Originally Posted by Makaya

Thank you all very much for your thoughtful advices. I really appreciate your genuine help. This is a tough but yet exciting decision we have to make.

In terms of lifestyle, we tend to live quite frugally. We don't have a car (which is partly why I live in Yaletown, easier to commute with the skytrain and everything is closed by), we don't even have TV (I compensate by wasting a lot of time on internet hehe!) and we don't have Iphones or other expensive toys/hobbies (except for skiing once or twice a year)...

The baby will definitely be a life changing event. We were still going to try to live in Vancouver without a car (I usually rent one when needed): the hospital and midwife are a few blocks away, family doctor and grocery stores within two blocks... London is a big city with a much more developed transit system than Vancouver, but I don't know if it is realistic to rely mostly on public transportation when we have to go around with a stroller, or if we can live in a place where everything is at a walkable distance. I'm also not a big fan of more than 1h or commute each way (I'd rather spend my time with my wife and kid), which is why we'd prefer to live not too far from my work. We are ok to live in a decent 2BR apartment/flat (is that realistic in that area with my salary)?.

There is one important thing that I didn't mention about myself... I'm from France and I have my brother and his wife living in London, and my sister living with her husband and newborn child in Paris (2h30 away by Eurostar). This is a BIG plus for me and that's why I'm really tempted to accept the offer. However, there is a good reason why I emigrated to Vancouver... I was living in Paris before and didn't like it at all. I've never lived in London and I don't know about the lifestyle there, whether it's a bit better than Paris... A big difference though is that I will be making much more in London than I was making in Paris at that time, which will certainly help make life easier/better.

As far as my wife is concerned, she would be very happy to move there too. She would look after our child and complete her BA in English Lit (which she started 10 years ago, but couldn't complete for various reasons). She's from Singapore and there are direct flights from London. She's like me, a bit worried about all the changes and trying to figure out what we should expect. A big advantage is that we would no longer have to choose between going to France or Singapore each year, since France is so close that we can just go there for a week-end. She's pretty happy about that!

Thanks again for your help. I really appreciate. By reading your messages, I'm feeling confident that this move is not gonna be as bad as we initially thought.

Cheers.

Originally Posted by Rob_999

Pros
1) Family nearby
2) Good career move
3) International experience is a big plus on your resume
4) More money and IMO (having lived for 5 years in London and 5 years in Vancouver) on that salary you'll be better off in London.
5) Experience of living in London - its an amazing city

Cons
1) London is big & crowded city - some like it, some hate it. For me, well I loved living there but wouldn't want to move back to central London. I would live and work in the suburbs but wouldn't want to live in suburbs and commute to the city.
2) If you move and hate it, its very hard to move back - especially with the economy as is
3) You will miss Vancouver - plain and simple. We relocated in May and I really miss the atmosphere downtown, the mountains, the up coming ski season....

A tough decision

When's the baby due and when would you be moving?

Originally Posted by JonboyE

I just had a look on line at rents in and around Ealing. I used to live near there and commuted into London on the Central line. At the time I worked on Cheapside. I am not suggesting this is the only area to look at but I know it is a decent area to live in.

You can get a decent looking 2 bedroom flat within walking distance, or a short bus ride, of a tube station for around £1,700 pm. Would council tax, utilities, travel pass and groceries come to more than £1,300 a month? If not, it will leave the OP with around £1,000 in disposable income. Seems plenty to me.

Oh, and cell phones are dirt cheap compared to Vancouver.

Originally Posted by Makaya

You have perfectly summarized my thoughts!

The baby is due on Feb 17. I'm going to London two weeks in December and two weeks in January. The baby will be born in Vancouver and we'll probably move shortly after (late March?).

The big risk for me, as you mentioned, is to move there and not like it. Chances for me to get back to my current position are minimal (but not impossible). If I wasn't enjoying my life here as much, the decision wouldn't be so difficult!

On the other hand, looking at the big picture, it's a good career move. Vancouver is great, but job opportunities are fairly limited in my field and, if I do well in London, I would certainly get better career opportunities.

As you said, tough decision...

Originally Posted by el_richo

Yep lots of disposable income.

We walked past this one at the weekend (Zone 5/6). Great location, near great public transport (about 35/40 minutes to Hyde Park)

http://www.rightmove.co.uk/property-...-17170455.html

This one has great transport links into the city and outside.

http://www.rightmove.co.uk/property-...-17226429.html

Both £1600 per month. There are also some great 2 bedroom options for around the £1200 mark if you really want to save.

Originally Posted by Makaya

As far as my wife is concerned, she would be very happy to move there too. She would look after our child and complete her BA in English Lit (which she started 10 years ago, but couldn't complete for various reasons). She's from Singapore and there are direct flights from London. She's like me, a bit worried about all the changes and trying to figure out what we should expect. A big advantage is that we would no longer have to choose between going to France or Singapore each year, since France is so close that we can just go there for a week-end. She's pretty happy about that!

Originally Posted by lmartin999

Thought about moving back to Kingston earlier this year, good part of the world.

Originally Posted by CanadaJimmy

Thats where I lived and I wouldn't describe it as a particularly "good part of the world". Very average

Originally Posted by Alan2005

By affordability Vancouver is more expensive than London. This is a verifiable fact - look it up.

Originally Posted by el_richo

Yep lots of disposable income.

We walked past this one at the weekend (Zone 5/6). Great location, near great public transport (about 35/40 minutes to Hyde Park)

http://www.rightmove.co.uk/property-...-17170455.html

This one has great transport links into the city and outside.

http://www.rightmove.co.uk/property-...-17226429.html

Both £1600 per month. There are also some great 2 bedroom options for around the £1200 mark if you really want to save.

Originally Posted by dboy

That is only relevant when including buying real estate. Renting is a lot more in London than Vancouver, which is more comparable to a provincial city than London.

That being said, 74 k will more than balance out the diff between the two

Originally Posted by Alan2005

Yes, rents are cheap here (relative to buying). That comment was in the context of dispelling the idea of needing 120k to be able to afford to live in London.

Originally Posted by dboy

hardly affordable when you add in council tax and principal bills (included here in rent). You can pay here but if the OP is after saving some money paying halfh is income on rent will not help much.