British Expats

British Expats (https://britishexpats.com/forum/)
-   Canada (https://britishexpats.com/forum/canada-56/)
-   -   Things that are cheaper in the UK vs Canada? (https://britishexpats.com/forum/canada-56/things-cheaper-uk-vs-canada-893836/)

dbd33 Mar 15th 2017 9:45 pm

Re: Things that are cheaper in the UK vs Canada?
 

Originally Posted by DandNHill (Post 12205530)
Can't remember. But I favor French over Swiss so I'm going with French. I'm heading that way tomorrow. I could stop in again if you like?

In truth there's no real point, I'm a slave to the Olympic cheese stand.

DandNHill Mar 15th 2017 10:17 pm

Re: Things that are cheaper in the UK vs Canada?
 

Originally Posted by dbd33 (Post 12205596)
In truth there's no real point, I'm a slave to the Olympic cheese stand.

Stuck in your ways eh?

dbd33 Mar 15th 2017 10:44 pm

Re: Things that are cheaper in the UK vs Canada?
 

Originally Posted by DandNHill (Post 12205626)
Stuck in your ways eh?

Yes. Through four marriages (or equivalents), six houses, several horses and umpteen cars I've been going to the Olympic cheese stand. I'm in a rut in that regard.

But, the people are friendly and they were super in stopping to feed piles of cheese to my autistic daughter even during the Saturday morning crush. For that they've had my custom for 30 years; I don't even look at what they have at the parvenu stand across the floor.

beckiwoo Mar 15th 2017 11:56 pm

Re: Things that are cheaper in the UK vs Canada?
 

Originally Posted by Teaandtoday5 (Post 12205502)
The Sun :o would seem to agree with you. https://www.thesun.co.uk/living/3082...ill-shock-you/

Interesting article.

Thanks for posting :)

bats Mar 15th 2017 11:58 pm

Re: Things that are cheaper in the UK vs Canada?
 

Originally Posted by dbd33 (Post 12205644)
Yes. Through four marriages (or equivalents), six houses, several horses and umpteen cars I've been going to the Olympic cheese stand. I'm in a rut in that regard.

But, the people are friendly and they were super in stopping to feed piles of cheese to my autistic daughter even during the Saturday morning crush. For that they've had my custom for 30 years; I don't even look at what they have at the parvenu stand across the floor.

I go to Olympic too, mainly because of the flirting and cheese samples. Their stock cheddar is good too.

DandNHill Mar 16th 2017 12:35 am

Re: Things that are cheaper in the UK vs Canada?
 

Originally Posted by dbd33 (Post 12205644)
Yes. Through four marriages (or equivalents), six houses, several horses and umpteen cars I've been going to the Olympic cheese stand. I'm in a rut in that regard.

But, the people are friendly and they were super in stopping to feed piles of cheese to my autistic daughter even during the Saturday morning crush. For that they've had my custom for 30 years; I don't even look at what they have at the parvenu stand across the floor.

I get that. It's not about being stuck in your ways really. It's about having a relationship with these guys. It makes sense! I think it's lovely you have been there all that time, it's lovely to have some traditions in life.

We should get together and eat raclette!!!

dbd33 Mar 16th 2017 1:09 am

Re: Things that are cheaper in the UK vs Canada?
 

Originally Posted by DandNHill (Post 12205716)
I get that. It's not about being stuck in your ways really. It's about having a relationship with these guys. It makes sense! I think it's lovely you have been there all that time, it's lovely to have some traditions in life.

We should get together and eat raclette!!!

Raclette eating is always a fine idea but, be warned, I'm not keen on that drinking tea with it that they do in Switzerland. Besides, I read here that one cannot obtain decent tea in Canada.

withabix Mar 16th 2017 1:43 am

Re: Things that are cheaper in the UK vs Canada?
 

Originally Posted by bats (Post 12205586)
$24 a litre?

Decent stuff is about $35-$50 in Canada.

I took some over as a gift, only to find the same bottle was about 25% cheaper in the UK

DandNHill Mar 16th 2017 2:37 am

Re: Things that are cheaper in the UK vs Canada?
 

Originally Posted by dbd33 (Post 12205730)
Raclette eating is always a fine idea but, be warned, I'm not keen on that drinking tea with it that they do in Switzerland. Besides, I read here that one cannot obtain decent tea in Canada.

I heard that too. Must be the water...

To me raclette must be eaten with a nice glass (or three) of white wine or beer!

We could finish the meal with a tarte au fromage blanc. All eastern France for me which is where I spent my teens!

Siouxie Mar 16th 2017 7:13 am

Re: Things that are cheaper in the UK vs Canada?
 

Originally Posted by dbd33 (Post 12205373)
It may be that I've assimilated but fifty bucks a fortnight doesn't seem an awful lot to spend on cheese and that gets a pound and a half of raclette, two 4" camemberts, a pound of seven year white cheddar, a piece of whatever looks interesting this week and lots of PC or Balderson's extra old cheddar for cooking with. That's less than half what it costs to have a glass of plonk a couple of nights a week.

The cheese problem, as I see it, is not the cost but that there's only the St Lawrence market at which to buy it. I do pass a cheese shop on the way there but, for the difference in price on the few cheeses they have, I could take a limo to the market and back. If you're not able to go to the market, obviously not a problem from Hamilton, but certainly one from Manitoba or Saskatchewan, you're buggered.

There's a couple of quite reasonable cheese stalls at Hamilton Farmers Market in Hamilton Centre on York..

Hamilton Farmers' Market | Sam & Son International Cheese
Hamilton Farmers' Market | Jantzi Cheese

Plus Starsky's have over 600 types of cheese, so perhaps worth a visit sometime.
Starsky Food - Cheese Department

As to more expensive, it depends what you like.. I don't find things that expensive here and I don't spend any more here than I believe I would in the UK for a similar basket of food. My sister is over from the UK and said that the prices are comparable with some things costing a little more and others a little less.

dbd33 Mar 16th 2017 1:23 pm

Re: Things that are cheaper in the UK vs Canada?
 
99s.

It is extraordinarily expensive to obtain an ice cream cone and a flake here.

Shakyuk Mar 16th 2017 3:47 pm

Re: Things that are cheaper in the UK vs Canada?
 

Originally Posted by dbd33 (Post 12206038)
99s.

It is extraordinarily expensive to obtain an ice cream cone and a flake here.


So you're saying you've got 99s problems but the *beep* isn't one?

dbd33 Mar 16th 2017 5:02 pm

Re: Things that are cheaper in the UK vs Canada?
 

Originally Posted by Shakyuk (Post 12206155)
So you're saying you've got 99s problems but the *beep* isn't one?

Oh no, I'm rich bitch, I want a 99, I eat a 99.

jamesmc Mar 16th 2017 5:58 pm

Re: Things that are cheaper in the UK vs Canada?
 
car insurance lots cheaper in the uk was only paying 100 odd pounds full comp...now $1200 ,,,uk was a new diesel car ..Canada gmc sierra,(but Toyota echo was $1000) and gluten free food a good 50+% cheaper in the uk than here. work boots lots more expensive in Canada.

Shakyuk Mar 16th 2017 6:43 pm

Re: Things that are cheaper in the UK vs Canada?
 

Originally Posted by dbd33 (Post 12206256)
Oh no, I'm rich bitch, I want a 99, I eat a 99.

I am but a man amongst Gods...

dbd33 Mar 16th 2017 9:43 pm

Re: Things that are cheaper in the UK vs Canada?
 

Originally Posted by Shakyuk (Post 12206379)
I am but a man amongst Gods...

Well, in truth, I share a 99 not getting much of the flake. But making a 99 does feel like something a rich person would do, maybe even use Haagen-Dazs.

ChrisBan Mar 16th 2017 10:10 pm

Re: Things that are cheaper in the UK vs Canada?
 

Originally Posted by beckiwoo (Post 12204748)
Really? I always thought Starbucks worked out the same or cheaper out here

Yeah, or at least inline with CDN prices. Compared to British based coffee shops like Nero or Costa, it's on average 10% more expensive.

Oink Mar 17th 2017 3:11 am

Re: Things that are cheaper in the UK vs Canada?
 

Originally Posted by wasss (Post 12203710)
I am moving to Canada just over a month's time and curious to know what things are cheaper in the UK and Canada?

I've read clothes and over the counter drugs like ibuprofen are cheaper in the UK, anything else?

In the UK: Your soul.

In Canada: Girls

Shakyuk Mar 17th 2017 8:50 am

Re: Things that are cheaper in the UK vs Canada?
 

Originally Posted by dbd33 (Post 12206549)
Well, in truth, I share a 99 not getting much of the flake. But making a 99 does feel like something a rich person would do, maybe even use Haagen-Dazs.


The perils of having a female companion... they have a chocolate gravity field and a never ending appetite for consumption...:rofl:

bats Mar 17th 2017 8:55 pm

Re: Things that are cheaper in the UK vs Canada?
 

Originally Posted by withabix (Post 12205743)
Decent stuff is about $35-$50 in Canada.

I took some over as a gift, only to find the same bottle was about 25% cheaper in the UK

I buy good syrup for $24 at the sugar bush.

BristolUK Mar 17th 2017 10:02 pm

Re: Things that are cheaper in the UK vs Canada?
 

Originally Posted by withabix (Post 12204740)
As for 'Council Tax', at my last house in the UK it was a fraction of the $6000 that I pay here in a 'standard' single family home

I remember commenting several years ago that the tax on my 2 bed terraced home in Bristol was only slightly less than the 4-bed detached home with double plot here.

Curious, I just looked up the old house and it's still similar. Current exchange rate puts the Moncton one at $50 more for the year.

I wonder what the UK council tax would be if they had to include a Canadian snow clearing budget. :eek:

Vulcanoid Mar 18th 2017 12:19 pm

Re: Things that are cheaper in the UK vs Canada?
 

Originally Posted by BristolUK (Post 12207290)
Curious, I just looked up the old house and it's still similar. Current exchange rate puts the Moncton one at $50 more for the year.:

Most councils froze council tax from 2010-2015, because they were only allowed to raise it by a maximum of 2%, and if they didn't raise it at all, Government gave them a grant of 1%. So they took the 1% raise-equivalent and the public glow of "no rise!".

I think some of them are now realising how many million quid a year more they'd have if they'd done 2%, as they contemplate the cuts they have to make to balance budgets.

Shakyuk Mar 20th 2017 9:00 am

Re: Things that are cheaper in the UK vs Canada?
 

Originally Posted by Oink (Post 12206675)
In the UK: Your soul.

In Canada: Girls


:rofl::rofl: interesting!


Although in Wigan there's many girls that are yours for the price of a kebab with garlic mayo...

Stinkypup Mar 20th 2017 9:13 pm

Re: Things that are cheaper in the UK vs Canada?
 
I did a weekly shop in Tesco with my mum- dutiful son and all that- I reckon most food is cheaper in the UK, you can buy alcohol in Tesco, good range of beers in the store- I bought a massive bag of Wotsits and another one of Quavers- marmite- big pot, way cheaper- mini pup stocked up with Caramels and Dairy Milk and Mr Kiplings fondant fancies

bats Mar 20th 2017 9:20 pm

Re: Things that are cheaper in the UK vs Canada?
 
Sanitary towels, pads,and the like are cheaper in the uk.

DMajor Mar 22nd 2017 2:50 pm

Re: Things that are cheaper in the UK vs Canada?
 
Most items you buy in a pharmacy are a lot cheaper in the UK. Hair stuff, mouthwash, shaving razors that type of thing.

Beer, wines and spirits much cheaper in the UK too and available pretty much everywhere in a large-ish town whereas in Ontario it's a separate trek to the beer store or LCBO.

Good quality bread, Cheese, fruit and veg all nearly double what I used to pay in the UK and the quality in some of the stores (foodland, metro eg) not great...

Car insurance is ridiculously expensive in some areas as are mobile phone packages and internet...not sure why, maybe less competition...I remember only paying 25 a month for my BT mobile and thinking I could get it cheaper some where...Oh well!!

Cheaper gas here, cheaper to rent a place, cheaper to eat out if you don't give a 25% tip every time...Clothes/footwear about the same.

nicolasmith Mar 26th 2017 10:15 pm

Re: Things that are cheaper in the UK vs Canada?
 

Originally Posted by Howefamily (Post 12203756)
Expensiver here (unless on sale and sometimes even when they are on sale):
milk
lamb
alcohol
furniture
english cucumbers


Cheaper here:
Houses
Gas
Childcare

Houses: now that all depends on where in Canada you are moving to. BC is very expensive and almost unaffordable for most people..... we are actually considering moving back after 6 years in Ontario and 2 years in BC. We are out of our comfort zone and with prices rising all the time we don't stand much chance of getting on the housing ladder. Good luck with your move 😊

BristolUK Mar 27th 2017 12:00 am

Re: Things that are cheaper in the UK vs Canada?
 

Originally Posted by cheeky_monkey (Post 12203766)
Decent clothes are definitely cheaper in the UK..

That might depend on one's definition of decent.

I've never been concerned about designer labels. Happy enough with a pair of plain jeans or Wranglers. Typically my clothes used to come from Debenhams, C&A, M&S, TK Maxx, Primark (which I accept sold stuff that often only lasted half as long but half as long for a quarter of the price means you can spend half and it lasts just as long;)) and George stuff in ASDA.

I left the UK in 2004 when I would typically have paid £25 for trousers or jeans. 13 years on I can buy jeans for less than that in $$. I just did some googling and Walmart has jeans for $15 and Wranglers for between $17 and $29. The cheapest I could find UK was £20.

I used to buy polo style shirts in Primark for £4 or £10 for something a little more stylish in M&S (don't laugh :lol:).
I can get the equivalent (quality/style) here for $10 and $14.
None of these are sale price BTW and we're still 13 years on.

I bought my winter boots for $35 in 2005 and a different but equivalent pair for the same price for last winter. They are no worse than a pair I bought with a January 1989 Leningrad/Moscow trip in mind for more than £30.

I took a look around the clothing department in Sears last year. Now that was an eye opener and I can believe a comparison with the UK might not be too favourable.

But my clothing choice, quality, style etc for the same here and now is much less than there and then.

Siouxie Mar 27th 2017 12:07 am

Re: Things that are cheaper in the UK vs Canada?
 

Originally Posted by nicolasmith (Post 12213701)
Houses: now that all depends on where in Canada you are moving to. BC is very expensive and almost unaffordable for most people..... we are actually considering moving back after 6 years in Ontario and 2 years in BC. We are out of our comfort zone and with prices rising all the time we don't stand much chance of getting on the housing ladder. Good luck with your move 😊

Madoc seems pretty reasonable for house purchases (to get on the ladder initially) from $99k (admittedly not a particularly attractive house) and a few in the 150-250k price range. I agree that BC tends to be more expensive than most places though!

Have you considered moving elsewhere in Ontario, perhaps?

:)

beckiwoo Mar 27th 2017 12:14 am

Re: Things that are cheaper in the UK vs Canada?
 

Originally Posted by BristolUK (Post 12213755)

Typically my clothes used to come from Debenhams, C&A, M&S, TK Maxx, Primark (which I accept sold stuff that often only lasted half as long but half as long for a quarter of the price means you can spend half and it lasts just as long;)) and George stuff in ASDA.

I'm surprised how long my Primark jeans have lasted. I'm that impressed I brought two more pairs when I was back in the UK.

Anything purchased in Ardene (poor equivalent of Primark) only lasted a month

BristolUK Mar 27th 2017 2:06 am

Re: Things that are cheaper in the UK vs Canada?
 

Originally Posted by beckiwoo (Post 12213762)
I'm surprised how long my Primark jeans have lasted. I'm that impressed I brought two more pairs when I was back in the UK...

I wonder if Primark has improved in recent years.

Aside from quality, something I always noticed was clothes on the floor and I assumed it to be careless customers.

Then one day I saw staff refolding stuff and they threw it on the floor to make space for the stuff they just folded. And if they were interrupted by something, off they went leaving clothing on the floor. :eek:

But since I left Bristol, a new shopping centre was built and John Lewis moved into it with Primark taking over their previous premises. I'm sure I've read people say as well as a better store, the product has improved.

Giant Tiger's the same. Their clothing was (old) Primark equivalent when I first went in their store for groceries but the quality has much improved over the last couple of years.

My current winter boots, $18 winter "when it's around -10" jacket, fleece jacket doubling as cardy, winter hat, 'smalls' and mittens all came from there.

cheeky_monkey Mar 27th 2017 6:31 pm

Re: Things that are cheaper in the UK vs Canada?
 

Originally Posted by BristolUK (Post 12213755)
That might depend on one's definition of decent.

I've never been concerned about designer labels. Happy enough with a pair of plain jeans or Wranglers. Typically my clothes used to come from Debenhams, C&A, M&S, TK Maxx, Primark (which I accept sold stuff that often only lasted half as long but half as long for a quarter of the price means you can spend half and it lasts just as long;)) and George stuff in ASDA.

I left the UK in 2004 when I would typically have paid £25 for trousers or jeans. 13 years on I can buy jeans for less than that in $$. I just did some googling and Walmart has jeans for $15 and Wranglers for between $17 and $29. The cheapest I could find UK was £20.

I used to buy polo style shirts in Primark for £4 or £10 for something a little more stylish in M&S (don't laugh :lol:).
I can get the equivalent (quality/style) here for $10 and $14.
None of these are sale price BTW and we're still 13 years on.

I bought my winter boots for $35 in 2005 and a different but equivalent pair for the same price for last winter. They are no worse than a pair I bought with a January 1989 Leningrad/Moscow trip in mind for more than £30.

I took a look around the clothing department in Sears last year. Now that was an eye opener and I can believe a comparison with the UK might not be too favourable.

But my clothing choice, quality, style etc for the same here and now is much less than there and then.

im talking about decent trousers for work and shirts and shoes..i recently bought a pair of trousers from Walmart for $24 seems ok...34 X 32 regular it says..normally i bought 34 X 34 long in the UK..but these Walmart trousers were the most ill fitting ever they were massive..just like clown trousers..they were too big in the waist and way too long in length and the material was pretty shabby too..i also remember buying a couple of shirts from sears i think..15 1/2 collar tailored fit..but the length in the arms were way too short and again quality is questionable.

BristolUK Mar 27th 2017 8:24 pm

Re: Things that are cheaper in the UK vs Canada?
 

Originally Posted by cheeky_monkey (Post 12214432)
...these Walmart trousers were the most ill fitting ever they were massive..just like clown trousers..they were too big in the waist and way too long in length...

Did you get these to go with them? :lol:

http://logicgoat.com/wp-content/uplo...9644_small.jpg

Buck2467 Mar 28th 2017 1:43 pm

Re: Things that are cheaper in the UK vs Canada?
 
You guys are seriously making me worry about moving over there.

Former Lancastrian Mar 28th 2017 1:50 pm

Re: Things that are cheaper in the UK vs Canada?
 

Originally Posted by Buck2467 (Post 12215188)
You guys are seriously making me worry about moving over there.

Why? Its not like we all live in igloos and have sled dog teams to get us to work provided that they haven't frozen to death overnight and been eaten by the bears.

Canada is different but no different to the UK as the USA would be.

not2old Mar 28th 2017 2:00 pm

Re: Things that are cheaper in the UK vs Canada?
 

Originally Posted by Buck2467 (Post 12215188)
You guys are seriously making me worry about moving over there.

Other than the high cost of living, rents & property prices can be out of reach, the fact that it's not a nanny state, difficult for new immigrants to find decent paying work - Canada is a great country to live in.

If you've never been to Canada, come see it at its best in mid February, come for 2-weeks, travel around, stay in one of the major cities, either Moncton, Montreal, Toronto, Winnipeg or Calgary.

It's worth the experience for anyone considering a move to Canada to see it at it's coldest time of year.



.

dbd33 Mar 28th 2017 2:06 pm

Re: Things that are cheaper in the UK vs Canada?
 

Originally Posted by Buck2467 (Post 12215188)
You guys are seriously making me worry about moving over there.

Perhaps reasonably, perhaps not. If you're looking for a better material standard of living in a urban setting then I think that ship has sailed; the exchange rate means you can no longer sell your semi in Surbiton and buy a couple of acres of central Toronto or Vancouver and you're not likely to have a lot more income after moving (at least not in the first few years). Overall, things are not cheaper.

But, if you want a rural lifestyle and don't mind being cold and damp then much of Canada is cheaper than rural Scotland or Wales. Do you want to keep sheep, cows or goats?

not2old Mar 28th 2017 2:14 pm

Re: Things that are cheaper in the UK vs Canada?
 

Originally Posted by Buck2467 (Post 12215188)
You guys are seriously making me worry about moving over there.

Why Canada?

Have you considered other options, maybe Australia or New Zealand?

Shakyuk Mar 28th 2017 2:24 pm

Re: Things that are cheaper in the UK vs Canada?
 

Originally Posted by dbd33 (Post 12215227)
Do you want to keep sheep, cows or goats?

I haven't decided which I'd like to keep, on a completely unrelated subject... <snip>

The UK is pretty pants and to me, it does sound like a lot of the UK problems are faced by Canada too or Canadian equivocal, albeit depending where you are in Canada. But the rural lifestyle seems far more achievable in Canada than in the UK and the long term prospects of Canada seem far more viable than the UK with our rapidly rising mass of debt. Also the thought of bringing up kids in the UK is enough to make me want to never had kids.

The thought of emigrating to live in just another city bewilders me, a modern city is a modern city to me.

The process to get to Canada and get registration for regulated professions seems so difficult that I'm surprised Canada gets so many immigrants!

Buck2467 Mar 28th 2017 2:36 pm

Re: Things that are cheaper in the UK vs Canada?
 
Im looking forward to a rural life. Not bothered about city life. Want the whole land, livestock and growing my own lifestyle. Property seems to be cheap enough where I'm looking in nova scotia, for the cost of my 4 bed terrace in Somerset I could get a 5 bed detached with workshop and 2 bed granny annex in plenty of land. Issue I've got is my trade, I'm an aircraft (helicopter) mechanic, and so far I've not found many employers online and those that are advertising seem to be offering a lot less than I'm currently on. If cost of living is so high I'm worried wether I will be able to sustain a decent enoigh lifestyle for my family to warrant the move. I'm very early on in the process though and am still researching


All times are GMT. The time now is 6:55 am.

Powered by vBulletin: ©2000 - 2024, Jelsoft Enterprises Ltd.
Copyright © 2024 MH Sub I, LLC dba Internet Brands. All rights reserved. Use of this site indicates your consent to the Terms of Use.