Alberta vs. Ontario...potentially move, opinions needed!!

[CaboBride2010]

So my fiance's work is thinking of moving us out to Alberta to give him a better job opportunity, and it is not a forced move for him it is his choice, however after talking to several people I have heard the cost of living in alot cheaper in most parts of Alberta, than Ontario.

 

However I would love the ask the amazing BDW ladies, have any of you moved from Ontario to Alberta, or vice versa, and what are the differences between living in each places (ex. healthcare)

 

Any feedback would be great as the cost of living in Alberta seems almost too good to be true...

 

[~*Kathy*~]

I've lived in Alberta my entire life so I can't comment on Alberta compared to Ontario but I can say it's always nice that there's no PST here and that it boasts the biggest mall in Canada (if not the world, not sure who holds that record right now). What is the cost of living like in Ontario? Is that where you are right now (sorry if this is a dumb question)?

[CaboBride2010]

hmm that is interesting about no PST... what % tax do you pay on most things like clothes and food?? we pay 14% in total on most things here.. its brutal! and I live in Toronto and the cost of living is just stupid I have had enough of having a very decent income and barely getting by most of the time

[~*Kathy*~]

We only pay GST which I think is currently at 5%, so that's nice. I can't imagine we'll ever get slapped with a PST by the provincial government either, it would cause a huge uproar here haha. Houses are still on the expensive side here I think but I can't really comment since we bought our house right before all the prices shot up (we paid just under $200,000). Between my income and DH's income, we live pretty comfortably. Our commute to work (we drive together since our jobs are about one block away from each other) is about 30 minutes or so, and a little bit longer in the winter. Anything else I can attempt to answer for you?

[lgarner83]

It's because you are living in TO that it is so high! TO is the WORST for that. I've had so many friends move back from TO because the costs are so high. I've heard mixed things about Alberta and cost of living...for the most part I have heard that the salaries are higher there...but the cost of living is high too. Maybe it's less than TO though? My advice is extremely uneducated though and just from word of mouth so don't take my word for it! lol. If anything, I think you should move to London...I heard there's this really hot girl there named Lisa....

[CaboBride2010]

oh ok wow you are really helping me with this we wouldnt have the money to buy a house nor would be necessarily buy out there, but do you know what the average price is for a decent one bedroom apartment just outside edmonton also what it is like for an apartment in edmonton?? hmmm what else?? lol oh ok my concern is healthcare...in ontario we have amazing healthcare that pretty much covers anything necessary...what is the healthcare in Alberta like??

 

i think thats it for now..if I think of something I will post but seriously you are already helping me alot with this

[CaboBride2010]

lol Lisa I lived in London for a little before, I love it there its just too small a place to live for me after coming from Toronto...and I would like to move in Ontario but outside of Toronto, just I want to get away from the constantly hectic life, and just Toronto isnt hte place I remember growing up if that makes sense lol...I wouldnt want to raise kids here, just my personal opinion, but I want a better place for kids to grow up when we end up starting a family..

[~*Kathy*~]

Quote:

Originally Posted by CaboBride2010 oh ok wow you are really helping me with this we wouldnt have the money to buy a house nor would be necessarily buy out there, but do you know what the average price is for a decent one bedroom apartment just outside edmonton also what it is like for an apartment in edmonton?? hmmm what else?? lol oh ok my concern is healthcare...in ontario we have amazing healthcare that pretty much covers anything necessary...what is the healthcare in Alberta like?? i think thats it for now..if I think of something I will post but seriously you are already helping me alot with this

Just took a quick glance at some apartment listings....seems kind of all over the place but probably depends on how new it is, bedrooms, etc...I'd say anywhere from $700 - $1,200/month. That's why DH and I decided to buy a house 5 years ago...we were paying $1,000/month for rent in (albeit a nice one) townhouse. Now we each pay $1,000/month to cover our mortgage (at 15 years now, woo hoo!) and utilities. I'm not sure about the healthcare, I do know that the provincial government just unveiled the budget and said that they were cutting the chriopractor funding (I don't go to the chiropractor). Other than that, I have no complaints. Emergency room waits can be long but I figure they're probably not any longer than anywhere else in this country. Hope this info helps!

[~*DiAnE*~]

I am from Sask - moved to Edmonton - then we moved back to Sask. Edmonton is awesome!! I would move there if I were you!! We will probably go back someday.. We built a house before the boom and sold it during the boom so that's why we moved back but it's a great city!! We paid 800 a month for rent before our house was built but that was a couple years ago...

[CaboBride2010]

ya that really helps thanks so for healthcare do you have a healthcard that you just show your family doctor, and the emergency room and then you pay nothing? that is how it is in Ontario, our taxes pay out healthcare and I really like it that way