# Canada vs Australia vs UK



## Pingpongdong (Jan 4, 2013)

Hi,

Having lived in Queensland-Australia as a British expatriate for three years, my husband and I decided to return to Blighty. What a shocker! Either our perspective of Britain had changed in that time, or we were affected by the short supply of vitamin D. Anyhow, we are now thinking of either returning to Australia, but we are both half-hearted about it and wonder whether we should consider Canada. 

Any expatriates who have either moved from Britain and/Australia to Canada, who could shed some light on Canadian:

1. Cost of purchasing property, size and types of property;
2. food and living expenses;
3. car purchase;
3. primary, secondary and university standards compared with UK;
4. jobs - process, holiday, remuneration, attitude to work, jobs for doctors, television industry, the kind of jobs available;
4. standard of healthcare, and comparison with UK and Australia;
5. taxes;
6. weather - best place in Canada in terms of climate;
7. living - best place to live in terms of schools, social life, demographic, sport (ie not just football, other sports), metropolitan; cosmopolitan;
8. customer service;
9. travelling - public transport compared with UK and Australia; 
10. overall impression of Canadians as people compared with the British and Australians - sense of humour and attitudes to life and work.

Thanks,

Pingpongdong:tea:


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## mikejb (Mar 12, 2012)

Pingpongdong said:


> Hi,
> 
> Having lived in Queensland-Australia as a British expatriate for three years, my husband and I decided to return to Blighty. What a shocker! Either our perspective of Britain had changed in that time, or we were affected by the short supply of vitamin D. Anyhow, we are now thinking of either returning to Australia, but we are both half-hearted about it and wonder whether we should consider Canada.
> 
> ...


Wow Pingpongdong

You sure don't ask too much do you?

In fairness many of your questions are too far ranging to allow a specific answer while others merit answers from an individuals personal viewpoint.

As regards the cost of purchasing property the simple answer is, there isn't one. Should you buy in Vancouver you will find the prices there extremely high where you will almost certainly not get a great deal of land with your dollar. If on the other hand you buy somewhere rural, prices will be much much lower along with the likelihood you will get acreage too. It really is a case of you needing to decide WHAT you are looking for

Food and living expenses.... For the most part I'd argue food prices aren't a million miles different from UK food prices. I would however say certain foods are better quality (IMO) than the UK.. Meats for example do not tend to consumer altered and therefore far more natural and tasty, this certainly applies to beef.. Chicken on the other hand is altogether different. Here in Canada I suspect all chickens are fed GOLD nuggets... as the price of this particular commodity definitely reflects that idea.... It is at least 3 times the price of those in the UK...

Al that said, if you live in a rural community food prices will be considerably higher, so again bear this in mind

Car purchase... is fairly expensive but affordable.... car insurance... well what can I say other than it's a bit like chicken.... UNBELIEVABLY expensive..... This was certainly a shock to us when we arrived in Canada... We are in BC where vehicle insurance in gov run...and where we find, three months insurance here costs the same as a years worth in the UK.. Other provinces in Canada which aren't gov run insurance schemes may be considerably cheaper....

Not too much personal info on education though I would add, a recent global survey had the UK education much higher than Canada. Those I have spoken to here suggest their education program is pretty good

Jobs are still very much available in Canada...again dependent on location and profession... Remuneration ranges from min pay to excellent... holiday entitlement (IMO) is poor.....

Healthcare... standards are again a matter of opinion and while I can't compare to the Aussie system I would say the Canadian healthcare system is going to cost you a whole lot more...... unless you are lucky enough to get a job where the employer provides you with a healthcare package

Taxes are no better or worse then the UK... and where the UK has VAT here we have either PST, PST & GST or HST....all at below the UK tax band... Income tax levels are similar to the UK

Weather and the best place for climate.... Can't answer that....you would have to say what kind of climate you are looking for... That said, don't expect anywhere in Canada to give you an Aussie type climate.... Vancouver will give you a UK climate... WET...WET oh and WETTER....

Best place to live re schools would be a metropolis...but that would not necessarily be the best place to live which again would depend on what it is you want from life....

Customer service is pretty good in Canada.... then again I work in the tourist industry so maybe I view this from a bias background..

Public transport in some cities is good but overall it is expensive and poor. Greyhound buses are slow and way way too pricey (and uncomfortable)... trains for long distance are pricey, infrequent and lack choice...

Overall impression of Canadians.... Great. In general I find they are a very open minded and welcoming people and certainly friendly.... Their sense of humour too is good though not on a par with the brits but they are getting there.....Oh yes... and they do need to start losing some of their americanisms... I work hard on that but it's an uphill struggle...

Hope this has helped and I am sure others will soon put their point of view

Mike


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