Shard

Not really, he hasn't addressed the fact that some people prefer NA culture to British culture. No idea what "small c culture means"? Suggesting that living in Milton Keynes is a proxy for living in NA is simply nonsense.

Zara_may

Thanks everyone for your inputs. I'll get my husband to read this thread tonite.

Please continue to share your views.

Shard

If he's serious about Toronto and there is a income issue for you, be sure to visit Toronto in the middle of winter to get a realistic view. It's a lovely city in the summer, but a bit blah in the winter. Also, if you're making good dosh, think of relocating within the SE, plenty of less-central areas where you can get a bit more space.

HSJones

London.

Established social network & more babysitters (I presume), better museums and culture for the little one growing up, easy access to Europe for weekends away and holidays, more holiday time (likely 4-5 wks vs. possibly starting with only 2 weeks vacay/yr).

Living in London with amazing wages such as those must be fab (though of course one always spends what one has)! As you'll read on here many take a financial hit moving here.

If you stay in London, you can 'buy into' the Canadian lifestyle by coming here and renting a cottage each summer for a week - and doing some canoeing then.

Very much agree with dbd33...if it's the 'country' lifestyle you're after - then Canada wins it. For me, if it's city - London every time. I'd still be there if I hadn't fallen in love with a Canadian and moved to Toronto.

Don't move because of political issues, i.e. being fed up of immigrants, country going 'down the drain', NHS failing etc. etc. as all of that stuff exists here too.

Another point to throw in, I know a couple who moved here recently and they have a much better 'family' life - kids see parents much more due to shorter commute and shorter work hours. An improved family life may be a good benefit, but I know they came on a company transfer so they didn't have the hassle of finding a job, starting from nothing - it makes a huge difference.

But if you want to take the leap, be sure to have lots in savings, come visit first to check the city out both in summer and winter. Good luck!

dbd33

I have. I try to sympathise with the problems of the residents "they put an Olympic water taxi stop right below our balcony. Some passengers were quite noisy" but, bloody hell, in Toronto you wouldn't get in a river taxi without a clothes peg for your nose. It's like trying to sympathise with someone complaining that their black Ferrari shows the dirt.

dbd33

I used the phrase "small c culture" in acceptance that the way people live is a "culture" even though one doesn't think of Walmart, the Keg and iced hockey as being culture in the sense that art galleries and opera are Culture.

"Milton Keynes" said Bill Bryson "was built by some who heard about America on the radio" (quoting from memory, apologies for any slight misphrasing). It's not exactly the same as Plano/Daly City/Missisauga/Toronto above the 401 but it's similar in the major respects; it has big box stores and tract housing. The difference isn't enough to be worth $25,000 in moving expenses.

cherryj

This to me stands out as one of the most important things to consider...
Before you plan on leaving London to move to Toronto, the very first thing I would do would be take a trip over to Toronto. Your husband may find he is in love with the idea of Canada and the reality doesn't quite meet it....

My husband and I travelled around Canada 3 years ago after living in Liverpool. We fell in love with Toronto and planned to move. In the interim we lived and worked in London for the next 3 years. On returning to Toronto, our views of the city were completely different. Compared to London, it just didn't seem as good.
We left after a week and travelled to various other cities before settling in Calgary.

I'd definitely recommend a visit to Canada, and see if you could see yourselves settling and living here before you make any further plans.

bats

MK wins really. It has affordable theatre and opera, art galleries, John Lewis, Waitrose, IKEA, good restaurants, 45 mins from Euston and 20 mins from my mum.

Novocastrian

And a better football team than Toronto.

ultrarunner

That is bang on

OP....with the kind of 'DINCO' you guys have, you are better off staying in Blighty and just coming over on holiday for a while to really get to know this place. Your line of work is ten-a-penny here, especially in the Toronto and the GTA (Greater Toronto Area). You won't be starting off with C$90k with no "Canadian experience" that is for sure.

For house prices in the burbs, get a feel for it from the link below of new homes in the burbs of a major Ontario city

http://www.tamarackhomes.com/ottawa-...s-Chaperal.php

jrr773

Hi Zara. I came here six months ago and although I've not been seeking work with a great deal of enthusiasm, I've been surprised at the lack of responses and salaries quoted (I worked in middle office of an asset mngr back home so thought I'd be looking at a similar salary here). Fortunately my wife transferred at her comparable UK pay scale.

As regards housing prices here (GTA) have continued upwards whereas they're more or less static in the UK and US. I foresee a correction as the banks, who avoided the worst of the 2008 crisis, seem hellbent on making up for that lucky break (my wife's friend recently bought a 3 bed house on a 7x salary mortgage). I would say prices are still probably slightly lower than decent areas of London (and you get larger houses) but the gap has narrowed considerably in the 5 years we have been coming here. I would certainly be in no rush to buy here for the foreseeable given incomes have been largely static for a few years. We live in Markham and houses go for around $750 - 800K in this street (about 470-500K in real money). You'll note from the link ultrarunner supplied that houses are built about five yards apart in identikit fashion.

In short as others have said come and visit but be prepared to be poorer comparatively, although there are lifestyle benefits here certainly.

dbd33

Markham is, of course, Toronto in the way that Milton Keynes is London.

Novocastrian

But Markham has better Chinese restaurants.

I call BS here. I very much doubt that a 7X salary mortgage is obtainable anywhere in Canada. I also doubt that you could buy a detached house 30 km from Big Ben for 500K sterling, or as you so quaintly put it, real money.

Shard

That sounds like the nice bit of Tower Hamlets.

christmasoompa

What's 30km in miles, approx 20 miles? If so, that's definitely possible - here is one from our old village 18 miles from Big Ben............http://www.rightmove.co.uk/property-...5.html/nomsite And I'm sure 20 miles in other directions would be cheaper.

Granted, it's not the most attractive of houses but it's possible! We paid quite a bit less than that for our 4 bed detached in Bucks which was only a few miles further out of London.