# Wage in Vancouver suburbs



## longestboat (May 7, 2012)

Hi All

Is 82000 Canadian enough to live on for a family of five living around Vancouver? Can you have a good quality of life on that sort of salary or am I living in a dream world?

Thinking White Rock / Langley area 3 or 4 bed house with at least one car, kids are 10/7/5. I've been offered a job with a salary that is a lot less than my current UK one just weighing up quality of life versus salary. I have PR status. Comments please!


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## Auld Yin (Mar 10, 2009)

Many people live in Vancouver on less than you've been offered but it all comes down to the lifestyle you wish to live. Vancouver is one of the world's most expensive cities. Have you been to Vancouver? If not then a reccie is in order. Would you be mortgage free?


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## thinkering (Apr 24, 2013)

I definitely recommend coming for an exploratory visit and assessing the situation first hand in consideration of your expected lifestyle.

I live in metro-Vancouver, and there is a premium you need to pay to live here compared to other cities. If you will have time and spare money to spend, then living here is beautiful (keep in mind the long rain season). There are also families that work multiple jobs here just to pay the bills, and living this way may defeat the purpose of being in this area.


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## longestboat (May 7, 2012)

@Auld Yin, yes I've been several times the last visit was 12 months ago. No I would not be mortgage free, I am going to keep my house in the UK for a while and rent.

I think the days of bringing a lot of equity over and doubling your money on the currency exchange have long gone ( I missed the boat on that one).


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## Auld Yin (Mar 10, 2009)

longestboat said:


> @Auld Yin, yes I've been several times the last visit was 12 months ago. No I would not be mortgage free, I am going to keep my house in the UK for a while and rent.
> 
> I think the days of bringing a lot of equity over and doubling your money on the currency exchange have long gone ( I missed the boat on that one).


I'll play devil's advocate here. 
You would be coming for a lot less money than at present! You mention quality of life
as an attraction. What's wrong with present life quality that would encourage you to uproot 3 children and move them a great distance away from friends, grandparents and family? If it's the great outdoors then there's plenty of that in the UK. If it's for the weather then keep in mind it rains a great deal in Vancouver. If it is for the adventure and return to UK then fair enough, but with your income and Europe on your doorstep I would find that somewhat empty.
You already have your home, car(s), a good job/income, kids presumably getting good educations and, I assume, a wife happy with her lot.
There's no doubt Vancouver is a very attractive city in which to live but family living costs are high.
I can see no great reason for you to make so radical a change.
If I've stepped on your toes, I apologize.


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## EVHB (Feb 11, 2008)

With $82,000 and a family of 5, I would think twice. It might be a nice income if you live in a cheaper place, but not in Vancouver and surroundings.


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## WestCoastCanadianGirl (Mar 17, 2012)

Figure on _at least_ a half million dollars or more plus tax for a house, even that far out of downtown Vancouver.

Transportation costs (Translink... the Lower Mainland's answer to Transport for London) can be found here... you will be living in Zone 3 and downtown Vancouver is in Zone 1, so it will cost you $5.50 each way during the day and $2.75 after 6:30pm and at the week end. 

Translink is rolling out their "Compass Card" some time this year... it works on the same premise as the Oyster Card. I don't know when it will be introduced system wide (I moved to London back in October) but I do know that the gates have been going up over the last year and a half or so (I saw some fare gates set up at a station last fall before I left Vancouver).

MLS Multiple Listing Service... houses for sale and for rent... not as user friendly as Rightmove.co.uk or Zoopla, but most Estate Agents list on MLS so you can look for a place to live from the UK.

Health Insurance will run you CAD $133/mo for a family of 5 

Save on Foods and Safeway Canada... two supermarkets in the Lower Mainland, to give you an idea of what food prices are like. Sadly, neither offer home delivery.


ETA: Mobile phone tariffs are InSaNe in Canada... figure on paying 2-3 time MORE than what you're paying now for less service options (I'm paying CAD ~$23/mo with Three.co.uk for what would have cost me almost CAD ~$70 with fido.ca). Best thing to do is figure out what options you want and compare the tariffs on offer... on the plus side, the cost of an iPhone in Canada (from the Apple Store, if an iPhone is what you are wanting) is cheaper than what you can get at the Apple store here in the UK... better yet, and unlike in the United States, the phones from the Apple stores in Canada come _un_locked (I inherited my husband's UK iPhone last year before we were married and I was able to pop in my Fido sim and start using it when I went home to apply for my Fiancee visa).


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## rashar (May 11, 2013)

If you have a job offer of 82,000 - that's just the basics. Is your employer going to pay you benefits on top that which will include your monthly premiums and if you keep your house in the UK and it's paid for, will you recognize additional income from it that can offset the rent you will pay in Vancouver.
If you have the opportunity - your kids and wife are on board - you can swing it and make the choice to move, just embrace all that Canada has to offer and take advantage of the adventure, growth, exposure and experience you will all gain. The west coast is beautiful - who knows where such a move leads - congratulations on the job offer! Expect differences because isn't that what moving to another country is all about??? Good luck!


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## longestboat (May 7, 2012)

Thanks for your replies. We have decided to take the same job but in Kelowna. We have considered our position in the UK and although there is nothing wrong with it... We are going to go for it in Canada. We've been talking about it for 15 years so enough talking... 

What do you guys think of Kelowna? 
Same job, same wage 82k plus overtime. Company paying moving costs.


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