cath999

Hello everyone
I am reading all these horror stories about how expensive Calgary is and I am starting to panic!
My husband is a plumber and has been offered a job in Calgary paying $35.50CAD per hour. Is this liveable on for a family of 3?? Where is good to live in Calgary? Is there anywhere we could afford to live?? I have worked out that he will be paying about 25% in tax - are there anyother deductions on top of this? Been living in the UK too long with our stealth taxes ha!!

Thanks

Catherine

emma69

There is another thread on the go about Tax, but yes, there are other deductions, EI (like NI) and CPP. You might also want to take into account premiums for things like health care (not sure what the rules are in Calgary, but in Ontario you have to meet residency before you qualify for coverage and medical bills are expensive!)

Judy in Calgary

In my opinion, yes.

The northwest, southwest and far southeast quadrants generally are good.

The northeast and close-in southeast quadrants generally are to be avoided.

It depends to some extent on how much of a downpayment you'd be able to make.

Read the discussion thread entitled Salary calculator.

Also read the Taxation-Canada section of the Wiki.
x

jad n rich

We found it helpful to estimate the the after tax wage, include pension/health contributions etc

Say on that wage approx $3800 a month then start to take out living costs - you can search on examples of actual costs posted by using the search box.

Rent $1500 - $2000 a month and so on, see what it leaves. Dont forget the biggies like car insurance heating etc, and the niggling ones you may not appreciate from the UK like health care/dental.

Its a fairly brutal exercise but it can give you a pretty good idea.

moondevil

yes it is do-able

Like judy said depends what life style that you are looking for, plus will your hubbys job give you a work permit

if so you can top the wage up by you working, we are currently in lethbridge, the wages are a bit lower here, but his employer is matching the bigger places next pay rise

You have to look at costs etc and how much you will be coming with and what life style you want, plus how badly do you want to move

Good luck

Judy in Calgary

New residents who arrive in Alberta from outside of Canada are eligible for provincial health care insurance from Day 1.

Alberta Health Care Insurance premiums currently are $88 per family per month. These premiums will be eliminated on January 1st, 2009.

AHCIP covers visits to doctors, stays in hospital, surgery, and tests, such as X-Rays, blood tests, etc.

AHCIP does not cover prescription medication, dental care or eye glasses.

For more details, see the Wiki article called Health Care-Alberta.
x

emma69

Ah, so just Ontario that sucks then Still, I figure we are lucky to get coverage at all, so must not complain!

cath999

Thanks everyone!

Judy you said that the premiums will be eliminated - does that mean that the cover they provided will be eliminated also?

jad n rich

No your still covered, but you also still need health cover for dental etc, some employers pay part of that.

Judy in Calgary

x

Getting There

Hi Catherine,

Your questions seem to have got a good airing so all we'll do is wish you a very warm welcome to BE and (if you three decide to proceed) to Calgary too! We're just down the road from Calgary, in the town of Okotoks. By the way, we also think that the salary proposed to your husband is manageable - and one assumes that, in what is a valuable trade, the salary is likely to improve over time as he proves his worth.

Best wishes,

Eamonn & Janet.

amardan

Hi there we find that our money is sufficient. So I would say that yes it is enough. My husband's tax is not very much as I don't work he filled in a form to claim back my tax which I assume is taken off his tax as his tax does appear to be low. We live in Tuscany and find it affordable and it is also a nice area to live. Especially, as we have 2 children and they seem to have settled in here nicely and we are currently renting a 3 bedroom house with developed basement and double garage for $1600.00 per month. Which we find very reasonable.

Good luck with your move and hope you enjoy living in Calgary as we do.

Regards

Rachel