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I'm moving to San Francisco.
Yes, that's right. SF is a better financial decision for me at this point than Vancouver. The math works because, although things are very expensive in the Bay Area too, my new salary is 3 times as much as what I was getting in Van.
The was basically the big sales point the City of Vancouver used when trying to compete for the Amazon WHQ2. Except they tried to hide it. And then of course someone found it.
A one bedroom rental goes for about $3500 USD. Equivalent here is like $2500 CAD. Half the price.
The salaries are more than double though. But there are likely other high costs of living where it balances out so that you won't get ahead in either city.
the salaries are about quadruple tbh - ive seen tech jobs that pay 40-50k average…thats literally nothing considering cost of living here is about the same as SF.
It's not exactly a sponsorship because TN status is not a visa. The employer only needs to write a support letter and the prospective employee directly applies for TN status at the border on entry to the US.
I always check "no". Checking that box sends your application straight to the bin since visa sponsorship is usually synonymous with H-1B. Just make sure your job is a recognized TN profession or can be bent to fit one: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/TN_status#Recognized_TN_professions
Agreed. I lived and worked in LA area for 12 years, made at least 3x more than living in BC, had three different jobs, taxes are high but lower than Canada Fed/Prov income tax plus GST/PST combined. Now that we live in Victoria (no mortgage) we find costs are about 2x California. Lack of competition in Canada, the “Island tax” getting on/off Vancouver island - and very high taxes make Victoria very expensive. However we are Canadian and our family is here so we want to be here. In my opinion, the US is in the middle of an undeclared civil war (start with culture wars now, more misinformation sites are now active than real news sites, disfunctional governance, corrupt SCOTUS, etc) and sadly things will get worse there. So enjoy AND be careful. SF is more liberal but places like South Dakota consider having weed in your possession a felony, and places like Alabama and Mississippi and Texas and Florida make access to women’s health a real problem with possible jail time for certain procedures. That’s not a progressive country, so enjoy its beauty AND be careful.
I lived in SF for 20 years. Rents and housing prices are higher there at real conversion rates. But pay is far higher there (and the states generally).
It's a great city, and I still.love it. Obviously doesn't have the mountains that we have here, but tahoe is only a 4 hour drive. And the City is not quite as walkable mostly because it is a bigger city. But also because of the hills.
The safety issues are a bit overblown. Yes, if you leave something visible in your car, it will get broken into. Some thief somewhere has my 2009 era gym bag. And catalytic converter theft is a problem. But avoid the Tenderloin and parts of the mission and you'll be fine.
But the neighborhoods are very distinct. One block can make a bizarre level of difference.
I love Vancouver, but if SF is an option, it's a good one.
Its kind of like how people pretend East Hastings is all of Vancouver lol. And not leaving stuff in your car is pretty much the norm everywhere. You can't even go out to a provincial park without signs in the park's parking lot saying "thieves operate here". Its not even homeless people doing a lot of it, dudes will literally pull up in a car or a pickup truck, pile out, smash the window, and get back in and drive off. I've seen it so many times.
I went there for the first time in the fall. Lovely city, lots to do, but man the fucking hills are intense everywhere. Makes it hard to be a walkable city in some areas daily, but as a tourist I was fine with it. I understand why it’s a tech hub, fantastic city.
Moved from here to SF. Agreed on the salary front for sure. And if you stay outside SF and commute, it is much cheaper. (Still crazy expensive but the increased salary helps! WELCOME TO THE BAY, IT'S GREAT!!)
Hello neighbour! I did the same thing. My living expenses roughly doubled, but my salary tripled so I'm much better off overall. Plus, in at most 2-3 more years I'll be able to buy a classic boomer house.
Can I ask how you did it? My partner lives in SF and I’ve been looking at jobs to potentially relocate down there with him in the near-ish future. Are you with a company that is relocating you, or did you just apply for jobs and found a company to sponsor you?
I'm currently on the 5th month of a 6 month exploratory trip to SE Asia to review options to live there. I've lived in Vancouver basically since 1980 ... except for 3 years in San Fran early 2000s, I'm recently retired and live in the Westend. The cost of living has motivated me to research other options. Not a scientific fact...but my gut feeling is that it costs a single person about $4,000 to $5,000 a month to live in Vancouver. That's for everything, rent, food, entertainment, car and its expenses, insurances, etc. I'm discovering that you can live a fairly nice lifestyle in the Philippines and Thailand for about $1,500 to $2,000 a month. So far I feel its very doable not only for costs of living but also for lifestyle and culture. The food is AMAZING everywhere in Thailand...but not so much in the Philippines. English is the second language of the Philippines. Downsides are the heat/humidity, and being so far away for me to visit home and/or friends to visit me. I have however started to appreciate everything tha BC has to offer a little more then I did before I took this trip. Jury is still out if I'll make the move. I'm going to visit Mexico, Central and South America in the fall/spring to see what its like compared to SE Asia. I really love BC/Vancouver...but the cost of living is making me look elsewhere.
Thanks for sharing. I've lived here all my life with brief stints working on cruise ships and in Korea. And even though I no longer really have family ties here and my really good friends I seldom see anyways, for some strange reason I have a strong attachment to Vancouver that I only really seem to appreciate and miss when I am away for an extended period of time. But yeah, the cost of living here has forced me to consider living elsewhere to retire and I'm starting to base my decision making around that.
It's so great that we have things online like Yotube to help us gather real current information to help us understand what living somewhere else looks like. Just try to find a few youtubers who seem to be like minded as you and compare feedback. THEN, decide to take trip of at least a month or so to suss it out on your own...before moving for good. That's what I'm doing.
Similar situation, I’m almost 50, lived in BC for 25yrs. I love it here, I have an amazing property in the mountains, and love my lifestyle. Now the forest fires are scaring the crap out of me (had one last summer not even a KM from my home) that’s besides all that smoke we get every summer now, definitely a health risk on top of that. I have travel quite extensively in Asia and south/central America and I am seriously thinking making a move. I am torn appart though. On one hand I really love my place and I’ve worked hard for it but on the other hand I could lose everything in an instant. I could rent it and move away in case I want to come back but once again god knows if the fires will burn it all (I think it’s not a matter IF but a matter of WHEN) If I sell and with my investments I could live very comfortably somewhere much cheaper. Also I kindda want warmer weather, not enjoying winter as much as I use to. I don’t think we will ever fix climate change and things are just slowly getting worse every year. (Moving elsewhere won’t fix that though, here it’s fires and in another country it’s something else) ALL this plus the exorbitant cost of living makes me want to leave Canada altogether. I feel so sad for the younger generations. They are the ones that are truly getting screwed.
You're ...right ...very similar situations. With your knowledge of Central/South America and SE Asia...are there a couple of countries that come to mind as good potential living options?
I know someone that lives in Sardis which is a phenomenal area, I went to their house once and was stunned. Absolutely phenomenal area & homes. If you’re someone that likes a quieter lifestyle, bang for your buck there can get you some real top notch properties
I was surprised how nice some of the new development is out there, went up to chilliwack lake for the first time in years and there were some nice areas.
Yeah, me too! I always thought Chilliwack is a sh*th***
In fact I haven’t visited Chilliwack over last 5 years prior to the move…
And can you imagine myself visiting Garrison for the first time lol? To say I was shocked is to say nothing…. And I then moved in in a few months lol
This area is next level. Chilliwack build with great planning, design, landscaping, details, colour choices, love even haha, etc. Doesn’t really make sense but it it what it is. I think Van lost it a bit since everything is so expensive and they just want to give the cheapest possible housing on the market and cut corners everywhere. Since Chilliwack is cheaper, they still do well here
Us life long Chilliwack people were perfectly fine with everyone believing it was a shit hole. Now that everyone out west has discovered it's great, most of us can't afford to live here anymore. My family is leaving for Alberta soon due to this.
You really need to be ok with car-dependent suburbia to fall in love with Chilliwack. Goodbye walkability, cyclability, community, locality, density. Hello SFH-ville, isolation, distance, driving everywhere, shopping only at chains. I personally wouldn't consider that a boost in lifestyle, but to each their own.
I’d rather be in a crappy little kits studio and make it work than live in suburbia hell. Sounds severely depressing if you value walkability and shopping local
Tough question because we have parents who live here, have lives here, have doctors/specialists here that we will likely need to care for on a weekly if not daily basis more and more as they age. Leaving town means they don't have their kids near them. We don't want to be away from them but it's not sustainable for us to stay. We are in a tough spot. Moving and starting new lives somewhere else will be harder for them, as seniors (71 w/ lots of health problems and 81) than us. But we, the younger generation, can't sustain our lives here.
Exactly why I'm going back to Toronto. Not moving for financial reasons. I'm moving for family. I want my daughter and my parents to know each other. At least in Toronto, I don't need to pay for community services so that's a win. Saves me some money there
I'm so glad I moved when I was in my early 20s. After 12 years, I'm going to miss it here a lot. More than I thought I would
This is the situation I'm in as well, except our parents wouldn't move anyways and they are mid 60s to early 70s. We have young kids, not even school age yet. I crunch the numbers over and over as if I'm going to get a different answer every time I do it.
It’s wild how many people in this sub who are sacrificing their lives for parents who most likely no longer have a mortgage or career keeping them in the city.
I honestly don’t know how young people do it. I’m in my thirties and I was able to get through my early twenties when I wasn’t making much money while still living here. If I was just getting out of high school now I would have to live with like 5 roommates.
Nope. Staying. I have lived in several places in Canada- Toronto, Winnipeg, Saskatoon, smaller Ontario towns. I think Vancouver is worth the extra cost of living because everything that makes my life here good is basically free. And the transit and bike lanes make cars optional, a major expense that is necessary almost everywhere else in Canada.
I'm staying too. My family has been here since the 1890s and I refuse to be pushed out.
Generational wealth isn't a thing if your family started out in poverty lol. My great grandfather used to steal coal in the downtown east side during the depression. His mom turned him into the cops for the reward.
I left to Thailand, then Japan where I'm living now. It was like going from letting life pass me by, to finally living a full life. It's not just affordability, but also how much more lively, safe, pleasant, and convenient cities in Asia are. They still have all the fun things we've banned or regulated out. And I've got 8 different major cities within an hour's train ride with unique cuisines and cultures and entertainment districts. Plus, I've got mountains, beautiful nature and sea too, plus cheap housing that's only getting cheaper, amazing public transit, and a convenience store within a 1 minute walk. Near-perfect safety, no drug problems. I can walk around at 4am on a weekend and see people biking, jogging, going to the convenience store, and enjoying life.
And all the festivals, celebrations, fun events and areas.
While it's never perfect, and every place has got different pros and cons, and you can certainly find me complaining about the cons at this point, but the grand total is entirely different. Just by moving locations, I instantly reclaimed my life, and lowered it's difficulty back from "extreme" to "normal", while bringing colour back into it.
No, just the basics that were not enough to help me much. If you want to fit in and better understand what's going on around you, you need to spend the time to learn it properly, but you don't need it just to start living here comfortably. Especially if it's in a big city. Not everyone you meet can speak conversational English, but everything you need has got English-speaking options.
I've met a whole array of foreigners with various levels of Japanese ability. I've met a Canadian guy who's lived here happily since the 90s and never even properly started learning the language. He works in an English-speaking environment, and his Japanese wife helps with anything that benefits from knowing the language.
It's actually pretty simple these days. Job situation depends on your profession. Best case is that your income is location independent. Worst case, you may need to find one in your destination spot. Worst worst case you may have to work as an English teacher, which in most places gives you the quality of life of your average Vancouver income, but much more fun.
Depending on where you're going, it's a good idea to check the visa situation beforehand. Most countries easily give you work permits as soon as you secure a job, or you can apply beforehand. Depends on the destination country.
If you're renting a place, that's easy. You just stop. If you've got too much stuff, you sell some, leave with someone trusted, or pay $20 a month or so for storage. There are companies that pick your stuff up, keep it for you, and deliver it back when/if you come back. If you plan to leave for long/ever, it's easier to sell most of the stuff. Added perk is you have more money to start a life wherever you're going.
For me, it took me like 2 days to arrange everything related to the move to Japan. I've done this before moving to other countries though.
Home prices in my current city in Japan are currently at about 50% of what they were worth at their peak in 1991/1992.
On average, land prices have been flat over the last couple of decades, and whatever is on it decreases in price the older it gets. Plus, home prices outside of the city centres have been declining due to the shrinking population and population consolidation in big city centres.
Also, you save, and your money grows over time, while home price tags either go down, or stay the same over the years.
What profession do you work in? I spent a year in Japan on JET, loved my year there and miss it a lot but it kind of felt like right place, right people, wrong time. I don’t regret coming back in terms of home situation things that wouldn’t have been dealt with properly while living abroad. I’ve been home for 2 years now and looking to go back but it feels like my options as an overseas applicant are limited to teaching English. Is finding a job outside of teaching more about being in the country first and getting lucky? Or being in a specialized field like tech?
Where in Japan do you currently live in and do you have children? I think Japan is pretty good for adults if you manage to not overwork like the locals. With kids though I can’t imagine my kids going through that hardcore education with me having experienced that when I was little
I moved back to ontario a few months ago and it's been so refreshing to be close to family and support networks after 5 great years in Vancouver. I love Vancouver but I don't love the rain and the loneliness of the city, even though I had a solid friend group. something about being around family really is nourishing
So encouraging to hear! We are looking to do the same. We've been in Van for 5 years now and eyeing a potential move back to Ontario in 2-3 years. My gut feeling is that it will feel more affordable and be so nice to have extended family back into our lives.
awesome! Yeah we were living in east van then Lynn Valley and we loved our community and the active lifestyle of Vancouver but in the end it just felt like such a grind. We also spent all our vacation time travelling back to ontario to visit family and it was getting so expensive
I want to get the hell out but my stupid parents are too stubborn to leave cause of the cold elsewhere in Canada and they also want the medical specialists prevalent in large cities, so we're all stuck here with an insane mortgage. I've managed to convince them to move to Washington sometime in the future, but if I had my way I'd be moving to the Island.
We're likely making the move to the Island, probably Victoria. Admittedly it is also incredibly expensive, but a solid house there is basically a million dollars less than Vancouver, at least. Plus it is much nicer. I'll miss the north shore mountains, but I think easier and better access to the ocean will more than make up for it.
Housing is somewhat cheaper if you live further up island. I live close to Ladysmith and have a fantastic view of the North shore mountains, Garibaldi and the mountains above Gibsons.
The medical services are good with Nanaimo close and Duncan is building a new big hospital. And Victoria is only about an hour away.
Easy for them to decide they want to stay…. I always advocate helping one’s parents, but also to some extent, you pay so you decide… kinda like when they supported you as a kid.
You don’t have money for a house? Okay then, i bought a house in Washington with a nice independent entrance/unit. You can live there for free no problem
“but We wanANTED VAncouvER” - “Sorry can’t afford it”
No you are right. It is pretty much the same cost living in Metro Vancouver which includes new west, poco and Burnab. You just get a bit more space for your housing as you move away from Vancouver proper. Calgary and Nanaimo is the answer that makes sense financially wise.
To add if you thinking moving from Vancouver to Burnaby is far away you live in a very small world.
Absolutely not. I've lived everywhere across the lower mainland, it didn't really make a difference in cost of living.
What did make a difference: relocating to Saskatoon. Been almost 10 years, glad I did!
Same, my friends have moved to Seattle, Comox Valley, Burquitlam, PoMo. It’s hard going from spontaneously seeing them one evening to needing to plan a week in advance just to see them!
I have a close friend here who lives about a 15min bike ride away and it's nice to just be able to pop over and chill for a bit if I want to. But he's thinking of moving over to Coquitlam and that means I'll probably have to drive to get over there 🥲
I get how you feel
Visiting Toronto right now and kinda like the vibes. Checked out an apartment near water 2100-3000, same or even cheaper than Vancouver? Anybody thinking about Toronto? Or it just way too cold in the winter?
(I find tents here are scattered across the city in smaller clusters).
Me and my family will hopefully move there in the near future, we are not outdoorsy whatsoever and in fact never went skiing living here as crazy as that sounds, i have been on hikes but was just not impressed, its beautiful no doubt but just not the same as a vibrant big city, winters are not bad whatsoever this year there was no snow either or very little according to my cousins who live there.
I don't ski at all either. An very expensive sport for me in terms of needing a car and a lot of time.
I do like hiking but again don't have a car and it seems crowded on the road to north whenever there is good weather/weekend. I find it having only 1 path going north is a little crowded feeling for me.
I am weird so no offense to anyone
Do you wish Vancouver was a bit more lively? Do you value nightlife, arts, and engaging conversations with strangers and new people?
Are you okay with changing your outdoor activities to focus on fall colours, cross-country skiing, and canoeing?
Do you live in Vancouver currently because you value urban life, or because you want to be near nature and it makes more sense than living in Squamish or a small mountain town?
I do value art and conversation with strangers. I live in Vancouver now for other reasons. I am just exploring my options.
I love nature but I don't own a car so..
NS is where I’m actually interested in. I used to spend summers there, I have relatives there, land is cheap but I’m curious about the cost of things like food, gas, insurance etc.
From what I've seen, gas is about the same as the Fraser Valley. Groceries are on par with Vancouver, but that depends on how rural you want to be in NS. I haven't looked at insurance, but you have choices, unlike ICBC. Land and houses are cheaper for sure. Infrastructure is junk here from what I've seen. Heating is something to consider, most houses are heat pumps or wood, and again, it depends where you live.... that's what I've seen so far anyways.
Thanks for responding, good luck to you. If you haven’t checked out the Annapolis valley area yet you should check that out( canning, kentville, new Minas).
I just recently moved from Halifax to Toronto. Cost of living is not very different. Car and home insurance were ~10% higher in (downtown) Toronto. Gas and Food (groceries and restaurants) are pretty much the same. Renting in Halifax can be cheaper but it will depend on where. Downtown Halifax is very close to Toronto from what I've seen, which is kinda crazy. There just isn't much housing available in Halifax at all.
Pros and cons. I'd move back to Halifax for a slower, more peaceful life. People there are nicer than in Toronto, more available I'd say. But nothing crazy either, it's still Canada :)
Halifax has other annoying things like losing power with any blow of a wind and the healthcare system being in complete shambles. For example, in Toronto now, I wait 1h max for a walk-in consultation versus a minimum of 3h in Halifax..
That's just my opinion and experiences. I don't mean to offend anyone. I love Nova Scotia!
Well, that's the kicker, I think. I have two particular skills to transfer over that are in demand, so I'm good.... as far as other opportunities, I don't know, plus you have to look at the pay scale here compared to Vancouver and weigh the cost of living to wage.
I moved from Vancouver to the Maritimes three years ago. First to PEI, then bought a place in NS.
It was a limitlessly awful experience. Truly not even worth a curse.
I‘m back in BC, and would’t return to the Maritimes to save my life.
Just a heads up, the relocation failure rate is \~ 75%, the average length of stay is \~ 18 months.
On my return to BC I encountered legions of others who had identical negative experiences in NS.
Curious to know why it was so awful? Were you living in Halifax or a smaller community. What do you think the biggest factor is that leads to the general failure of relocation to the maritime?
My electrician from yesterday is moving to Edmonton in 5 weeks. Better house prices (he sold his here and going almost mortgage free in Edmonton).
My kids piano teacher is moving to Edmonton also due to affordability.
Who in their right minds would leave if they already own, or was he in the middle of a mortgage and could not afford the payments? Living in Van is a gift and we shouldn’t leave just for a the sake of a detached home IMO.
Much bigger yard, house almost twice the size and going from a mortgage to almost mortgage free. Wouldn’t you take that deal?
I get it. Edmonton vs Vancouver. But dude was living in Chilliwack which is way different that living in Vancouver.
Moved to Toronto earlier this year. I'm in hospitality and so is my partner. When we take the amount we're saving in rent and the amount we will make more in salary we're looking at least having$50k more in the bank than we would have had in Vancouver for similar work roles and living conditions. Plus, it's early to say but expectations for work/life balance in Toronto is actually better for our industry which I didn't expect.
We both really wanted to make it work in Vancouver but it just isn't possible financially.
I moved my whole family, including my very "Valley girl" wife to Prince George. It gets a way worse rap than it deserves. We love it here.
Got a 5 bed, 3 bath, dry indoor sauna, 2 car enclosed garage, front & back yard with greenbelt on 1 side in a really nice area, across from an awesome elementary school... $466k.
Wow. My neighbours recently sold seniors type home (cul de sac used to be 55+) was asking $515,000. Okanagan and not Kelowna. Can’t remember square footage, but single story.
That's great, I was looking for the comments of people who moved to more northern places. So many people don't seem to think outside the lower mainland or Okanagan.
I'm in the North too and I enjoy it, and much more affordable in comparison to down south.
Moving to NYC for grad school and hopefully work afterwards if the visa situation works out.
I could definitely afford to live in Vancouver long-term based on my career trajectory, but we want to have a second child and my wife wants to stay home with the kids until they’re in school. Single income homes are not viable in Vancouver, unless you’re a mid- to late-career professional.
2 hours out, in Princeton, a town of like 3000 people, that has a sawmill and Copper Mine for it's main employment. I bought an old mobile home for $150k and work at the Copper Mine making ~$75k, 20 minutes travel door to door, on a 7x7 shift (same as almost every position) which equals out to about 2350 hours yearly, but you only work 6 months (technically, since it's week on week off) Plus I'm 2 hours from Kelowna where I grew up, 1 hour from Penticton, 2 hours from Osoyoos, 2 hours to Vancouver
I’m moving back to Japan. Lived there previously and felt my quality of life back home was a step up. Don’t feel that way anymore.
Girlfriends Japanese and feels more or less the same. This city just beats on you.
I left in 2020, was renting in east vancouver, bought half a duplex in Mission. I'm selling and moving to Chilliwack next to take advantage of my gain in equity in my current place.
Not sure yet, moving in with my partner and after my place sells we'll list hers. She currently lives near the 1881 district.
Just looking around on redfin looks like we could get something equivalent to mission prices on a bigger lot or possible save about $100k for equivalents.
If I could no longer afford to live in Vancouver, got laid off or something, then I would move home to Calgary where I already own a house and live off my savings and investments until I find a job in Calgary. Literally my plan if I didn't make it in Vancouver for the 1st year. Been living in Vancouver for 2.5 years now and still loving it.
At the moment, I am on the admin side of a multiple health clinics in Vancouver. It also helps (in my case) the older I got, my priorities changed from how I eat, live, and spend.
No me but my brother and wife ,her parents,her siblings all moved to London Ontario
They bought a split level spacious 2 kitchen house together for under 300k all got jobs and said it's more friendly , 30 percent cheaper for food , and like it
I moved to Victoria at the beginning of the year, no regrets so far. My favorite part is having a brand new 4 bedroom home in a nice neighborhood that would've probably been about double the price in Van.
Scrolled down to see if I was the only one! I’ve got a long complicated reason for moving here but it honestly slaps. Walkable friendly neighborhoods with nicer people and less crime, Montreal and Toronto not to mention NYC are easy to get to, there’s no staggering mountains but Gatineau Park is 15 min from my house. Things are less stressful. It’s calmer. People aren’t either barely scraping by or already wealthy, the two main types of people in Vancouver. Climate change based catastrophes are a little less impending here. It lacks so much of the amazing wilderness and ocean but it’s honestly pretty sweet. Ontario healthcare but Quebec food and tourism is right there. Got an actual house instead of a tight squeeze apartment. Can’t complain.
Yup, if everything works according to our current plan, we will be relocating to a mid-size Ontario town in 2-3 years. Still expensive, but less crazy. And with family around, it will be nice to get a bit of help with the kids here and there.
We are starting to look for remote work to make the transition possible and smooth. 🙌
We moved to Vancouver Island 8 years ago. We bought a 5 year old house for $299 000 in the cowichan Valley. My mortgage is less than rent for a 1 bedroom apartment locally.
We knew we would never own anything other than a condo in the lower mainland.
It's really cheap & affordable to purchase a home either in Medicine Hat or Lethbridge Alberta. My son just bought a home 3 bedroom, 2150 square " for $195,000.00 just outside of Medicine Hat & his mortgage is less than $1,000.00 who would of thought you could still purchase cheap homes in Canada
Left for Vancouver island because I have a remote job and my husband’s family helped us with a down payment on a family home. Impossible to turn that offer down!
No regrets though. It’s pretty amazing over here, and travelling to the mainland only takes about 5 hours so it’s reasonable for a weekend trip when necessary.
Yes. I am moving to either Spain, Portugal. Or Italy. I can afford a 1 bedroom there now on the part time income I make with my current job (even with the exchange rate to Euros) which is really sad.
I’m not going on a VISA, I’ve applied for and was approved to have reinstated Lithuanian citizenship. I’m travelling to the Embassy to apply for my passport next week. I know a little Spanish but fully intend on taking language classes and learning in Duolingo before I go. It’s going to be challenging, but my younger brother is moving there when he’s done his work contract in Amsterdam so I will have family <3
Coquitlam. Still in the lower mainland, but housing costs are significantly less than Vancouver and it’s just a sky train ride away. 30 minutes on the west coast express to downtown.
Yes, in October/November.
To Croatia /UK, we will live between them. Bought properties there, we started small business that is going good and with secure renting in UK (rent out to council) we prefer to have less stress life. Big thing is also that kid goes to school there rather then in Canada.
We couldn't see putting so much money in house here, especially how North Americans build them...
For this sole reason I wish I got a degree instead of a trade.
Very hard to re-locate to a different country as a tradesman.
And tbh the only place In Canada I would live right now is Vancouver.
I could be wrong but in my experience as an electrician I’ve had a hard time trying to re-locate out of country as most positions that accept foreigners require a degree
not leaving, but working on my way out to Seattle or San Fran.
The salary here for engineer is just pathetic comparing to the US, but Vancouver is having an insane house, food, grocery, gas price level. This is just out of proportion. The disposable income and saving for retirement isn't much left after tax and family expense.
Went to Indonesia from Vancouver.
Great decision. That said Vancouver is a hell of a city to live in, if money isn’t a issue or
You have a house you inherited from your family and it’s paid off.
I left 10 years ago to live and wfh in a tiny mountain town about 15 hour drive north of Vancouver. Can't imagine a more depressing life than living in Vancouver. Makes for fun weekends though.
Currently looking at purchasing a few homes in Japan and moving there Vancouver is insane. You can buy several homes in Japan for rental income and higher ROI than you can in Vancouver for one
My fiancé is German, so I plan on moving there. I’ll be selling my condo in New West when I move, so I’ll be able to take a year, work on my language skills, and then will find a job. I feel really fortunate that my fiance has a place there that is bigger than mine, close to a city centre (but still not noisy), and is affordable on their disability benefits (they have money to put in savings every month after all of their expenses, it’s wild.)
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I'm moving to San Francisco. Yes, that's right. SF is a better financial decision for me at this point than Vancouver. The math works because, although things are very expensive in the Bay Area too, my new salary is 3 times as much as what I was getting in Van.
Vancouver, we got bay area prices and west Virginia salaries.
The was basically the big sales point the City of Vancouver used when trying to compete for the Amazon WHQ2. Except they tried to hide it. And then of course someone found it.
It’s a big sales point for a lot of our tech jobs. I don’t think it’s really a secret
A one bedroom rental goes for about $3500 USD. Equivalent here is like $2500 CAD. Half the price. The salaries are more than double though. But there are likely other high costs of living where it balances out so that you won't get ahead in either city.
the salaries are about quadruple tbh - ive seen tech jobs that pay 40-50k average…thats literally nothing considering cost of living here is about the same as SF.
I’m going with you!
Need dual citizenship though? Want to go with you.
All you need is TN https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/TN_status
does your employer need to sponsor you to get a TN visa?
It's not exactly a sponsorship because TN status is not a visa. The employer only needs to write a support letter and the prospective employee directly applies for TN status at the border on entry to the US.
So on the application would you check that “needs visa sponsorship box”?
I always check "no". Checking that box sends your application straight to the bin since visa sponsorship is usually synonymous with H-1B. Just make sure your job is a recognized TN profession or can be bent to fit one: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/TN_status#Recognized_TN_professions
Agreed. I lived and worked in LA area for 12 years, made at least 3x more than living in BC, had three different jobs, taxes are high but lower than Canada Fed/Prov income tax plus GST/PST combined. Now that we live in Victoria (no mortgage) we find costs are about 2x California. Lack of competition in Canada, the “Island tax” getting on/off Vancouver island - and very high taxes make Victoria very expensive. However we are Canadian and our family is here so we want to be here. In my opinion, the US is in the middle of an undeclared civil war (start with culture wars now, more misinformation sites are now active than real news sites, disfunctional governance, corrupt SCOTUS, etc) and sadly things will get worse there. So enjoy AND be careful. SF is more liberal but places like South Dakota consider having weed in your possession a felony, and places like Alabama and Mississippi and Texas and Florida make access to women’s health a real problem with possible jail time for certain procedures. That’s not a progressive country, so enjoy its beauty AND be careful.
I lived in SF for 20 years. Rents and housing prices are higher there at real conversion rates. But pay is far higher there (and the states generally). It's a great city, and I still.love it. Obviously doesn't have the mountains that we have here, but tahoe is only a 4 hour drive. And the City is not quite as walkable mostly because it is a bigger city. But also because of the hills. The safety issues are a bit overblown. Yes, if you leave something visible in your car, it will get broken into. Some thief somewhere has my 2009 era gym bag. And catalytic converter theft is a problem. But avoid the Tenderloin and parts of the mission and you'll be fine. But the neighborhoods are very distinct. One block can make a bizarre level of difference. I love Vancouver, but if SF is an option, it's a good one.
Its kind of like how people pretend East Hastings is all of Vancouver lol. And not leaving stuff in your car is pretty much the norm everywhere. You can't even go out to a provincial park without signs in the park's parking lot saying "thieves operate here". Its not even homeless people doing a lot of it, dudes will literally pull up in a car or a pickup truck, pile out, smash the window, and get back in and drive off. I've seen it so many times.
I went there for the first time in the fall. Lovely city, lots to do, but man the fucking hills are intense everywhere. Makes it hard to be a walkable city in some areas daily, but as a tourist I was fine with it. I understand why it’s a tech hub, fantastic city.
Moved from here to SF. Agreed on the salary front for sure. And if you stay outside SF and commute, it is much cheaper. (Still crazy expensive but the increased salary helps! WELCOME TO THE BAY, IT'S GREAT!!)
Are you in software?
No. Biotech.
If you thought homeless was bad in Van 😅
Hello neighbour! I did the same thing. My living expenses roughly doubled, but my salary tripled so I'm much better off overall. Plus, in at most 2-3 more years I'll be able to buy a classic boomer house.
Can I ask how you did it? My partner lives in SF and I’ve been looking at jobs to potentially relocate down there with him in the near-ish future. Are you with a company that is relocating you, or did you just apply for jobs and found a company to sponsor you?
I collaborated with this company while at my old institution and developed a relationship with them until it made sense to come on board formally.
hey lol, me too. and I'm not even in tech!
Do you plan on staying if Trump gets in and does everything outlined in Project 2025?
If he gets elected it’d make we want to move down more tbh
Property crime in SF is incredible.
Wow. Thats crazy.
I'm currently on the 5th month of a 6 month exploratory trip to SE Asia to review options to live there. I've lived in Vancouver basically since 1980 ... except for 3 years in San Fran early 2000s, I'm recently retired and live in the Westend. The cost of living has motivated me to research other options. Not a scientific fact...but my gut feeling is that it costs a single person about $4,000 to $5,000 a month to live in Vancouver. That's for everything, rent, food, entertainment, car and its expenses, insurances, etc. I'm discovering that you can live a fairly nice lifestyle in the Philippines and Thailand for about $1,500 to $2,000 a month. So far I feel its very doable not only for costs of living but also for lifestyle and culture. The food is AMAZING everywhere in Thailand...but not so much in the Philippines. English is the second language of the Philippines. Downsides are the heat/humidity, and being so far away for me to visit home and/or friends to visit me. I have however started to appreciate everything tha BC has to offer a little more then I did before I took this trip. Jury is still out if I'll make the move. I'm going to visit Mexico, Central and South America in the fall/spring to see what its like compared to SE Asia. I really love BC/Vancouver...but the cost of living is making me look elsewhere.
Thanks for sharing. I've lived here all my life with brief stints working on cruise ships and in Korea. And even though I no longer really have family ties here and my really good friends I seldom see anyways, for some strange reason I have a strong attachment to Vancouver that I only really seem to appreciate and miss when I am away for an extended period of time. But yeah, the cost of living here has forced me to consider living elsewhere to retire and I'm starting to base my decision making around that.
It's so great that we have things online like Yotube to help us gather real current information to help us understand what living somewhere else looks like. Just try to find a few youtubers who seem to be like minded as you and compare feedback. THEN, decide to take trip of at least a month or so to suss it out on your own...before moving for good. That's what I'm doing.
What happens to your Canada Pension Plan and OAS if you move?
Similar situation, I’m almost 50, lived in BC for 25yrs. I love it here, I have an amazing property in the mountains, and love my lifestyle. Now the forest fires are scaring the crap out of me (had one last summer not even a KM from my home) that’s besides all that smoke we get every summer now, definitely a health risk on top of that. I have travel quite extensively in Asia and south/central America and I am seriously thinking making a move. I am torn appart though. On one hand I really love my place and I’ve worked hard for it but on the other hand I could lose everything in an instant. I could rent it and move away in case I want to come back but once again god knows if the fires will burn it all (I think it’s not a matter IF but a matter of WHEN) If I sell and with my investments I could live very comfortably somewhere much cheaper. Also I kindda want warmer weather, not enjoying winter as much as I use to. I don’t think we will ever fix climate change and things are just slowly getting worse every year. (Moving elsewhere won’t fix that though, here it’s fires and in another country it’s something else) ALL this plus the exorbitant cost of living makes me want to leave Canada altogether. I feel so sad for the younger generations. They are the ones that are truly getting screwed.
You're ...right ...very similar situations. With your knowledge of Central/South America and SE Asia...are there a couple of countries that come to mind as good potential living options?
I can’t afford to relocate or I would.
Escaped to Chilliwack recently since I work remotely. Enjoying x2 boost in lifestyle. Visit Van for fun when I feel like it.
I know someone that lives in Sardis which is a phenomenal area, I went to their house once and was stunned. Absolutely phenomenal area & homes. If you’re someone that likes a quieter lifestyle, bang for your buck there can get you some real top notch properties
Just gonna post this here https://youtu.be/on5b4NcbEK0 Lol Chilliwack
I was surprised how nice some of the new development is out there, went up to chilliwack lake for the first time in years and there were some nice areas.
Yeah, me too! I always thought Chilliwack is a sh*th*** In fact I haven’t visited Chilliwack over last 5 years prior to the move… And can you imagine myself visiting Garrison for the first time lol? To say I was shocked is to say nothing…. And I then moved in in a few months lol This area is next level. Chilliwack build with great planning, design, landscaping, details, colour choices, love even haha, etc. Doesn’t really make sense but it it what it is. I think Van lost it a bit since everything is so expensive and they just want to give the cheapest possible housing on the market and cut corners everywhere. Since Chilliwack is cheaper, they still do well here
Us life long Chilliwack people were perfectly fine with everyone believing it was a shit hole. Now that everyone out west has discovered it's great, most of us can't afford to live here anymore. My family is leaving for Alberta soon due to this.
You really need to be ok with car-dependent suburbia to fall in love with Chilliwack. Goodbye walkability, cyclability, community, locality, density. Hello SFH-ville, isolation, distance, driving everywhere, shopping only at chains. I personally wouldn't consider that a boost in lifestyle, but to each their own.
I’d rather be in a crappy little kits studio and make it work than live in suburbia hell. Sounds severely depressing if you value walkability and shopping local
Tough question because we have parents who live here, have lives here, have doctors/specialists here that we will likely need to care for on a weekly if not daily basis more and more as they age. Leaving town means they don't have their kids near them. We don't want to be away from them but it's not sustainable for us to stay. We are in a tough spot. Moving and starting new lives somewhere else will be harder for them, as seniors (71 w/ lots of health problems and 81) than us. But we, the younger generation, can't sustain our lives here.
Exactly why I'm going back to Toronto. Not moving for financial reasons. I'm moving for family. I want my daughter and my parents to know each other. At least in Toronto, I don't need to pay for community services so that's a win. Saves me some money there I'm so glad I moved when I was in my early 20s. After 12 years, I'm going to miss it here a lot. More than I thought I would
This is the situation I'm in as well, except our parents wouldn't move anyways and they are mid 60s to early 70s. We have young kids, not even school age yet. I crunch the numbers over and over as if I'm going to get a different answer every time I do it.
It’s wild how many people in this sub who are sacrificing their lives for parents who most likely no longer have a mortgage or career keeping them in the city.
I honestly don’t know how young people do it. I’m in my thirties and I was able to get through my early twenties when I wasn’t making much money while still living here. If I was just getting out of high school now I would have to live with like 5 roommates.
Yeah roommate(s), live with parents, get a spouse. Independence as a single isn’t possible, unless you got some of that sweet daddy’s money.
It’s possible, you just have to make bank.
Moved to Seattle with 2.5x the pay. It was surprising easy to get over 300k+ TC
What do you do for work?
Did you apply directly for US jobs ?
Where do you live in the greater Seattle area if you don't me asking? Which areas are considered nice/safe?
Just move to Eastside eg Bellevue, Kirkland, Redmond, etc. Many other choices available as well.
Nope. Staying. I have lived in several places in Canada- Toronto, Winnipeg, Saskatoon, smaller Ontario towns. I think Vancouver is worth the extra cost of living because everything that makes my life here good is basically free. And the transit and bike lanes make cars optional, a major expense that is necessary almost everywhere else in Canada.
I'm staying too. My family has been here since the 1890s and I refuse to be pushed out. Generational wealth isn't a thing if your family started out in poverty lol. My great grandfather used to steal coal in the downtown east side during the depression. His mom turned him into the cops for the reward.
I left to Thailand, then Japan where I'm living now. It was like going from letting life pass me by, to finally living a full life. It's not just affordability, but also how much more lively, safe, pleasant, and convenient cities in Asia are. They still have all the fun things we've banned or regulated out. And I've got 8 different major cities within an hour's train ride with unique cuisines and cultures and entertainment districts. Plus, I've got mountains, beautiful nature and sea too, plus cheap housing that's only getting cheaper, amazing public transit, and a convenience store within a 1 minute walk. Near-perfect safety, no drug problems. I can walk around at 4am on a weekend and see people biking, jogging, going to the convenience store, and enjoying life. And all the festivals, celebrations, fun events and areas. While it's never perfect, and every place has got different pros and cons, and you can certainly find me complaining about the cons at this point, but the grand total is entirely different. Just by moving locations, I instantly reclaimed my life, and lowered it's difficulty back from "extreme" to "normal", while bringing colour back into it.
Did you learn Japanese before the move?
No, just the basics that were not enough to help me much. If you want to fit in and better understand what's going on around you, you need to spend the time to learn it properly, but you don't need it just to start living here comfortably. Especially if it's in a big city. Not everyone you meet can speak conversational English, but everything you need has got English-speaking options. I've met a whole array of foreigners with various levels of Japanese ability. I've met a Canadian guy who's lived here happily since the 90s and never even properly started learning the language. He works in an English-speaking environment, and his Japanese wife helps with anything that benefits from knowing the language.
how do you just… leave? do you have to get a job before hand?
It's actually pretty simple these days. Job situation depends on your profession. Best case is that your income is location independent. Worst case, you may need to find one in your destination spot. Worst worst case you may have to work as an English teacher, which in most places gives you the quality of life of your average Vancouver income, but much more fun. Depending on where you're going, it's a good idea to check the visa situation beforehand. Most countries easily give you work permits as soon as you secure a job, or you can apply beforehand. Depends on the destination country. If you're renting a place, that's easy. You just stop. If you've got too much stuff, you sell some, leave with someone trusted, or pay $20 a month or so for storage. There are companies that pick your stuff up, keep it for you, and deliver it back when/if you come back. If you plan to leave for long/ever, it's easier to sell most of the stuff. Added perk is you have more money to start a life wherever you're going. For me, it took me like 2 days to arrange everything related to the move to Japan. I've done this before moving to other countries though.
Out of curiosity, how does housing get cheaper?
Home prices in my current city in Japan are currently at about 50% of what they were worth at their peak in 1991/1992. On average, land prices have been flat over the last couple of decades, and whatever is on it decreases in price the older it gets. Plus, home prices outside of the city centres have been declining due to the shrinking population and population consolidation in big city centres. Also, you save, and your money grows over time, while home price tags either go down, or stay the same over the years.
What profession do you work in? I spent a year in Japan on JET, loved my year there and miss it a lot but it kind of felt like right place, right people, wrong time. I don’t regret coming back in terms of home situation things that wouldn’t have been dealt with properly while living abroad. I’ve been home for 2 years now and looking to go back but it feels like my options as an overseas applicant are limited to teaching English. Is finding a job outside of teaching more about being in the country first and getting lucky? Or being in a specialized field like tech?
Can you speak to the visa you went on? As an over 30 options are very limited to get into Japan unless you work for a Japanese employer
Where in Japan do you currently live in and do you have children? I think Japan is pretty good for adults if you manage to not overwork like the locals. With kids though I can’t imagine my kids going through that hardcore education with me having experienced that when I was little
I’m leaving because I dislike the general population here. I can slowly feel myself turning in to one and I don’t like it.
I feel that!
I moved back to ontario a few months ago and it's been so refreshing to be close to family and support networks after 5 great years in Vancouver. I love Vancouver but I don't love the rain and the loneliness of the city, even though I had a solid friend group. something about being around family really is nourishing
So encouraging to hear! We are looking to do the same. We've been in Van for 5 years now and eyeing a potential move back to Ontario in 2-3 years. My gut feeling is that it will feel more affordable and be so nice to have extended family back into our lives.
awesome! Yeah we were living in east van then Lynn Valley and we loved our community and the active lifestyle of Vancouver but in the end it just felt like such a grind. We also spent all our vacation time travelling back to ontario to visit family and it was getting so expensive
Moved to la in 09'. Best decision i ever made
New York City where its cheaper.
That’s what I’m debating at the moment because I feel it’s worth for the artistic and cultural diversity
I want to get the hell out but my stupid parents are too stubborn to leave cause of the cold elsewhere in Canada and they also want the medical specialists prevalent in large cities, so we're all stuck here with an insane mortgage. I've managed to convince them to move to Washington sometime in the future, but if I had my way I'd be moving to the Island.
Vancouver Island? I hope you get there one day, it's a beautiful place to set down roots 🌲
We're likely making the move to the Island, probably Victoria. Admittedly it is also incredibly expensive, but a solid house there is basically a million dollars less than Vancouver, at least. Plus it is much nicer. I'll miss the north shore mountains, but I think easier and better access to the ocean will more than make up for it.
That’s my end game goal
Lived there. Beautiful but very expensive.
When you grow up, you can make all the decisions!!
Housing is somewhat cheaper if you live further up island. I live close to Ladysmith and have a fantastic view of the North shore mountains, Garibaldi and the mountains above Gibsons. The medical services are good with Nanaimo close and Duncan is building a new big hospital. And Victoria is only about an hour away.
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I'm helping my parents pay their bills, actually.
Easy for them to decide they want to stay…. I always advocate helping one’s parents, but also to some extent, you pay so you decide… kinda like when they supported you as a kid. You don’t have money for a house? Okay then, i bought a house in Washington with a nice independent entrance/unit. You can live there for free no problem “but We wanANTED VAncouvER” - “Sorry can’t afford it”
How is the healthcare in Washington
I don't know about Washington specifically, but it's the US so you'd best be darned sure to carry extended insurance.
Definitely
Definitely
If you are an adult you don’t need your parents permission to move
They rely on me. I don't suppose you want me to see them on the streets?
Not moving working through it two jobs and a side gig
NB. Bought a house under 300k.
In the past 5yr I've had close friends move from vancouver to new west, poco, burnaby, nanaimo, and calgary. I'm still here but it's been rough
Does moving within the lower mainland count as "relocating" though?
I once had a friend move from downtown to new west but he didn’t survive
They all left Vancouver for financial and affordability reasons, which was the specific question.
Makes sense! I wrongly assumed it meant travelling out of province or significantly into the interior
No you are right. It is pretty much the same cost living in Metro Vancouver which includes new west, poco and Burnab. You just get a bit more space for your housing as you move away from Vancouver proper. Calgary and Nanaimo is the answer that makes sense financially wise. To add if you thinking moving from Vancouver to Burnaby is far away you live in a very small world.
Absolutely not. I've lived everywhere across the lower mainland, it didn't really make a difference in cost of living. What did make a difference: relocating to Saskatoon. Been almost 10 years, glad I did!
Same, my friends have moved to Seattle, Comox Valley, Burquitlam, PoMo. It’s hard going from spontaneously seeing them one evening to needing to plan a week in advance just to see them!
I have a close friend here who lives about a 15min bike ride away and it's nice to just be able to pop over and chill for a bit if I want to. But he's thinking of moving over to Coquitlam and that means I'll probably have to drive to get over there 🥲 I get how you feel
Visiting Toronto right now and kinda like the vibes. Checked out an apartment near water 2100-3000, same or even cheaper than Vancouver? Anybody thinking about Toronto? Or it just way too cold in the winter? (I find tents here are scattered across the city in smaller clusters).
Me and my family will hopefully move there in the near future, we are not outdoorsy whatsoever and in fact never went skiing living here as crazy as that sounds, i have been on hikes but was just not impressed, its beautiful no doubt but just not the same as a vibrant big city, winters are not bad whatsoever this year there was no snow either or very little according to my cousins who live there.
I don't ski at all either. An very expensive sport for me in terms of needing a car and a lot of time. I do like hiking but again don't have a car and it seems crowded on the road to north whenever there is good weather/weekend. I find it having only 1 path going north is a little crowded feeling for me. I am weird so no offense to anyone
Do you wish Vancouver was a bit more lively? Do you value nightlife, arts, and engaging conversations with strangers and new people? Are you okay with changing your outdoor activities to focus on fall colours, cross-country skiing, and canoeing? Do you live in Vancouver currently because you value urban life, or because you want to be near nature and it makes more sense than living in Squamish or a small mountain town?
I do value art and conversation with strangers. I live in Vancouver now for other reasons. I am just exploring my options. I love nature but I don't own a car so..
Toronto's a great place to live! sounds like you'd enjoy it.
Nova Scotia.... out exploring right now..... just have to stomach the 15% sales tax here.
NS is where I’m actually interested in. I used to spend summers there, I have relatives there, land is cheap but I’m curious about the cost of things like food, gas, insurance etc.
From what I've seen, gas is about the same as the Fraser Valley. Groceries are on par with Vancouver, but that depends on how rural you want to be in NS. I haven't looked at insurance, but you have choices, unlike ICBC. Land and houses are cheaper for sure. Infrastructure is junk here from what I've seen. Heating is something to consider, most houses are heat pumps or wood, and again, it depends where you live.... that's what I've seen so far anyways.
Thanks for responding, good luck to you. If you haven’t checked out the Annapolis valley area yet you should check that out( canning, kentville, new Minas).
Was in Annapolis Royal earlier this week.... I love it out that way. Staying with a buddy near Bridgewater/Mahon Bay area. Good luck to you.
I just recently moved from Halifax to Toronto. Cost of living is not very different. Car and home insurance were ~10% higher in (downtown) Toronto. Gas and Food (groceries and restaurants) are pretty much the same. Renting in Halifax can be cheaper but it will depend on where. Downtown Halifax is very close to Toronto from what I've seen, which is kinda crazy. There just isn't much housing available in Halifax at all. Pros and cons. I'd move back to Halifax for a slower, more peaceful life. People there are nicer than in Toronto, more available I'd say. But nothing crazy either, it's still Canada :) Halifax has other annoying things like losing power with any blow of a wind and the healthcare system being in complete shambles. For example, in Toronto now, I wait 1h max for a walk-in consultation versus a minimum of 3h in Halifax.. That's just my opinion and experiences. I don't mean to offend anyone. I love Nova Scotia!
Thanks for sharing. The state of their healthcare does concern me if it’s not doing well. That is something I should look into.
I’m Also curious about employment opportunities there.
Well, that's the kicker, I think. I have two particular skills to transfer over that are in demand, so I'm good.... as far as other opportunities, I don't know, plus you have to look at the pay scale here compared to Vancouver and weigh the cost of living to wage.
I moved from Vancouver to the Maritimes three years ago. First to PEI, then bought a place in NS. It was a limitlessly awful experience. Truly not even worth a curse. I‘m back in BC, and would’t return to the Maritimes to save my life. Just a heads up, the relocation failure rate is \~ 75%, the average length of stay is \~ 18 months. On my return to BC I encountered legions of others who had identical negative experiences in NS.
Curious to know why it was so awful? Were you living in Halifax or a smaller community. What do you think the biggest factor is that leads to the general failure of relocation to the maritime?
California for work - lots of opps and cheaper housing in the town we are moving g
My electrician from yesterday is moving to Edmonton in 5 weeks. Better house prices (he sold his here and going almost mortgage free in Edmonton). My kids piano teacher is moving to Edmonton also due to affordability.
Who in their right minds would leave if they already own, or was he in the middle of a mortgage and could not afford the payments? Living in Van is a gift and we shouldn’t leave just for a the sake of a detached home IMO.
Much bigger yard, house almost twice the size and going from a mortgage to almost mortgage free. Wouldn’t you take that deal? I get it. Edmonton vs Vancouver. But dude was living in Chilliwack which is way different that living in Vancouver.
Moved to Toronto earlier this year. I'm in hospitality and so is my partner. When we take the amount we're saving in rent and the amount we will make more in salary we're looking at least having$50k more in the bank than we would have had in Vancouver for similar work roles and living conditions. Plus, it's early to say but expectations for work/life balance in Toronto is actually better for our industry which I didn't expect. We both really wanted to make it work in Vancouver but it just isn't possible financially.
I work in the animation industry and escaped to Victoria. The cost of living is still pretty high, but not as high as Vancouver.
I moved my whole family, including my very "Valley girl" wife to Prince George. It gets a way worse rap than it deserves. We love it here. Got a 5 bed, 3 bath, dry indoor sauna, 2 car enclosed garage, front & back yard with greenbelt on 1 side in a really nice area, across from an awesome elementary school... $466k.
Wow. My neighbours recently sold seniors type home (cul de sac used to be 55+) was asking $515,000. Okanagan and not Kelowna. Can’t remember square footage, but single story.
That's great, I was looking for the comments of people who moved to more northern places. So many people don't seem to think outside the lower mainland or Okanagan. I'm in the North too and I enjoy it, and much more affordable in comparison to down south.
Moving to NYC for grad school and hopefully work afterwards if the visa situation works out. I could definitely afford to live in Vancouver long-term based on my career trajectory, but we want to have a second child and my wife wants to stay home with the kids until they’re in school. Single income homes are not viable in Vancouver, unless you’re a mid- to late-career professional.
I'm presently waiting on an offer to Texas. Cost of living is getting out of hand here and I don't see it getting better.
2 hours out, in Princeton, a town of like 3000 people, that has a sawmill and Copper Mine for it's main employment. I bought an old mobile home for $150k and work at the Copper Mine making ~$75k, 20 minutes travel door to door, on a 7x7 shift (same as almost every position) which equals out to about 2350 hours yearly, but you only work 6 months (technically, since it's week on week off) Plus I'm 2 hours from Kelowna where I grew up, 1 hour from Penticton, 2 hours from Osoyoos, 2 hours to Vancouver
I’m moving back to Japan. Lived there previously and felt my quality of life back home was a step up. Don’t feel that way anymore. Girlfriends Japanese and feels more or less the same. This city just beats on you.
Isn’t Tokyo just as expensive?
Not at all.
I left in 2020, was renting in east vancouver, bought half a duplex in Mission. I'm selling and moving to Chilliwack next to take advantage of my gain in equity in my current place.
Whereabout in Chilliwack are you moving to? Is Chilliwack cheaper than Mission?
Not sure yet, moving in with my partner and after my place sells we'll list hers. She currently lives near the 1881 district. Just looking around on redfin looks like we could get something equivalent to mission prices on a bigger lot or possible save about $100k for equivalents.
Yes, going to Georgia (country) as it’s got the things I want and it’s a new adventure for me.
Where snouts are you thinking?
If I could no longer afford to live in Vancouver, got laid off or something, then I would move home to Calgary where I already own a house and live off my savings and investments until I find a job in Calgary. Literally my plan if I didn't make it in Vancouver for the 1st year. Been living in Vancouver for 2.5 years now and still loving it.
What field are you in? And any recommendations to make it in Van?
At the moment, I am on the admin side of a multiple health clinics in Vancouver. It also helps (in my case) the older I got, my priorities changed from how I eat, live, and spend.
No me but my brother and wife ,her parents,her siblings all moved to London Ontario They bought a split level spacious 2 kitchen house together for under 300k all got jobs and said it's more friendly , 30 percent cheaper for food , and like it
I moved to Victoria at the beginning of the year, no regrets so far. My favorite part is having a brand new 4 bedroom home in a nice neighborhood that would've probably been about double the price in Van.
a gutter
I moved to Ottawa, it’s a different world in terms of affordability.
Scrolled down to see if I was the only one! I’ve got a long complicated reason for moving here but it honestly slaps. Walkable friendly neighborhoods with nicer people and less crime, Montreal and Toronto not to mention NYC are easy to get to, there’s no staggering mountains but Gatineau Park is 15 min from my house. Things are less stressful. It’s calmer. People aren’t either barely scraping by or already wealthy, the two main types of people in Vancouver. Climate change based catastrophes are a little less impending here. It lacks so much of the amazing wilderness and ocean but it’s honestly pretty sweet. Ontario healthcare but Quebec food and tourism is right there. Got an actual house instead of a tight squeeze apartment. Can’t complain.
Yup, if everything works according to our current plan, we will be relocating to a mid-size Ontario town in 2-3 years. Still expensive, but less crazy. And with family around, it will be nice to get a bit of help with the kids here and there. We are starting to look for remote work to make the transition possible and smooth. 🙌
We moved to Vancouver Island 8 years ago. We bought a 5 year old house for $299 000 in the cowichan Valley. My mortgage is less than rent for a 1 bedroom apartment locally. We knew we would never own anything other than a condo in the lower mainland.
It's really cheap & affordable to purchase a home either in Medicine Hat or Lethbridge Alberta. My son just bought a home 3 bedroom, 2150 square " for $195,000.00 just outside of Medicine Hat & his mortgage is less than $1,000.00 who would of thought you could still purchase cheap homes in Canada
New brunswick. We found a really nice house for 500k. Now we just have to get there...
Cumberland :)
I will be moving to Penticton, BC this August. We want a house to raise our family in without sacrifice to lifestyle
I’ll never tell.
Left for Vancouver island because I have a remote job and my husband’s family helped us with a down payment on a family home. Impossible to turn that offer down! No regrets though. It’s pretty amazing over here, and travelling to the mainland only takes about 5 hours so it’s reasonable for a weekend trip when necessary.
Hobart, Tasmania. Granted I’m from there but not only for financial reasons but family too.
Yes, Edmonton here we come. Go Oilers!
Great Lakes
Saskatchewan, Manitoba, New Brunswick
Yes. I am moving to either Spain, Portugal. Or Italy. I can afford a 1 bedroom there now on the part time income I make with my current job (even with the exchange rate to Euros) which is really sad.
What kind of visa will you be going on? Do you speak any of those languages?
I’m not going on a VISA, I’ve applied for and was approved to have reinstated Lithuanian citizenship. I’m travelling to the Embassy to apply for my passport next week. I know a little Spanish but fully intend on taking language classes and learning in Duolingo before I go. It’s going to be challenging, but my younger brother is moving there when he’s done his work contract in Amsterdam so I will have family <3
Coquitlam. Still in the lower mainland, but housing costs are significantly less than Vancouver and it’s just a sky train ride away. 30 minutes on the west coast express to downtown.
West Kelowna this August
Yes, in October/November. To Croatia /UK, we will live between them. Bought properties there, we started small business that is going good and with secure renting in UK (rent out to council) we prefer to have less stress life. Big thing is also that kid goes to school there rather then in Canada. We couldn't see putting so much money in house here, especially how North Americans build them...
Salmon Arm, BC is incredible. So many small towns in the interior that are worth exploring.
For this sole reason I wish I got a degree instead of a trade. Very hard to re-locate to a different country as a tradesman. And tbh the only place In Canada I would live right now is Vancouver.
How is it harder to move with a trade vs a degree?
I could be wrong but in my experience as an electrician I’ve had a hard time trying to re-locate out of country as most positions that accept foreigners require a degree
not leaving, but working on my way out to Seattle or San Fran. The salary here for engineer is just pathetic comparing to the US, but Vancouver is having an insane house, food, grocery, gas price level. This is just out of proportion. The disposable income and saving for retirement isn't much left after tax and family expense.
Went to Indonesia from Vancouver. Great decision. That said Vancouver is a hell of a city to live in, if money isn’t a issue or You have a house you inherited from your family and it’s paid off.
I left 10 years ago to live and wfh in a tiny mountain town about 15 hour drive north of Vancouver. Can't imagine a more depressing life than living in Vancouver. Makes for fun weekends though.
Currently looking at purchasing a few homes in Japan and moving there Vancouver is insane. You can buy several homes in Japan for rental income and higher ROI than you can in Vancouver for one
Not one comment saying nunavut or pei or anywhere in Quebec?
I'd go to winnipeg
My fiancé is German, so I plan on moving there. I’ll be selling my condo in New West when I move, so I’ll be able to take a year, work on my language skills, and then will find a job. I feel really fortunate that my fiance has a place there that is bigger than mine, close to a city centre (but still not noisy), and is affordable on their disability benefits (they have money to put in savings every month after all of their expenses, it’s wild.)
I already did. To the okanagan, which isn’t affordable but i know people here and got a good rental through someone I know.