snorkmaiden

I did post in the thread on the Canada forum but I forgot to mention money.

I'm just coming up to four weeks here in Canada now I think, and it's certainly more expensive to buy things than it was in Texas. I've a feeling the utility bills will be way lower as of course, no air conditioning, but the gas is more expensive, shopping seems a bit more expensive, clothes are more expensive and electrical stuff seems more expensive.

The wireless router I wanted you can get in the US for $119 for example, $169 in Edmonton, I was able to get it eventually for $139 but the exchange rate doesn't really account for the difference any more.

There is way less fast food to choose from compared to our area in Texas, which is really great for us as we'd both gained a load of weight and now we are starting to lose it again, but hubby is in mourning for Chipotle

The houses are way more expensive! In Texas, we could get a really nice house in a nice area for between $250k and $300k - here in Edmonton, to live in the area we are renting in we'd need at least $500k. I imagine though that the area you are living in now is way more expensive than that.

I am really liking the cooler weather here, it's going to hit 100 in my old town this week, and I think the highest it will get here in the next couple of weeks is 75.

You need to go on a few recce trips and see how you feel, I love the greenery here, love having pine trees in the garden, and I can't wait to see the snow (naive I know, as of course I will be the one who has to shovel it so I am sure it will get old fast) and I cannot wait to get across to the rockies, just four hours away. The children are really happy to play in the garden at any time of day, without being scorched

I bet there are plenty of places within the US to move to that have a cheaper cost of living, I would imagine it's going to come down to finding a place you feel that you can get the cheaper cost of living, but also feel like you can call home.

Jimc_usa

I agree with Snorkmaiden, Canada is generally a much higher cost of living with higher taxes because of the National Healthcare.
If you move to Alberta the change in weather may be a tremendous shock, we lived there from 1975-1978, in fact my son was born in Medicine Hat (but I was with the British Army). As suggesteed there are many places to live in the US that is much less expensive - unless you have already made up your mind.

YankeemovingAbroad

What I love about the states of Oregan & Washington is the feel of being in nature.So much greenery surrounding you in just about any area of both states.Beautiful tall trees in abundance as far as the eye can see in many areas.What seperates those two states from many southern states in the southeast usa is that you have actual night life.

Oregan has Casinos,and nice bars and clubs to enjoy,excellent shopping(even Nordstroms),day time activities include but not limited to horseback riding,rafting,hiking ect ect.Washington state is famous for all the live bands in Seattle which gave birth to such fame acts like Kirk Cubain not to mention the great one, Jimi Hendrixs.Both states are progressive compared to the southeast usa .More live and let live attitudes.Conservative politicians and their ideology don't fair well in the pacific west.

Home prices in Oregan are about 20% cheaper than Washington state but both states are much less expensive than California.Due to word of mouth both states have experience an increase in home prices because of added migration, but as long as you don't live right in a major city you can find reasonable priced homes.Very nice four bedroom homes below $300K 30 minutes out side Portland Oregan,which is a very good deal considering what you get for your money.Washington & Oregan states are ranked in surveys above average(California is ranked near the bottom in the same survey) for health care which is another plus.

Don't get me wrong,I love california but in the last 15 years or so when I use to live there, it has truely become a tale of two cities due to extremely high cost of homes.One million dollars barely buys a decent size nice home any more in cali, while that kind of money in Washington state will land you in the crem dela crem type neighborhoods over looking the ocean.

Ashleyg

m

NC Penguin

I know of a couple, one of whom is Canadian, who live in Seattle but lived in SF for a year. I have a feeling they had planned to move permanently to SF but with two children it was too expensive so they returned to Seattle.

They now have three children (and the wife doesn't work either). It would seem they're doing OK on one salary and three kids.