Cost of Living Comparison: Calgary & Vancouver

[Jero Miginla]

Originally Posted by rotten42

Don't forget about relocation costs too.

Thanks, the package I get for the actual relocation is actually quite good. As mentioned in the thread my main concern in on the salary front.

[Jero Miginla]

Originally Posted by PsYcNeT

If you know someone with access, the Mercer's Cost Of Living Survey rated Vancouver the priciest city in Canada to live in back in June, but to buy access to the actual survey #s you need to pay $699 :<

Yes, I was looking at that the other day and trying desperately to find a bootleg copy without any luck.

[Vulcan]

Originally Posted by V

Vancouver's more expensive, but once you cross the Port Mann it gets a lot cheaper. They may say that you can live in Surrey and commute to Vancouver for work. Many, many people live in Surrey or east and commute into the City for work.

There's also at least a $3 toll for every trip across the Port Mann.

[darklord700]

Originally Posted by Vulcan

There's also at least a $3 toll for every trip across the Port Mann.

Speaking of which, I drove my car with AB plate through that bridge and never got billed for anything. Why's that?

[Northendzone]

Try googling terms like cost of living calgary Vancouver.....here is something I found:

http://ellidavis.com/toronto-real-es...anadian-cities

As an aside, is there any way to hold off on the move to January 1, as it will save you some provincial tax money. If not try and negotiate something to allow for the ab/bc differential.

Vancouver seems like a cool place to live, with the exception of the canuckleheads and thier fine fan base.......

[V]

Originally Posted by darklord700

Speaking of which, I drove my car with AB plate through that bridge and never got billed for anything. Why's that?

You won`t get a bill if you don`t have a BC plate.

[Flash Walken]

If you move from Calgary to Vancouver, you're making a huge mistake if you don't actually live in Vancouver or North Vancouver.

[Wormius]

Generally, I thought the issues of living in BC wasn't the cost of living, per se, but rather the lower salaries. If the OP will be making a similar salary there as he/she was here in Calgary, they could get by okay.

If you're making $90k/yr here and will be the same in Vancouver, you'd be okay. If you're getting $60k/yr, then maybe it's not going to be a comfortable move.

[Vulcan]

Also when making the move you'll need to register your vehicles. This is no problem unless you have recently made a purchase which may lead to having to pay PST.

New Residents
If you are a new resident to
BC
and you bring a vehicle into
BC
solely for non
-
business use, the
vehicle is exempt from PST if:

the vehicle arrives in
BC
within six
months
of you becoming a resident of the province, or
would have arrived within that time if it was not for circumstances that made it impractical for
you to have brought the vehicle in within that time
,
and

you owned the vehicle for at least 30 days before you
became a resident of
BC
.

[Super Nintendo Chalmers]

Originally Posted by Vulcan

There's also at least a $3 toll for every trip across the Port Mann.

The way things are moving, eventually, every bottleneck in the region will be tolled. If I didn't already live in Van., I'd only consider living to the east and not north or south.

[SeeBass]

http://www.economist.com/content/big-mac-index

I like to use this when I travel

[Northendzone]

I think this story provides you with some bullets for the chamber

http://www.winnipegfreepress.com/loc...227490351.html

[Sylvanfan]

Check the personal tax rate too. Your rate in BC could be more depending on your earning bracket. Also see if your BC medical is paid by the company, that can be like 80 a month for a single person. Car insurance depends on age. I'm 37, and the 2006 Chev Silverado that my inlaws just gave me costs me $600 a year less to insure in Alberta than it cost them in the Okanagan which has lower rates than the lower mainland. Land transfer tax on real estate is really expensive in BC, like 1% on the first 200k, and 2% more on the balance. A 400k property it will cost you 6 grand in land transfer tax there. Admittedly though, natural gas and electricity is cheaper in BC.

[Jake]

Car insurance is about twice the price in Vancouver than Calgary.

Gas is 20-25 cents/L more than Calgary.

[squiggs96]

Originally Posted by Sylvanfan

Check the personal tax rate too. Your rate in BC could be more depending on your earning bracket. Also see if your BC medical is paid by the company, that can be like 80 a month for a single person. Car insurance depends on age. I'm 37, and the 2006 Chev Silverado that my inlaws just gave me costs me $600 a year less to insure in Alberta than it cost them in the Okanagan which has lower rates than the lower mainland. Land transfer tax on real estate is really expensive in BC, like 1% on the first 200k, and 2% more on the balance. A 400k property it will cost you 6 grand in land transfer tax there. Admittedly though, natural gas and electricity is cheaper in BC.

Personal income taxes are lower in BC up until about $94,000 in annual earnings. Above that, you pay less taxes in Alberta. BC MSP (health care) is $66.50 per month, per person. A family is double this and a couple is slightly less than the family rate.

The property transfer tax in BC sucks. They keep saying they are going to look at it, but it brings them in so much revenue. If you are a first time home buyer, and meet all of the criteria on the form, you will not have to pay the PTT for houses costing up to $425,000. For houses between $425,000-$450,000 there are partial exemptions. Above $450,000 there are no exemptions. Even if you buy a house with your spouse, and it's both of your first houses, you can't combine or split the purchase to avoid the exemption.

ICBC will charge you a really high rate. Make sure to get a partial discount by bringing in experience from your Alberta driving. It's not much, but it helps.

[Cuz]

Originally Posted by Jake

Car insurance is about twice the price in Vancouver than Calgary.

Gas is 20-25 cents/L more than Calgary.

For the gas, very true, but not quite for the car insurance. I am only saving about $20/month here for insurance versus living in the lower mainland and I do not have replacement coverage anymore.

[Super Nintendo Chalmers]

Originally Posted by Jake

Car insurance is about twice the price in Vancouver than Calgary.

It would probably be the same if the drivers weren't so crappy around here.

[Super Nintendo Chalmers]

Originally Posted by Sylvanfan

Car insurance depends on age.

Technically, it's driver "experience" rather than age.

[Nandric]

Originally Posted by darklord700

Speaking of which, I drove my car with AB plate through that bridge and never got billed for anything. Why's that?

I think even though you have an AB plate, if you cross the bridge with enough frequency you will eventually be sent a bill. I believe its something like after 25$ worth accumulation of crossings when it kicks in. It sounds like if you cross infrequently enough they will expire before accumulating, though I dont know how long they sit in the books.

[Bigfeet24]

fuel was more expensive in Vancouver than it was in Calgary... almost by 30cents or so.

a subway meal deal costing $8 in Vancouver was only $6 in Calgary

when i was on holiday at the start of August, eating out was far more expensive in Vancouver.