Re: Cost of Living UK v Vancouver
 

Mortgage is the biggest variable in all of this. My general feeling for other things is that for a similar standard of living aim to earn twice your UK salary in CDN. Perhaps a little more depending where you are.

Re: Cost of Living UK v Vancouver
 

Judging by your original sterling figures, you net pay seems to be about 3k pm. That must be around 4-4.5k pm gross. $94k gross, as mentioned above is probably equivalent in spending power terms to about 45k pa gross. So on the face of it there probably isn't a huge difference between the two.

Other factors are where do you live now (money goes further in say NE UK rather than C.London) and are you bringing any equity? Sorry if it sounds as though people are barraging you with personal questions, but it is important if you want accurate advice.

My feeling is that $94k pa is perfectly adequate for a couple if you want to live in suburban Vancouver. However, once you factor in child care or p/t wages then things could get tighter, but you know that already and it isn't a unique situation to here.

Re: Cost of Living UK v Vancouver
 

You must have a very basic package or on an introductory deal. Care to enlighten us with who you are with?

Re: Cost of Living UK v Vancouver
 

just to clarify theres no TV license in Canada, with an Ant. you can pick up about 20 channels Free to Air - not very good ones mind but free nonetheless ....

Re: Cost of Living UK v Vancouver
 

im with Shaw...basic cable yes..phone and internet are not..i have been with them for over a year..so not introductory either

Re: Cost of Living UK v Vancouver
 

We are with shaw- basic tv, high speed internet and low phone package. Its way more than $50. Have you left a 1 off the front?

Re: Cost of Living UK v Vancouver
 

We are also with Shaw. We have Basic cable plus the extra HD channels, lowest phone package and the second level Internet (Extreme) $75 per month for 1 year.

Re: Cost of Living UK v Vancouver
 

We're with Shaw on an intro' package. We have digital TV - $9.95 per month, mid broadband (15 mbps I think) - $19.95. We don't have a phone line as we use VOIP with a canadain number and a UK number, depending on where we want people to think we are calling from. Line rental is £1 per month and between 1p and 1.3p per minute anywhere in the world.

Re: Cost of Living UK v Vancouver
 

[QUOTE=samb29;9292317]for a start ICBC will suck you dry and spit out the bones to run a car in Vancouver. You will come to love ICBC as much as I do they are great

Re: Cost of Living UK v Vancouver
 

Hi there,

My husband and I live on a similar salary (100k). I work part-time and him full time. We have two young children which attend daycare 3 times a week. We are comfortable; but still need to watch our spending. We live in a townhouse; but plan to move up to a house next year. We drive two cars - one new and one older one. We eat out once a week and take a holiday to the UK once a year. We also manage to pay double mortgage payments. There isn't a lot exta at the end of the month, but when you have small children it is difficult to save. Given our professions, I suspect that our income will double within the next 8 years! You will be fine if your income is 94K to start!

Re: Cost of Living UK v Vancouver
 

[QUOTE=scliffe;9310801]:confused:why's that then scliffe? I am yet to hit that path...

Living expenses i have experienced so far:

• $1900 Rent inc Gas & Water. 2 Bedroom nr English bay apartment 1200 sqft
• $65 Residents parking per year
• $30-40 Hydro per month
• $65 per month Iphone package (non contract as i own the phone) with Bell
• $165 per month hire of a private garage for storage
• $81 per month transit pass - if i need it - not sure yet.
• $12.50 per cinema ticket
• $5.99 per DVD rental
• $8 - 10 on lunch
• $10 - 20 on dinner
• $50 per month gym + $50 joining fee - non contractual with YMCA
• $65 medical stuff (not paying it yet but it will be that much)

Other costs yet to come in
I will also end up with car costs once my husband gets here.
I think we may go the non cable route and look into things like hulu / netflix / roku (i am researching right now).

Groceries
I did some shopping at Costco and Safeways. Costco was certainly cheaper for the things i bought there. Safeway was average price but certainly more expensive than the UK. This is everyone's number one complaint - grocery costs. Someone summed it up perfectly on here a wee while ago... along the lines of Waitrose prices for Asda quality.

You just cannot compare - you have to take your wage and work it that way really.

Speak to a Canadian mortgage broker here - we discovered we could borrow more in the UK compared to here.
:)

Re: Cost of Living UK v Vancouver
 

Try this web site out to compare the cost of living http://www.expatistan.com/cost-of-living[/URL]
Many hours of fun can be had comparing prices. On thing to remember is that prices in Canada are quoted without taxes and in the UK are including taxes.

All the best with your move.

Peter

Re: Cost of Living UK v Vancouver
 

[QUOTE=scliffe;9310801][QUOTE=BumbleBeeUK;9312827]Because it is a government monopoly. If you have a car you have to insure through them, minimum equivalent of 3rd party. Additional insurance (comp)can be bought elsewhere, but even if you've been driving for donkeys and your car is worth nothing you'll be shelling out at least $800 pa for basic insurance. In reality, overall, it'll be upwards of $1200 pa per car.

It's a rip-off. It isn't cost neutral and they make huge profits (surprisingly). Still they have to make money somehow to fund a) real estate speculation, b) siphoning to other gvt spending, c) illegal chop-shop activities etc.

Re: Cost of Living UK v Vancouver
 

We are living in North Vancouver on a similar income our outgoings are approx:

Rent - $1550 (includes gas & water)
Car finance - $500 (we bought big and brand new)
Car insurance - $301 :frown: (for 1st 6 months with ICBC then we can shop around)
Mobiles: $130 (x2 iPhones on contract)
Internet & Cable: $88 (extreme internet & HD Basic + extra channels)
Food: $600 (2 of us)
Hydro: $50 (paid $45 for 2 months worth last summer, so balances out over winter)
Tenants Insurance: $17
Fuel: $200
Transit: $81
MSP: $100 ish (comes off my wages so don't really notice it)

This still leaves us with a good surplus for savings, weekends away and eating out.

As long as you work out what your NET monthly income will be you can start looking at your rent/mortgage budget and go from there (search on Craigslist to get an idea of what you can rent for your money). We don't notice a massive difference from UK, apart from the car insurance but that will start coming down shortly.

And I still convert everything in my head to UK pounds after 17 months here, just out of habit I think, wonder how long that lasts for?? :)