Originally Posted by BristolUK

I'd certainly agree on that. People just have to shelve their assumptions that small town Canada is the back of beyond and you need to travel far for ordinary, everyday stuff.



It probably is if you compare Vancouver/Toronto with London.

It's probably equally unrepresentative (of Canada) to look at house prices in this area and compare them with the UK. But the fact is the cheaper homes do exist and are in plentiful supply.

Let's try and not get back into the Moncton thing again, okay? It's not Vancouver or Toronto. But neither is Bristol. What I sold my 2 bed terraced house in Bristol for in 2005 would have bought my 4 bed detached house here three times. Even with the worsening exchange rate, what my old house sold for a few months ago would do it now twice. With change.

And we were so impressed with this house we paid $120k whereas what we were looking for was around $100k (wanting to keep some money back to buy a duplex as well). There were loads of detached 3 bedroom houses that would have sufficed for our family of four here, Saint John, Fredericton and other places. The only thing these places are missing (jobs wise, entertainment, amenities etc) is a professional football team. Everything else that Bristol has for its residents is also in this part of the world.

Around the corner from me are a couple of 2 bedroom detached houses - currently on Realtor.ca for $89k and a little further away, needing some TLC but otherwise fine to live in is another for $75k or $79k.

Mine in Bristol recently sold for £190k...current exchange rate == $293k.

If $89k is £57k, could someone tell me where in the UK, with all the benefits of city living associated with a pop. in excess of 100,000, one might get even a 2 bed flat for such an amount?

I just randomly selected Rochdale, Wolverhampton and Exeter (north, midlands, south) and there are some small flats in ugly blocks for £60k and a couple of "park homes" for a bit more.

Then it's about £70k and up. None of them as nice as the ones around the corner.

I must admit the property prices were less than I imagined. But then out of interest, looking at Realtor.ca I find houses elsewhere in Canada that also looks cheaper. For example, town houses in London, Ont for $75k, similar in Hamilton and also Winnipeg for the same.

It's not scientific but it does lend weight to Iaink's gut feeling.

Originally Posted by christmasoompa

No, electric - I was just pointing out that radiators are not commonly used in the UK these days, particularly on new builds which all seem to have underfloor heating.

Originally Posted by Bali2010

really? not in the ones I visit - perhaps it is the price bracket

Originally Posted by iaink

Wouldnt ever have radiators again to be honest, ugly, take up too much of the room. They are a non starter in the canadian winter, the risk of burst pipes if the furnace was off / broken for a few days is a bit too high.

Originally Posted by el_richo

See post #173

Originally Posted by cheeky_monkey

Another thing to consider is that UK houses are more robust than Canadian houses generally and the standard of build is better.

Originally Posted by xye

I have an opportunity to go to Canada (different locations), so of course, I am doing research prior to any relocation . However, after reading this thread, I have a grave disposition to remain in Yorkshire.

Originally Posted by JonboyE

I though Yorkshire was the best country in the world. At least, according to Yorkshire folk.

When reading a thread like this you have to work out which posts are:

a) serious
b) more of a ongoing p*ss*ng contest than any attempt to be helpful to "outsiders"
c) flippant
d) attempts at black humour

I realize there are some people trapped in Canada by family circumstances when they would rather be elsewhere, but the majority of posters are educated and skilled people who could work almost anywhere in the English speaking world they choose to.

Originally Posted by xye

Don't own a TV

Originally Posted by xye

Bear Grylls is a legend!

Originally Posted by xye

It is true that Yorkshire is held in high esteem here, but for those who live in Sheffield, Barnsley, Bradford and so forth, I have no idea why.

I'm fortunate to live in the Dales - fresh air, beautiful greenery, no chance of attacks from animals - but the cost of living is ridiculous and I would prefer to retire at a much younger age. If I can find the same scenery and cooler climate for fewer £££s, then I will consider the move.

Thanks for your comments.

Originally Posted by Oink

Unless you're being shot at or are experiencing a famine, it really doesn't matter where you live, you're always going to find social, economic and issues. You have to make the best of it, if you have lemons then make lemonade.

Originally Posted by BristolUK

Average allows for quite a range though doesn't it?

The suggestion was that more property might be available to more people with lower incomes in Canada than available to similar folk in the UK.

At the lower end of the income scale therre is less variation I believe. You can't get lower than minimum wage but at the upper end there's good pay, better pay, great pay, fantastic pay etc

Minimum wage in Canada $9-$10 an hour. In the UK £5.93 or $9.16.

So pretty much the same minimum wage rate in the UK as Canada.

Using the examples I found, Canada $75k-$89k = £48k- £57k (detached)
compared to UK @ £70k and up (not detached) that would indeed suggest that at the lower end of the income scale, Canadian property could be bought more cheaply than the UK.

That certainly doesn't look 8 times Canadian income and only 6.5 times UK income.

There's probably a graph to be drawn showing cheaper in relation to incomes in Canada at the lower end and changing over as incomes rise.

Originally Posted by el_richo

The suggestion was that you're more likely to need two incomes in the UK whereas Canada are more likely to only need the one. The stats disagree.