Mar 2012
Location: Calgary
Posts: 962
Re: Moving from Vancouver to Calgary
OK.
Depending upon your flight arrival time, I may be able to assist with collection from the airport etc. If you have already made contact with a realtor, they are likely to be willing to do this for you and show you how to obtain your SIN, Health Card etc. They will be lining up to assist you as, as a buyer, they are guaranteed a commission.
Apologies to the OP for the fred drift.
Depending upon your flight arrival time, I may be able to assist with collection from the airport etc. If you have already made contact with a realtor, they are likely to be willing to do this for you and show you how to obtain your SIN, Health Card etc. They will be lining up to assist you as, as a buyer, they are guaranteed a commission.
Apologies to the OP for the fred drift.
Thank you for the offer, really kind of you. Our landlord is going to pick us up, I think he wants to meet us before he lets us loose in his property!
I'll PM you when we arrive and we'll have a meet up. Thank you, I appreciate it
True, sorry OP I have completely took over your thread.
The original post:
My wife and I have been in Vancouver (both downtown and later the GVA) for over 3 years now and we have a son about to turn two.
Even in the 'burbs, we feel home ownership is too much of a stretch for us financially at the moment with absolutely no end to the problem in sight. A 3-bed townhouse (with a $350 a month strata fee) on our (very unfashionable) street recently sold for about $850,000. A 4-bedder was asking a million recently. Bonkers. I also find the prices of booze, food, and other annoying little things to be much higher than in the UK. On top of that, I have a love-hate relationship with Vancouver (other threads on the subject reflect some of my views (both negative and positive)).
As a result, I have started to look into Calgary. Looks like we can get an older bungalow-style 3-bed detached house in a desirable area for under $600k (at a bit of a push). I gather car insurance is considerably lower there too.
Any idea how the two compare in terms of cost? We currently rent a 3-bed townhouse and pay about $2,200 a month. Transit pass (no car at the moment but looking to buy one soon) is about $125. Our son does 3 days a week at a local daycare and we pay $850 a month for that. Any idea if the daycares are horribly oversubscribed in Calgary as they are in Vancouver? We won't move if we can't find a daycare as we went through that nightmare once already.
How is Calgary culturally and socially? I have found Vancouver to be very awkward for socialising, almost moribund. Any different in Calgary?
Even in the 'burbs, we feel home ownership is too much of a stretch for us financially at the moment with absolutely no end to the problem in sight. A 3-bed townhouse (with a $350 a month strata fee) on our (very unfashionable) street recently sold for about $850,000. A 4-bedder was asking a million recently. Bonkers. I also find the prices of booze, food, and other annoying little things to be much higher than in the UK. On top of that, I have a love-hate relationship with Vancouver (other threads on the subject reflect some of my views (both negative and positive)).
As a result, I have started to look into Calgary. Looks like we can get an older bungalow-style 3-bed detached house in a desirable area for under $600k (at a bit of a push). I gather car insurance is considerably lower there too.
Any idea how the two compare in terms of cost? We currently rent a 3-bed townhouse and pay about $2,200 a month. Transit pass (no car at the moment but looking to buy one soon) is about $125. Our son does 3 days a week at a local daycare and we pay $850 a month for that. Any idea if the daycares are horribly oversubscribed in Calgary as they are in Vancouver? We won't move if we can't find a daycare as we went through that nightmare once already.
How is Calgary culturally and socially? I have found Vancouver to be very awkward for socialising, almost moribund. Any different in Calgary?
Jan 17th 2018, 4:59 pm
#18
Grumpy Know-it-all
Joined: Jul 2010
Location: Calgary, Alberta
Posts: 8,928
Re: Moving from Vancouver to Calgary
I notice when I go into supermarkets in Vancouver everything is more expensive, so much so that they seem to be embarrassed as Sobey's is called: "Thrifty Foods" in Vancouver.
However on the flip side you can't easily go shopping in the US, and there is much less of a selection in where to shop, Whole Foods for example doesn't operate in Calgary.
Jan 17th 2018, 5:21 pm
#19
BE Enthusiast
Joined: Sep 2016
Location: Calgary, AB
Posts: 327
Re: Moving from Vancouver to Calgary
In fact- this is the first winter in my life where I haven’t suffered from seasonal depression because I’ve been outside so much and Calgary is so sunny.
We love how the activities change from the summer to the winter as you have to use the land in a completely different way!
You probably could stay home and complain about the cold I guess but there’s so much to do! :-)
Jan 17th 2018, 5:41 pm
#20
Lost in BE Cyberspace
Joined: Aug 2005
Location: South of Calgary
Posts: 13,374
Re: Moving from Vancouver to Calgary
I think this depends on what you and your friends enjoy to do- we haven’t found this to be a problem at all- far from it!- our life in the winter here is WAY more active than it ever was in the UK. There’s always people who want to go skiing, snowboarding or snowshoeing in the mountains or cross country skiing just on some of the city trails. My husband goes fat biking a lot in the winter with friends as well. We go ice skating frequently. Sometimes several times a week.
In fact- this is the first winter in my life where I haven’t suffered from seasonal depression because I’ve been outside so much and Calgary is so sunny.
We love how the activities change from the summer to the winter as you have to use the land in a completely different way!
You probably could stay home and complain about the cold I guess but there’s so much to do! :-)
In fact- this is the first winter in my life where I haven’t suffered from seasonal depression because I’ve been outside so much and Calgary is so sunny.
We love how the activities change from the summer to the winter as you have to use the land in a completely different way!
You probably could stay home and complain about the cold I guess but there’s so much to do! :-)
Jan 17th 2018, 6:59 pm
#21
Grumpy Know-it-all
Joined: Jul 2010
Location: Calgary, Alberta
Posts: 8,928
Re: Moving from Vancouver to Calgary
The coldest it ever gets in Vancouver is single digits, what was it with wind chill in Calgary on New Year's Eve, -42?
Jan 17th 2018, 9:38 pm
#22
BE Enthusiast
Joined: Mar 2012
Location: Calgary
Posts: 962
Re: Moving from Vancouver to Calgary
I think this depends on what you and your friends enjoy to do- we haven’t found this to be a problem at all- far from it!- our life in the winter here is WAY more active than it ever was in the UK. There’s always people who want to go skiing, snowboarding or snowshoeing in the mountains or cross country skiing just on some of the city trails. My husband goes fat biking a lot in the winter with friends as well. We go ice skating frequently. Sometimes several times a week.
In fact- this is the first winter in my life where I haven’t suffered from seasonal depression because I’ve been outside so much and Calgary is so sunny.
We love how the activities change from the summer to the winter as you have to use the land in a completely different way!
You probably could stay home and complain about the cold I guess but there’s so much to do! :-)
In fact- this is the first winter in my life where I haven’t suffered from seasonal depression because I’ve been outside so much and Calgary is so sunny.
We love how the activities change from the summer to the winter as you have to use the land in a completely different way!
You probably could stay home and complain about the cold I guess but there’s so much to do! :-)
Jan 17th 2018, 9:55 pm
#23
BE Enthusiast
Joined: Sep 2016
Location: Calgary, AB
Posts: 327
Re: Moving from Vancouver to Calgary
Aww that’s great! We’ve been here just over a year now and I know many people find different things in the experience or may not find it’s what they hoped etc etc- but honestly- my husband and I absolutely love it.
Fingers crossed you find it suits your lifestyle as we have. :-)
And give us a shout if you need anything!!
Fingers crossed you find it suits your lifestyle as we have. :-)
And give us a shout if you need anything!!
Jan 17th 2018, 10:37 pm
#24
BE Enthusiast
Joined: Mar 2012
Location: Calgary
Posts: 962
Re: Moving from Vancouver to Calgary
Aww that’s great! We’ve been here just over a year now and I know many people find different things in the experience or may not find it’s what they hoped etc etc- but honestly- my husband and I absolutely love it.
Fingers crossed you find it suits your lifestyle as we have. :-)
And give us a shout if you need anything!!
Fingers crossed you find it suits your lifestyle as we have. :-)
And give us a shout if you need anything!!
Jan 18th 2018, 8:33 pm
#25
BE Forum Addict
Joined: Feb 2013
Location: BC, Canada
Posts: 3,874
Re: Moving from Vancouver to Calgary
If anything it's worse, it's winter from November-March so not much going on then. Eventually people defrost around May.
I notice when I go into supermarkets in Vancouver everything is more expensive, so much so that they seem to be embarrassed as Sobey's is called: "Thrifty Foods" in Vancouver.
However on the flip side you can't easily go shopping in the US, and there is much less of a selection in where to shop, Whole Foods for example doesn't operate in Calgary.
I notice when I go into supermarkets in Vancouver everything is more expensive, so much so that they seem to be embarrassed as Sobey's is called: "Thrifty Foods" in Vancouver.
However on the flip side you can't easily go shopping in the US, and there is much less of a selection in where to shop, Whole Foods for example doesn't operate in Calgary.
You obviously don't know much about BC
Thrifty Foods was a small chain of stores that began on Vancouver Island, expanding to Vancouver within the last 10 years. Yes, they really were "thrifty", and excellent stores, great prices, great choice.
But the owners ran out of steam, and fell for an offer from Sobeys to take them over.
Sobeys has also taken over Safeway in BC, and a number of other chains in Ontario. Their practice is to operate the chains under the original names, but to replace all "own brands" with Sobeys own and try to convert everyone to Sobeys.
It has not worked very well in BC ........... Sobeys has lost multi-millions (maybe even close to billions) since they took over Safeway, their CEO was fired, and there are rumours that they might even be looking at getting out of BC
But Thrifty's was never meant to be an alternate name for Sobeys ......... it was just part of Sobeys desire to be the sole chain in Canada.
Jan 18th 2018, 11:08 pm
#26
Grumpy Know-it-all
Joined: Jul 2010
Location: Calgary, Alberta
Posts: 8,928
Re: Moving from Vancouver to Calgary
Well technically, Sobey's is Empire Foods actually. I was being a little bit sarcastic there in case you didn't catch it, I recall they took over Thrifty Foods I just find it rather ironic they charge more than Sobey's does.
They took over Safeway in the whole of western Canada, not just BC. Since when it's gone downhill in Canada and gotten significantly better in the US, imx. I actually used to know the head of IT for Safeway out west, his view was that Sobey's hadn't got a clue, which turned out to be right.
Anyway back to the original point, there isn't much of a selection in supermarkets in Calgary. There's Loblaw's (aka "The Real Canadian Superstore", "The Box", etc.) and there's Sobeys (aka Safeway). And Save on Foods has a couple of stores. Or you can go into Wal-Mart which is just the generic brands all the other supermarkets stock imx and very little else. And there's the Co-op, which used to be crap but seems to have gotten a bit better lately. Oh and Costco.
Whereas in Vancouver you've also got Whole Foods, some discount chain I can't remember the name of which is similar to the Co-op, plus you can go to the US and go to Costcutters and Fred Meyer's (aka Kroger's) and Trader Joe's. Plus there are more independent stores in Vancouver.
They took over Safeway in the whole of western Canada, not just BC. Since when it's gone downhill in Canada and gotten significantly better in the US, imx. I actually used to know the head of IT for Safeway out west, his view was that Sobey's hadn't got a clue, which turned out to be right.
Anyway back to the original point, there isn't much of a selection in supermarkets in Calgary. There's Loblaw's (aka "The Real Canadian Superstore", "The Box", etc.) and there's Sobeys (aka Safeway). And Save on Foods has a couple of stores. Or you can go into Wal-Mart which is just the generic brands all the other supermarkets stock imx and very little else. And there's the Co-op, which used to be crap but seems to have gotten a bit better lately. Oh and Costco.
Whereas in Vancouver you've also got Whole Foods, some discount chain I can't remember the name of which is similar to the Co-op, plus you can go to the US and go to Costcutters and Fred Meyer's (aka Kroger's) and Trader Joe's. Plus there are more independent stores in Vancouver.
Jan 22nd 2018, 1:21 pm
#27
BE Enthusiast
Joined: Feb 2008
Location: British Columbia
Posts: 896
Re: Moving from Vancouver to Calgary
My wife and I have been in Vancouver (both downtown and later the GVA) for over 3 years now and we have a son about to turn two.
Even in the 'burbs, we feel home ownership is too much of a stretch for us financially at the moment with absolutely no end to the problem in sight. A 3-bed townhouse (with a $350 a month strata fee) on our (very unfashionable) street recently sold for about $850,000. A 4-bedder was asking a million recently. Bonkers. I also find the prices of booze, food, and other annoying little things to be much higher than in the UK. On top of that, I have a love-hate relationship with Vancouver (other threads on the subject reflect some of my views (both negative and positive)).
As a result, I have started to look into Calgary. Looks like we can get an older bungalow-style 3-bed detached house in a desirable area for under $600k (at a bit of a push). I gather car insurance is considerably lower there too.
Any idea how the two compare in terms of cost? We currently rent a 3-bed townhouse and pay about $2,200 a month. Transit pass (no car at the moment but looking to buy one soon) is about $125. Our son does 3 days a week at a local daycare and we pay $850 a month for that. Any idea if the daycares are horribly oversubscribed in Calgary as they are in Vancouver? We won't move if we can't find a daycare as we went through that nightmare once already.
How is Calgary culturally and socially? I have found Vancouver to be very awkward for socialising, almost moribund. Any different in Calgary?
Even in the 'burbs, we feel home ownership is too much of a stretch for us financially at the moment with absolutely no end to the problem in sight. A 3-bed townhouse (with a $350 a month strata fee) on our (very unfashionable) street recently sold for about $850,000. A 4-bedder was asking a million recently. Bonkers. I also find the prices of booze, food, and other annoying little things to be much higher than in the UK. On top of that, I have a love-hate relationship with Vancouver (other threads on the subject reflect some of my views (both negative and positive)).
As a result, I have started to look into Calgary. Looks like we can get an older bungalow-style 3-bed detached house in a desirable area for under $600k (at a bit of a push). I gather car insurance is considerably lower there too.
Any idea how the two compare in terms of cost? We currently rent a 3-bed townhouse and pay about $2,200 a month. Transit pass (no car at the moment but looking to buy one soon) is about $125. Our son does 3 days a week at a local daycare and we pay $850 a month for that. Any idea if the daycares are horribly oversubscribed in Calgary as they are in Vancouver? We won't move if we can't find a daycare as we went through that nightmare once already.
How is Calgary culturally and socially? I have found Vancouver to be very awkward for socialising, almost moribund. Any different in Calgary?
$600k will buy you a mansion here though that is quickly changing too as we have had a massive influx of people move here from the LM within the past 18 months or so.
Just thought I'd throw that out there incase you've never thought of us lol
Jan 25th 2018, 8:00 pm
#28
Just Joined
Joined: Jun 2005
Posts: 25
Re: Moving from Vancouver to Calgary
I've not used this account for 8 years, since I moved to Canada but have resurrected it just to reply to this thread (on the original topic).
I live in Okotoks which is about 20 mins south of the Calgary limits so can only speak to that. Here you can buy a reasonable sized house (1,800 sq feet+) for between $500-$550K but there are cheaper properties. Not too many rentals unfortunately but I've heard you'd be looking between $1,800-$2,000
per month for a good sized house.
We have two kids in daycare and currently pay $850 per month per child and that's for 5 days a week. That is in a private dayhome. A daycare will set you back a bit more around $1,000 - $1,100 per child. But my kids love their dayhome provider and are very happy. There is no problems with getting into dayhomes or daycares at least in Okotoks, there seems to always be spaces.
Overall we're happy in Calgary. The community we live in is great for kids and young families. Yes, the winters can be long but we also have more sun than Vancouver and way less rain.
Hope that helps. Let me know if you need anymore information.
I live in Okotoks which is about 20 mins south of the Calgary limits so can only speak to that. Here you can buy a reasonable sized house (1,800 sq feet+) for between $500-$550K but there are cheaper properties. Not too many rentals unfortunately but I've heard you'd be looking between $1,800-$2,000
per month for a good sized house.
We have two kids in daycare and currently pay $850 per month per child and that's for 5 days a week. That is in a private dayhome. A daycare will set you back a bit more around $1,000 - $1,100 per child. But my kids love their dayhome provider and are very happy. There is no problems with getting into dayhomes or daycares at least in Okotoks, there seems to always be spaces.
Overall we're happy in Calgary. The community we live in is great for kids and young families. Yes, the winters can be long but we also have more sun than Vancouver and way less rain.
Hope that helps. Let me know if you need anymore information.
