FSW WORLDWIDE
- Thread starter js555
- Start date
are you looking forward to find something in Brampton? i heard something about this place tho, not sure but someone said it's completely occupied by many immigrants from a particular region
I mean, almost every major city in Canada is expensive, so it's relative.
It's not as bad as Vancouver and Toronto, but not as cheap as Montreal.
it is a shame that not many people are here who are currently residing in Canada and lived in the US past. I would love to see a quality of life comparison for relatively high earners.
Most people will see a drop in quality of life because your salaries will remain relatively constant, because you'll be earning in CAD instead of USD, and you won't be compensated for the difference in currency conversion. The cost of living is also generally higher here, because there are fewer major cities than the US, so it's harder to find a sweet spot where you can earn well but have relatively lower living expenses like you can in one of the many medium sized cities in the US.
But you're still going to have a good quality of life, it's just not as good as in the US. But that's offset by the fact that you have a permanent status here and don't have the restrictions and uncertainty associated with living in the U.S on a visa.
Last edited:
D
Deleted member 1050918
Guest
That's a vague question. "Relatively" to what? Also comparison with what? The US? I'm gonna have to make a ton of assumptions to try to answer that question:
Assuming you're 25 - 30 years old, single, well educated, don't struggle with English. This is the base line.
1) If you're living in Vancouver or Toronto (or similar): A decent 1 bedroom is $1700/month on average. New grads in decent careers make $65K/year. So unless you're making $80K/year or more, you won't live anything more than a new grad life (i.e. you won't be able to buy a house etc). Still, assuming you're making $65-70K/year, you can buy a decent car and live comfortably for 2-3 years. That's when you're getting a bit old so you have stuff like marriage coming up, leading you to think about owning more (i.e. a house) and you start to struggle because a shitty 2 bed apt is like $800K (if you're lucky). Oh you wanted a detached house with a yard? The land alone is like $1M per acre, so go figure.
2) If you're living in Alberta: Easy mode. Rent is cheaper. Land is cheaper. Job market is shit unless you're in energy, oil gas, mining, construction. $80K/year in AB is like $150K/year in Vancouver.
3) SK and MB is cheaper than AB I believe so even easier than 2 but even harder to find a job than 2.
TL;DR: From US to Canada is almost always a downgrade in quality of life.
what if you had GC in the US vs PR in Canada? US wins from job perspective that is for sure. But to me quality of life means more than just jobs. (Holidays, free time activities, nature, healthcare, school system etc)
Last edited:
Well, the comparison is a little tougher in that case, because you essentially have the same rights and privileges in both countries.
Because the U.S is so vast, you can go to states which are similar to your experience in Canada, like living in Seattle would be similar to living in Vancouver, living in NYC similar to Toronto, etc.
I'd say the life is pretty similar too, in terms of vacation days, free time and nature. But i think Canada is a bit more laid back compared to the US in terms of work culture, but again it depends on the industry and your experience will vary company by company.
Canada has a lot of great nature, and lots of things to do in terms of activities. It's also a lot cleaner than the U.S in general.
But one thing Canada has a big advantage in is safety and security. Like you will see people out very late/early in the morning, and the atmosphere is relaxed and people aren't worried about their safety. That's not to say there aren't crimes or shootings, and you still have to take your precautions, but i'd say that's definitely an aspect of life here which is an advantage. And universal healthcare means you won't have to worry about health coverage even if you're unemployed.
I mean, it all depends on what you value. I know Americans who have moved to Canada, i know British people who have moved here. I know people who couldn't remain in those countries and moved to Canada as sort of their second choice. I know an Australian guy who hated living in Australia and loves living in Canada.
It really all depends on the individual.
I’d take free/ inexpensive healthcare over potentially higher earnings at this point in my life re: US vs Canada.
I can't imagine the stress of having to deal with a health issue while you're unemployed, and then having to rack up medical bills to pay for it out of pocket.
I have seen a lot of people in my company, who is struggling to do the job but they are putting up with it because they need an insurance. Sad but true.
That is one of few things I don't like about US.