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Reality Check Vancouver

Reality Check Vancouver

Old Dec 9th 2009, 8:32 pm
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Default Re: Reality Check Vancouver

Originally Posted by Alan2005
http://www.payscale.com/research/CA/...ncouver/Salary
http://www.payscale.com/research/CA/...ry/by_Employer

Probably has a fairly high margin of error, but salary averages seem to be well short of the $100k mark, let alone $100k after tax. Vancouver is generally a low wage economy when compared to the much of the south east in the UK.
The 100k figure was based on a combined salary of at least 70k-ish each as the OP had said they both work and they both earn a lot more than their neighbors.
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Old Dec 9th 2009, 8:33 pm
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Default Re: Reality Check Vancouver

Originally Posted by Juliew
I was basing my numbers on the average salary as per the government websites. Again, these numbers don't mean a lot as each individual's experience will depend upon what type of job they do. I know nurses in BC that earn over $100 k per year, but they are very well paid. I would argue that the average professional in Greater Vancouver earns between $50 and $80 K. If you convert this, it is about 27 to 50K in pounds. This is the same for the Southeast - as far as I remember.
Basic wage for a nurse ranges between $30 and $40 an hour. Only way to get over $100k is to do a lot of hours.
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Old Dec 9th 2009, 8:35 pm
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Default Re: Reality Check Vancouver

Originally Posted by Oink
The 100k figure was based on a combined salary of at least 70k-ish each as the OP had said they both work and they both earn a lot more than their neighbors.
That sounds like the upper end of average to me.
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Old Dec 9th 2009, 8:39 pm
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Default Re: Reality Check Vancouver

Originally Posted by Alan2005
Basic wage for a nurse ranges between $30 and $40 an hour. Only way to get over $100k is to do a lot of hours.

I know that school administrators (heads and such) earn roughly 100k, give or take a few grand either way and I wouldn't consider them highly paid. Now the higher ups make a lot more than that though.
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Old Dec 9th 2009, 8:39 pm
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Default Re: Reality Check Vancouver

Originally Posted by Juliew
I'm not sure what salary range you are in but the average salary in the Southeast is on par with Vancouver. Having said this, it really depends upon what job you do and whether your qualifications are recognized in Canada. Generally speaking, public sector jobs are better paid in Canada, whereas banking are better in the Southeast.
With regards to housing prices, you should compare apples with apples. In my opinion an attached house is equivalent to a townhouse. Also, you can't compare Vancouver city prices with prices in Kent.
Really? I just had a cursory look around on the internet and got these figures:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/e...on/7802792.stm

London: 46,462 pounds
SE: 32,819 pounds

http://www.bcstats.gov.bc.ca/pubs/eet/eetdata.pdf

BC: $42,000

Couldn't find any definite answers for just Vancouver, but I believe it is around the $50-55k mark. If you compare that at the current (pitiful) exchange rate of about 1.7 to the pound, it IMO makes Vancouver wages appear better than they really are, as the pound has rarely ever been this weak. Historically, you are looking at an average of around 2-2.1 to the pound.
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Old Dec 9th 2009, 8:46 pm
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Default Re: Reality Check Vancouver

Originally Posted by Oink
I know that school administrators (heads and such) earn roughly 100k, give or take a few grand either way and I wouldn't consider them highly paid. Now the higher ups make a lot more than that though.
I bet they do. Still, I remember reading that around the $100k mark is the average family income for Vancouver and the surrounding area. Getting $150k, whilst nice, is probably not that far away from the majority and I'd guess if that only graduates are included (assuming the OP is one) then $150k would be pretty normal.
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Old Dec 9th 2009, 8:55 pm
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Default Re: Reality Check Vancouver

Originally Posted by Alan2005
I bet they do. Still, I remember reading that around the $100k mark is the average family income for Vancouver and the surrounding area. Getting $150k, whilst nice, is probably not that far away from the majority and I'd guess if that only graduates are included (assuming the OP is one) then $150k would be pretty normal.
I would say you are spot on with that assessment.

I still don't get why the OP is struggling if their combined earnings are considerably higher than 150k?
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Old Dec 9th 2009, 9:04 pm
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Default Re: Reality Check Vancouver

Originally Posted by brizzle
Really? I just had a cursory look around on the internet and got these figures:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/e...on/7802792.stm

London: 46,462 pounds
SE: 32,819 pounds

http://www.bcstats.gov.bc.ca/pubs/eet/eetdata.pdf

BC: $42,000

Couldn't find any definite answers for just Vancouver, but I believe it is around the $50-55k mark. If you compare that at the current (pitiful) exchange rate of about 1.7 to the pound, it IMO makes Vancouver wages appear better than they really are, as the pound has rarely ever been this weak. Historically, you are looking at an average of around 2-2.1 to the pound.
Nice to see some hard data on this but 'Apples and Oranges' comes to mind. Look at the sectors that those in BC are employed in - relatively low paying jobs like forestry, utilities etc - and we know that a large proportion of people in the SE of England are employed in the higher paying sectors of finance etc. Different types of jobs explains a large amount here. You need to compare similar job types. Just one example: I know, for example, that my job - university academic - pays more in BC than in the UK.

Alanb
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Old Dec 9th 2009, 9:10 pm
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Default Re: Reality Check Vancouver

Originally Posted by Oink
I would say you are spot on with that assessment.

I still don't get why the OP is struggling if their combined earnings are considerably higher than 150k?
Me neither. Unless they bought a house at 10 x their combined income or something stupid like that.
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Old Dec 9th 2009, 9:13 pm
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Default Re: Reality Check Vancouver

Originally Posted by drabux
Nice to see some hard data on this but 'Apples and Oranges' comes to mind. Look at the sectors that those in BC are employed in - relatively low paying jobs like forestry, utilities etc - and we know that a large proportion of people in the SE of England are employed in the higher paying sectors of finance etc. Different types of jobs explains a large amount here. You need to compare similar job types. Just one example: I know, for example, that my job - university academic - pays more in BC than in the UK.

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But they have crap biscuits here.
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Old Dec 9th 2009, 9:23 pm
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Default Re: Reality Check Vancouver

Originally Posted by Alan2005
I bet they do. Still, I remember reading that around the $100k mark is the average family income for Vancouver and the surrounding area. Getting $150k, whilst nice, is probably not that far away from the majority and I'd guess if that only graduates are included (assuming the OP is one) then $150k would be pretty normal.
$150k per family is pretty normal - you must move in different circles to me!!

Originally Posted by drabux
Nice to see some hard data on this but 'Apples and Oranges' comes to mind. Look at the sectors that those in BC are employed in - relatively low paying jobs like forestry, utilities etc - and we know that a large proportion of people in the SE of England are employed in the higher paying sectors of finance etc. Different types of jobs explains a large amount here. You need to compare similar job types. Just one example: I know, for example, that my job - university academic - pays more in BC than in the UK. Alanb
Yes, I see what you're getting at, if your profession pays more here, but equally you could argue that the UK doesn't have as many high paying resource based jobs in oil/gas etc. BC average wage compared to UK average wage gives a pretty good indication that wages are higher in the UK overall. Even the lowest average wage in the UK (Blanau, Gwent at 21,550) compares well with BC
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Old Dec 9th 2009, 9:27 pm
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Default Re: Reality Check Vancouver

Originally Posted by brizzle
$150k per family is pretty normal - you must move in different circles to me!!
I can imagine a couple earning 70k each if they are in skilled work.
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Old Dec 9th 2009, 9:49 pm
  #43  
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Default Re: Reality Check Vancouver

Originally Posted by Oink
But they have crap biscuits here.
LOL. They don't even have a tea-break here.
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Old Dec 9th 2009, 9:50 pm
  #44  
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Default Re: Reality Check Vancouver

Originally Posted by Alan2005
I can imagine a couple earning 70k each if they are in skilled work.
With a bit of fiddling with the hours you could probably earn that as an office temp.
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Old Dec 9th 2009, 10:01 pm
  #45  
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Default Re: Reality Check Vancouver

Originally Posted by Alan2005
I can imagine a couple earning 70k each if they are in skilled work.
Ok, but a lot of families have children and one parent who might work p/t. I'm just suggesting that a family who earns $150k, would be amongst the top few per cent here, and I wouldn't think it was the norm by a long way

Originally Posted by Oink
With a bit of fiddling with the hours you could probably earn that as an office temp.
Perhaps, by fiddling you mean cloning yourself !! An office temp, would be doing 70hrs pw at $20ph to get that
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