Vancouver, BC questions

I was watching the Travel Channel and it reminded me of how much I would love to visit Vancouver. I visited the official travel website and the city definately has me sold. 44 degrees F. in the Winter, 70 degrees F. in July? We had been talking about moving to Flagstaff, Arizona, but Canada looks nicer and nicer. I've been to Victoria, BC, but that's about it. It looks like the cost of living up there is pretty high. Are most apartments around the $2,000/month range and houses around $500,000, or am I just looking at the wrong websites? I know that American dollars are about 2/3rds less than the Canadian dollar, but that wouldn't make much of a difference if one were to move there.

I'm really mostly just curious. Vancouver definately looks like it would be a great spot for a honeymoon, which is why I looked initially. At the same time I like to have my options open for a future move

Actually, Fran (Rapunel 47) is from Vancouver... perhaps she may be able to provide you with some tips.

B.C. is gorgeous! I used to live in the B.C. interior when I was a wee lass, and it was beautiful. It's nice, progressive, friendly, an all-around fantastic province. I would move there myself (I'm also in the process of moving), but Northern Ontario will have to do for now because I have to think of my meowy monsters.

Another great place for honeymooners is the Canadian Rockies (Banff National Park). I used to live and work out there in my youth, so I can attest to the beauty and romance factor.

At any rate, good luck and if you move to B.C., I'm sure you'd find it very welcoming.

Originally Posted by esrgirl

I was watching the Travel Channel and it reminded me of how much I would love to visit Vancouver. I visited the official travel website and the city definately has me sold. 44 degrees F. in the Winter, 70 degrees F. in July? We had been talking about moving to Flagstaff, Arizona, but Canada looks nicer and nicer. I've been to Victoria, BC, but that's about it. It looks like the cost of living up there is pretty high. Are most apartments around the $2,000/month range and houses around $500,000, or am I just looking at the wrong websites? I know that American dollars are about 2/3rds less than the Canadian dollar, but that wouldn't make much of a difference if one were to move there.

I'm really mostly just curious. Vancouver definately looks like it would be a great spot for a honeymoon, which is why I looked initially. At the same time I like to have my options open for a future move

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Been to vancouver for a few days, and I must say it is really nice. I recall walking a wobbly bridge which was really nice. Cannot recall the name right now. And you have Whistler ski resort quite close to you. Although not too sure what they do during summer.

I recall the tour guide bragging to me about the property boom in Vancouver and how she sold her house for several times the price she got it for, during the period where the boom was led by people from Hong Kong.

Originally Posted by esrgirl

I was watching the Travel Channel and it reminded me of how much I would love to visit Vancouver. I visited the official travel website and the city definately has me sold. 44 degrees F. in the Winter, 70 degrees F. in July? We had been talking about moving to Flagstaff, Arizona, but Canada looks nicer and nicer. I've been to Victoria, BC, but that's about it. It looks like the cost of living up there is pretty high. Are most apartments around the $2,000/month range and houses around $500,000, or am I just looking at the wrong websites? I know that American dollars are about 2/3rds less than the Canadian dollar, but that wouldn't make much of a difference if one were to move there.

I'm really mostly just curious. Vancouver definately looks like it would be a great spot for a honeymoon, which is why I looked initially. At the same time I like to have my options open for a future move

Click to expand...

Hi there! I'm going to have to control myself a little here.

First thing, before I forget, the current exchange rate (just checked it) is .8061, which means that $1 CDN = just over 80 cents US, as of noon today. The dollar has been stronger lately than it was for a while.

Housing prices: I can get you some information, but I'll have to do a little looking myself. Not a bad thing, because we know we will have to move sometime in the not too distant future and it's time we got up to speed on the situation. We've been in our current 3-bedroom duplex for 15 years, with only one small rent increase, so we know we must be below market. $2000 maybe a tad high, but probably not much, for what we have. I'll PM you with that stuff if you like. And if you'd like to have a look at cost of living, send me a typical grocery list, and I'll price it out for you.

Now, I'll gush a little. You've picked up on the climate. You say you've visited Victoria. Well, climate-wise, there's not a lot to pick and choose between it and Vancouver, except that Victoria may be marginally milder, and marginally more sunny. We do get rain. This area is, climatically speaking, temperate rain forest. But summers are warm and sunny. And winters are very mild, seldom getting more than a degree or two below freezing, often going all winter with no snow. This past winter we made up for several snow-less winters: we had an accumulation of maybe 6 inches, that lasted for the best part of two weeks. Aw Gee! Precipitation in winter is generally rain, and it can go on...but when that sun comes back, it's like the rain was never there.

There are lots of recreational areas (Whistler has been mentioned) within a couple of hours drive, often through spectacular country. Winter sports at Whistler, of course, but also much closer, just north of the city on Mount Seymour and Grouse Mountain. In the summer, hiking and climbing. Beaches that are clean enough to swim at. Golf -- several good courses. Lots of green space.

Culture. We have an excellent symphony orchestra, several smaller orchestras, multitudes of choirs, a good opera company, and lots of arts organizations who bring you name it to town. I can't comment really on the pop culture, because it's not my scene, but it's active. Lots of good theatre.

Two major universities, community colleges.

Well, there's a fairly broad brush. If you have specific questions, please feel free to post here or PM me. I'd be glad to tell you what I know or find out what I don't.

What we like about Vancouver is pretty much what we like about Flagstaff, AZ- minus the quick drive to the desert. Very mild weather year round, close to skiing, lots of hiking and outdoors activities, cultural activities, Universities close by, etc. I did find apartments and houses in the Greater Vancouver area that weren't nearly as expensive as those actually in Vancouver, more like what I'd pay in, say, Indianapolis. I will be moving to northern Indiana soon and paying $700 a month for a two bedroom 1074 sq. ft. apartment. In Indianapolis the same thing would probably cost me $900-1000 per month. We won't actually be moving anywhere outside Indiana for another two years or so though. So I'm mostly just dreaming about where we could live. I have another year and a half of grad school left and he has two years until he finishes paramedic training, which he starts in August. We both just want to live somewhere where there are a lot of things to do, especially outdoors activities, and where we could get jobs. I saw on a Canadian Goverment website that the average two person family in Vancouver makes more money per year than a couple in Indiana would. You wouldn't happen to have any idea what a paramedic or mental health counselor would make up there would you? Here we would both probably average around $80-100k a year as a couple. As far as my grocery bill goes- I usually spend about $2.50 on a gallon of orange juice, $4.99 for a pound of organic chicken breasts, $1.50-1.75 on a gallon of milk, $2.75 for a decent loaf of bread. I would say we spend about $200 a month on groceries. We average about $30 a month for electric, $50 a month for gas, $47 for cable.

Thanks for your help everyone! The Canadian Rockies definitely look beautiful!

Ok, give me a day or so, and I'll get some numbers for you. None of it's in my head, and I'm in the office right now.

rapunzel... I hope you understand if I tell you that you are not the first person to whom I ask a similar question but of another region... but I know someone who lives there can tell me better than the official website.

What academic opportunities are for foreign students in British Columbia for college? So far I have only seen the UBC website, but Canada seems like an option. You know, like what universities are better than others, what are the living costs of Vancouver and so on.

My 2 cents on this...

Here a few good schools for general undergrad studies (and U of T has extensive grad programs)

Dalhousie - Halifax
McGill - Montreal
University of Toronto - Toronto
York - Toronto
University of Western Ontario - London
University of Manitoba - Winnipeg
University of Alberta - Edmonton
Simon Fraser - Vancouver
University of British Columbia - Vancouver

Victor, hi -- I can't give you much in the way of comparative information about universities. I'm glad you've checked out the UBC site. You might also want to look at Simon Fraser University or the University of Victoria . They, too, are excellent universities. If you want to look at universities across the country, check out the website of the Association of Universities and Colleges in Canada. You'll see here many more universities then I have mentioned, and also get some pointers on how to choose.

I know there are lots of international students on the UBC campus, and I suspect the same is true of most Canadian universities. I'm a little familiar -- at least in a physical sense -- with UBC, since I work at a private college on campus (but not for the university), and our affiliation with UBC does bring us into contact with that institution in more ways than one.

I'm pretty sure there is a surcharge on tuition for international students, though I don't know how much it is. I rather imagine that will be true of all or most post-secondary institutions. Just something to keep in mind and remember to ask about, so you don't get any nasty surprises.

Yes, I have been to the Association of Colleges and Universities of Canada. My main problem was that I didn't knew which ones were better than others... and at the same time not know enough of the Canadian university system to search properly. Although I found it very useful to get an idea.

I will check individually the universities you mentioned. I had found already what you mentioned: The tuition is divided by Canadian residents and international students, which pay more.

Originally Posted by esrgirl

What we like about Vancouver is pretty much what we like about Flagstaff, AZ- minus the quick drive to the desert. Very mild weather year round, close to skiing, lots of hiking and outdoors activities, cultural activities, Universities close by, etc. I did find apartments and houses in the Greater Vancouver area that weren't nearly as expensive as those actually in Vancouver, more like what I'd pay in, say, Indianapolis. I will be moving to northern Indiana soon and paying $700 a month for a two bedroom 1074 sq. ft. apartment. In Indianapolis the same thing would probably cost me $900-1000 per month. We won't actually be moving anywhere outside Indiana for another two years or so though. So I'm mostly just dreaming about where we could live. I have another year and a half of grad school left and he has two years until he finishes paramedic training, which he starts in August. We both just want to live somewhere where there are a lot of things to do, especially outdoors activities, and where we could get jobs. I saw on a Canadian Goverment website that the average two person family in Vancouver makes more money per year than a couple in Indiana would. You wouldn't happen to have any idea what a paramedic or mental health counselor would make up there would you? Here we would both probably average around $80-100k a year as a couple. As far as my grocery bill goes- I usually spend about $2.50 on a gallon of orange juice, $4.99 for a pound of organic chicken breasts, $1.50-1.75 on a gallon of milk, $2.75 for a decent loaf of bread. I would say we spend about $200 a month on groceries. We average about $30 a month for electric, $50 a month for gas, $47 for cable.

Thanks for your help everyone! The Canadian Rockies definitely look beautiful!

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It's taken a few days, but here's what I have found for you so far...

A couple of websites, which will give you some insight into jobs and salaries in your fields...

paramedic

counsellor

Food...

Your decent loaf of bread will cost you anywhere from $3-4, depending on where you buy it -- some really interesting stuff. This would be roughly comparable.

Milk is a lot more expensive -- I don't buy by the gallon, because we don't use it fast enough, so I don't get the best price, but taking that into consideration, and after conversion, I'd expect it to be probably twice what you are paying.

Orange juice will also be a lot more expensive, especially if you are buying fresh OJ by the gallon. That's nice for a change, but the price is outta sight. I find the best value to be the premium frozen brands. Admittedly, not as lovely as fresh squeezed, but they'll come in closer to what you're spending now.

Chicken breasts -- I checked out on Friday at $7.98 lb for boneless/skinless organic.

If you want to look at other specific things, check Stong's, which is a neighbourhood grocer who offers on-line ordering with either delivery or pick up, and also has a fabulous store (for a neighbourhood store). The prices are marginally higher than the big grocery chains, but absolutely competitive with the smaller ones who specialize in natural foods and organics.

I can't really comment on utilities, because gas and electricity are included in our rent. Cable runs us somewhere in the $50-60 range. There's a bewildering variety of offerings, and I don't remember which bundle we have, but it's one of the ones without internet, but with digital -- here's the current offering...

Shaw Cable

I still haven't done anything about housing prices, but will let you know what I find. Anyway, I know you said this is not a "this week" thing , but didn't want you to think I'd forgotten.