Altough it sort of conicidently worked with an effective exchange rate of 2, I based our experience more on the proportion of our income. I have exactly the same job back in the UK with the same company, so the comments should hopefully also take into account salary level difference between the two counties.

Was just trying to point out that apart from the cost of houses (which is no small issue ), the traditional view of Calgary being cheap as chips to live in is no longer the case. The oil price boom 5 years ago saw to that.

In general, once you have not been insured in the UK for a year, your no claims history is dead and buried for most UK insurers. When we came back last year the only resonable deal I could get at all was to go back to the insurer that I used before leaving the UK. They took pity and gave me an introductory discount, but although it corresponded to 4 years no claims, I previously had 9 years no claims with them and had been claim free in Canada.

Things do seem to be looking up a bit for returnees this year though. Direct Line are willing to consider overseas driving history as long as you can provide clear paperwork to proove it. Don't know how long it will last thought, they just seem to be very aggressively chasing business at the moment.

Sort of funny thing with my current insurer though. Fell out with them when they wouldn't put Mrs. Posidrive as named driver on my policy. Sent a very terse eMail to customer complaints pointing out that given the number of claims in the UK last winter they should be grateful for customers who now have experience of driving for several years on snow and ice. Got a groveling eMail back apologising for the misunderstanding along with a a further 15% discount and Mrs. Posdrive on the policy

Where are these classy Ontario supermarkets? They aren't in this area.

I asked some colleagues in the same profession as me at my equivalent salary in Calgary and was heartened to find it was double that of the UK

Having said that, given that I've seen some figures here of needing salaries of CAD 70k (I've even seen $120k given as a minimum) and up just to survive, I did some other work. I've found professional jobs such as a Quality Control Supervisor being advertised at $45-50k and Project Administrators at $45-60k. I was also looking around some average wages in areas of SW Calgary and seen quite a few on $50-60k pa as the average household income.

Obviously it depends completely on your circumstances but $70k would suggest that you are earning above most people in what is considered a decent area to live.

And if you disagree, I wonder how much would be needed for the UK? Average wage is actually £25k, so if you're earning £30k you get more than most people (and we're not just talking burger flippers here - not that there is anything wrong with that).

As I said, depends on your circumstances but I think a lot of people might be put off by what they read here if they get a job offer of, say, $50-60k, when that is a pretty typical salary.

I wouldnt want to be living in Calgary or Edmonton with an income of less than $50k. If you're single, it's probably do-able, but for a family, you'll really struggle. The UK equivalent wage is irrelevant.

Price per Giga Joule may be noticably less, but to keep your house at the same temperature as you would in the UK throughout the winter means that you use one hell of a lot of it.

Same sort of thing with electricity, appliances such as washing machines and driers tend to be larger and guzzle far more power if you use them with the same patterns as in the UK. I was also horified when I realized how much power is consumed by the lighting in the Canadian homes where we lived as compared to the UK.

I have never been horrified by a utilty bill in the UK, but used to be regulary taumatised by the ones that we received in Calgary.