# Toronot, Calgary, Sakatoon?? Help!



## Rocketman (Jul 14, 2012)

Hi

Just wondering if there is any comparison sites for these 3 cities/regions, in terms of:

cost of housing
cost of childcare
tax differences
salary differences
overall cost of living I suppose

Is toronto (or say GTA) as a place to live a lot more expensive than other parts of Canada? Are salaries higher as a result?

I'm a civil engineer, wife works in food industry as a techie manager

Also out of interest if you had been in fairly stable employment in your home country would you have made the move to Canada? 

Thanks!


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## Auld Yin (Mar 10, 2009)

I'm not aware of any such site. Toronto would certainly be more expensive than living in say, Halifax,NS or Fredericton,NB, but not as expensive as Vancouver or Calgary. I believe salaries would reflect these differences. 
I'm biased because I did very well in Canada and really wouldn't contemplate living elsewhere. Why are you looking at Canada?


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## Rocketman (Jul 14, 2012)

Auld Yin said:


> I'm not aware of any such site. Toronto would certainly be more expensive than living in say, Halifax,NS or Fredericton,NB, but not as expensive as Vancouver or Calgary. I believe salaries would reflect these differences.
> I'm biased because I did very well in Canada and really wouldn't contemplate living elsewhere. Why are you looking at Canada?


Why Canada? Well opportunities are a bit scarce on the ground here and more plentiful over there. Standard of living and way of life seems to fit the bill for kids. Wife is getting redundancy so now is as good a time as any.


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## PaulMan (Jul 17, 2012)

Life is more expensive in Toronto (or GTA whatsoever) but also the salaries tend to be higher.

Would I be thinking of moving to Canada if I had a good job in my home country? Definitely NO!


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## Rocketman (Jul 14, 2012)

PaulMan said:


> Life is more expensive in Toronto (or GTA whatsoever) but also the salaries tend to be higher.
> 
> Would I be thinking of moving to Canada if I had a good job in my home country? Definitely NO!



Why the definite no?? 

Our current 2 jobs are going to 1 shortly (didn't say that part) but the 1 is still fairly ok/safe


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## PaulMan (Jul 17, 2012)

You didn't omit only this part, but also forgot to specify what means a rather stable employment, because if this employment allows you to take mortgage at fair rates and put at least one child through college, I would say you are cruising just fine!


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## Rocketman (Jul 14, 2012)

Righto....its given us a mortgage on a small house thats too small for family that I can keep paying but not really save anything substantial so so college? For 3? No....not at current rates


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## G-Mo (Aug 17, 2011)

Toronto is about the same as Calgary :: Cost of Living Comparison

You can use this tool to extrapolate some of your COL questions above.


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## CDN2012 (Jun 15, 2011)

The Canadian economy isnt doing good right now. Canadian households are carrying higher debt than that of the US, and we see where they are now. Iv seen many many people come here to only regret the move but cant go back and just sacrifice their lives and hope their kids do better than they did in Canada. My wife's parents were in that boat highly educated professor to courier driver.

Sent from my iPad using ExpatForum


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## Auld Yin (Mar 10, 2009)

CDN2012 said:


> The Canadian economy isnt doing good right now. Canadian households are carrying higher debt than that of the US, and we see where they are now. Iv seen many many people come here to only regret the move but cant go back and just sacrifice their lives and hope their kids do better than they did in Canada. My wife's parents were in that boat highly educated professor to courier driver.
> 
> Sent from my iPad using ExpatForum


If, as you claim, the Canadian economy isn't doing well why is it that the whole world, it seems, wants to come here? The story about your wife's parents is purely anecdotal. If he's so highly educated there must be some other reason he's unemployable in his profession. Living in Canada is great, thank you very much.


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## EVHB (Feb 11, 2008)

The whole world seems to want to immigrate to the US also. Even more so than to Canada. But would you want to live in the US if you had only a moderate job/income?
Often, the grass seems greener over the hill. ;-)


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## CDN2012 (Jun 15, 2011)

Auld Yin said:


> If, as you claim, the Canadian economy isn't doing well why is it that the whole world, it seems, wants to come here? The story about your wife's parents is purely anecdotal. If he's so highly educated there must be some other reason he's unemployable in his profession. Living in Canada is great, thank you very much.


Calm down there MR. Canada. I look at facts and the opinion of educated people and not get riled up on emotions because someone had a negative comment about Canada. No country is perfect.

Here are 2 recent articles from people who know more about the economy than anyone on here:
Bank of Canada forecasts 4 straight weak quarters - thestar.com
Bank of Canada stays put on interest rates, says economy doing worse than thought - thestar.com

And maybe in your bubble it seems like the whole world wants to come here, but I don't see it that way at all. Yes a lot of people do and a lot of people prefer to go else where. The population in Dubai where I travel a lot has just reached 2 mil for the first time and climbing. I can't even count how many expats are moving to Asia. 

How many Indians are leaving North America and heading back to India For many Indians, the land of opportunity is the land they're going back to - The Globe and Mail

I was born in Canada, as well as my mom and both her parents. I have travelled across this country and lived in different cities here so I know how good Canada is. My Dad came here as an immigrant and had been very successful and still is. I'm just giving a balanced approach, no need to be rude and sarcastic.


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