julius smith

hi guys.

been looking for quite some time for job openings in BC, but looks like u really need to be there physically.....which is why im asking this question...

heard on here somewhere that its possible to live on even $15k a year in BC...altho i dont know how that person managed it...obviously maybe he/she was single and didnt drive or spend much?

everywhere all i keep hearing is the BC means bring cash! what if you havent got that much cash? im wont be selling my home in the uk, so i wont have masses of money on me when i decide to land in BC. max im looking at is around £6000, maybe a little more.

i figure that may last me about 6 to 8 mths, by which time i should have landed a job, even if not a highly paid one.

so...in a nutshell, here's the stats for which im looking for answers:

single person
renting a 1 bedroom flat (maybe even studio) in or around commercial drive area (may look at burnaby, abbotsford, new westminster as well)
driving small car (honda civic?)
non-drinking, non smoking

my own research produces this (per mth):

rent $900
food $250
car $100

all u guys in BC...are these costs sensible?

christmasoompa

Got to be honest, I don't think your £6k will last anywhere near that long if you are planning on renting a 1 bed place and buying a car too - have you looked in to the price of car insurance?! That alone could eat half of your budget up in one go.

What visa are you going over on, do you need proof of funds when you land?

el_richo

Rent is doable if you're not picky and/or are a good way from downtown.

Car - don't forget you have to actually buy one first. 2nd hand cars are quite expensive when compared to the UK. You could buy a banger for a couple of grand though. Then you have insurance which could easily stretch to the value of the car each year. Then you have fuel which if you're driving a bit will cost you easily $100 to $200 a month possibly if you live far enough out.

On top of that you need furniture most probably, you have Hydro bills, rental deposit, etc etc.

Realistically, including set-up, you'll be lucky to get 3 or 4 months tops and that would be living very carefully and i doubt it would be pretty. If the $9k includes flights then that reduces it even further.

All my personal opinion of course

Boy d

in a nutshell, probably not realistic.

I'd personally look at downtown (West End) and not bother with a motor. The west end is a great place, close to the beach, downtown, stanley park, and everything needed within a short walk (grocery store, eateries, bars, stores, gyms etc).

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/West_End,_Vancouver

Transit is pretty good, not London good, but good all the same. You could rent a zip car for the day or hour as needed:

http://www.zipcar.com/vancouver/busi...FUQbQgodG2YT1g

Don't bother living in the middle of nowhere like Abbotsford......there's nowt there.

Here is some rough costs off the top of my head. Canadian dollars, per month in the west end:

Rent: older, decent one bed around 1100 bucks. Heat and hotwater are included and there are no council taxes. You actually could find a studio for less or a basement suite for around 900 bucks. Personally i'd pay the extra 150 a month to be downtown, you'll save as much on transit and cabs anyway.

** not furnished**

Cable, phone and tinternet: 150 ish

Hydro: 20

cell phone: 50

Food: tough one really, since it depends on choices, but 250 seems low. I'd say more like 400 plus???

By my estimate that comes to around 1800 for basic living costs, without entertainment or transit.

here is a comparison of the net for cost of living in vancouver vs london. Quick look at the Vancouver cost seems about right (other than beer, which is higher, but you don't drink).

http://www.numbeo.com/cost-of-living...m&city2=London

Good luck!

Alan2005

$10k for 6-8 months? With a car I'd say you have no chance. Use transit and you have a chance to eke it out that long. Transit is fairly good in the places you've listed* as where you'd like to live - use it and get a car when you've got a job.

Eidt: *Apart from abbortsford where you'll need a car - but really you don't want to live there as a Vancouver newbie. The westend (as per dboy's post) is a good place to start.

JonboyE

Have to agree that there is no way you can operate a car for $100 a month. Anyway, in the West End or Commercial Drive areas you don't need one - transit is good enough.

£6,000 might last for 6 months if you live a no-frills lifestyle. But six months is plenty of time to find a job if you are reasonably employable.

cheers

Another view.

Get a share rent until you get your feet on the ground.

No car.

Eat sparingly and it shouldn't be much.

These suggestions are as I said until you get your feet on the ground.

You are coming over with plenty of money in my view. Good for you!

There are posters on here who seem to delight in discouraging people with doom and gloom.

JonboyE

There are, and I find them very frustrating. However, there is nothing above that is not completely realistic, and mostly from people who actually live here.

Are you suggesting we should not tell the truth?

Alan2005

Huh? All the posts are basically saying what you just said aren't they? i.e. forget about the car, and if you live cheaply you can probably do it.

cheers

I pay $20 a month for fuel. Insurance can eat up a lot of money so you get a good older car and only pay for liability insurance and you may pay only $50 a month and maybe less. Again stay away from cars until you see were your finances are.

If you follow me around I would make that £6000 last for 12 months and then you would still have money left over.

Living simply is to live happily.

Alan2005

Er, no.

JonboyE

In BC you have to buy the basic insurance (the minimum required to drive) from the government insurer. Mrs JonboyE has just renewed her insurance. She has the maximum no claims discount, has a 12 year-old vehicle worth maybe $3,000 and we live in a cheaper insurance district than downtown Vancouver. Her minimum premium including license fee was $891.

scrubbedexpat091

While BC is far from being cheap place to live, many on here seem to forget that many people live on far less then they do and do manage it, you just have to adapt.

If making 15,000 driving:

Live with roommates, I live in a basement suite with 1 other person, and rent is 450 a month with all utilities included.

Take transit, driving is an unnecessary expense and as long as one is not living out in Maple Ridge, Port Moody, Langley, Abbotsford etc, transit will get you around fairly quickly and without much an issue.

Learn to use dollar stores, many of the products are of decent enough quality to use, just be a wise shopper.

But if your making a large income going to such a small income might seem impossible to live on but its not, I have been living on 8-10/hr my entire working life as do many.

People tend to forget all those workers in places such as retail, hotels and other service jobs live in BC too and manage to survive.

You wont be taking vacations etc on a wage of 15,000 a year most likely, but you get used to it, its really not much an issue and there are plenty of things to do in Vancouver and surrounds that dont cost a ton of money.

Boy d

Perhaps in the US, but not here. Apples to oranges my friend...

scrubbedexpat091

You wont find basic liability at ICBC for $50 a month and $20 of gas well isn't much gas, maybe 4-5 gallons at current prices.