Is it really better in Canada?
Sep 27th 2010, 6:07 pm
#106
Assimilated Pauper
Joined: Mar 2005
Location: Ontario
Posts: 40,018
Re: Is it really better in Canada?
But what would one's circumstances in the UK have to be in order to find life to be cheaper in Vancouver? Perhaps if one were renting in central London and wanted to rent in Vancouver, but that's a tiny proportion of the population of the UK.
Sep 27th 2010, 6:11 pm
#107
Joined: Sep 2008
Posts: 12,830
Re: Is it really better in Canada?
As you suggest, it is subjective to our past experiences. Having spent time in many part of the world, I find the general cost of living lower where we live. I am not factoring in accommodation, merely day to day living expensed and consumer goods.
Sep 28th 2010, 1:48 pm
#108
Forum Regular
Joined: Feb 2007
Posts: 138
Re: Is it really better in Canada?
This is the key...everyones experiences are different. Make your own mind up, do the grunt work before moving out and take responsibilty. Do not get swayed by someone else's experience good or bad.
Ah, Julius Smith. He still pops his head in from time to time.
As I recall he came, landed a decent job, didnt really settle (family wasnt super happy I think) moved back to the UK, and now his kids are in the last few years of school in the UK. He almost immediately wanted to return to Canada, but for now hes holding on for the kids sake.
Tom I seem to recall had a hard time landing a teaching job, but got there in the end?
Is Canada better? For some yes, for some no. There really is only one way to find out if it will be for you, and its not entirely without some risk, and it really takes a few years to come to any lasting conclusions. It also depends on what type of life you left behind too I think. If you have a comfortable life in the UK with a decent wage then there is less to gain. I think the middle classes probably have a better time of it here as they can afford to live in "nicer" places. Sweeping generalisations though.
I see I am there saying "Canada without a reasonable income would not be much fun, but having said that wild horses would not drag me back to the dirty unfriendly "me first" crowded overpriced UK now." And while I still agree with the first part, five years later I dont see the UK as all that bad now. There are certainly some very nice bits, but Im not sure I could afford to live in them!
As I recall he came, landed a decent job, didnt really settle (family wasnt super happy I think) moved back to the UK, and now his kids are in the last few years of school in the UK. He almost immediately wanted to return to Canada, but for now hes holding on for the kids sake.
Tom I seem to recall had a hard time landing a teaching job, but got there in the end?
Is Canada better? For some yes, for some no. There really is only one way to find out if it will be for you, and its not entirely without some risk, and it really takes a few years to come to any lasting conclusions. It also depends on what type of life you left behind too I think. If you have a comfortable life in the UK with a decent wage then there is less to gain. I think the middle classes probably have a better time of it here as they can afford to live in "nicer" places. Sweeping generalisations though.
I see I am there saying "Canada without a reasonable income would not be much fun, but having said that wild horses would not drag me back to the dirty unfriendly "me first" crowded overpriced UK now." And while I still agree with the first part, five years later I dont see the UK as all that bad now. There are certainly some very nice bits, but Im not sure I could afford to live in them!
Last edited by crusheduk; Sep 28th 2010 at 2:04 pm.
Sep 30th 2010, 5:54 am
#109
BE Forum Addict
Joined: Oct 2007
Location: British Columbia
Posts: 1,371
Re: Is it really better in Canada?
I think the issue is population density.
Canada = 33 million people
Europe = 730 million people
Canada is practically the same size as all of continental Europe.
Europe has the population density to support an intricate network of transportation. Canada does not.
Canada = 33 million people
Europe = 730 million people
Canada is practically the same size as all of continental Europe.
Europe has the population density to support an intricate network of transportation. Canada does not.
Sep 30th 2010, 11:29 pm
#110
Joined: Dec 2008
Posts: 3,054
Re: Is it really better in Canada?
Oct 1st 2010, 7:01 am
#113
Joined: Dec 2008
Posts: 3,054
Re: Is it really better in Canada?
other than being in the middle of bloody nowhere....having lived in south florida, I can safely say that life is not all sunshine and lolipops. I will take BC thanks
Oct 1st 2010, 3:57 pm
#114
slanderer of the innocent
Joined: Dec 2008
Location: Vancouver, BC
Posts: 6,695
Oct 1st 2010, 4:23 pm
#115
Forum Regular
Joined: Oct 2008
Location: Toronto
Posts: 201
Re: Is it really better in Canada?
with regards the cost of living in Canada, we live in Dublin and when we visited Toronto in the summer we found everything to be fairly similarly priced give or take a few items - gasoline is far cheaper in Canada though.
With the wages we earn here and what we'd hope to be earning in Toronto after maybe 12-24 months, it would be similar
We're under no illusions that we're suddenly going to be "rich" in Canada
With the wages we earn here and what we'd hope to be earning in Toronto after maybe 12-24 months, it would be similar
We're under no illusions that we're suddenly going to be "rich" in Canada
Oct 2nd 2010, 12:03 pm
#116
Happy in NB
Joined: Sep 2005
Location: Island View, New Brunswick
Posts: 2,020
Re: Is it really better in Canada?
I have a couple of points to make.
1. population density. New Brunswick is 3/4 the size of England. Population NB 750,000, Population of England 50 Million (ish).
2. We have found that food is expensive in Canada, housing and motoring cheaper (on the whole). We have more things (cars, chainsaw, snow shoes, cross country skis etc...) but we dont feel richer than we did in the UK.
We definitely feel less stressed than the UK. (does that make it three points?
1. population density. New Brunswick is 3/4 the size of England. Population NB 750,000, Population of England 50 Million (ish).
2. We have found that food is expensive in Canada, housing and motoring cheaper (on the whole). We have more things (cars, chainsaw, snow shoes, cross country skis etc...) but we dont feel richer than we did in the UK.
We definitely feel less stressed than the UK. (does that make it three points?
Oct 2nd 2010, 11:42 pm
#117
Forum Regular
Joined: Oct 2009
Posts: 281
Re: Is it really better in Canada?
Manitoba is 2.5 times the size of the UK with a pop of 1.5 million.
That space thing is a big part of it. The freedom to do as you choose without worry of the neighbours taking offence is a big deal to me. I still think things are, in general, cheaper here, and even if they weren't it wouldn't matter as long as I can afford to live.
Is it really better? You are damned right it is!
That space thing is a big part of it. The freedom to do as you choose without worry of the neighbours taking offence is a big deal to me. I still think things are, in general, cheaper here, and even if they weren't it wouldn't matter as long as I can afford to live.
Is it really better? You are damned right it is!
Oct 3rd 2010, 9:14 pm
#118
Happy in NB
Joined: Sep 2005
Location: Island View, New Brunswick
Posts: 2,020
Oct 4th 2010, 3:24 am
#119
Forum Regular
Joined: Feb 2008
Posts: 90
Re: Is it really better in Canada?
timmies.
nufff said.
nufff said.
Oct 4th 2010, 3:55 am
#120
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Joined: Oct 2009
Location: Toronto, ON
Posts: 1,244
Re: Is it really better in Canada?
Basically, it's different. It's better, depending on how you view life, or worse depending on how you view life. Canada is no Shangri La.
We've been in Toronto for 3 months, have 2 small kids, and so far our quality of life has improved (better schools, better neighbourhood, less stress) than where we were in London (but I hasten to add we were in E17 not Crouch End!). However, our spending power has decreased quite a bit. That's mainly down to the fact that the good lady has yet to find a job and we're renting at the moment - in a good, but more pricey district. But, we wanted to spend more time as a family, have a good sense of community and a new start so for our view of life we're happy to be worse off financially right now.
Having said that, had Skype call on Sat with old colleague and it looks like my wife would probably have been made redundant where she worked this year (public sector) so the last point is debatable!
We've been in Toronto for 3 months, have 2 small kids, and so far our quality of life has improved (better schools, better neighbourhood, less stress) than where we were in London (but I hasten to add we were in E17 not Crouch End!). However, our spending power has decreased quite a bit. That's mainly down to the fact that the good lady has yet to find a job and we're renting at the moment - in a good, but more pricey district. But, we wanted to spend more time as a family, have a good sense of community and a new start so for our view of life we're happy to be worse off financially right now.
Having said that, had Skype call on Sat with old colleague and it looks like my wife would probably have been made redundant where she worked this year (public sector) so the last point is debatable!