From affordable housing in Alberta to high taxes in Quebec, there are many widely accepted claims about the cost of living in different parts of the country. But are these preconceptions accurate?
From affordable housing in Alberta to high taxes in Quebec, there are many widely accepted claims about the cost of living in different parts of the country. But are these preconceptions accurate?
We did pretty much that when we moved to B.C from Sweden, and while it’ll be hard to make ends meet without having two incomes the rest of the equation is pretty much doable.
Education isn’t (fully) covered by taxes here, but tuition is nowhere near as exorbitant as some other places. Similarly, public transportation in major urban areas is pretty good and affordable (compared to car ownership and maintenance at least), and health care (while struggling with the same issues of staffing as in Sweden) is covered by taxation (with the exception of supplemental secondary care like physiotherapy, but most employers offer this kind of additional coverage as part of your employment benefits).
As for employment, you’re in luck with the industries you picked, as the west coast seems to attract many businesses in those fields (and is actually getting a boost off the increased migrant hiring difficulties in the US right now).
This is very interesting to hear from another fellow Scandinavian. Did you get a job offer that made you do the jump? (Helped with setting up a place to live and such) or did you actively look yourself? How did it practically work for you guys?
I took a job that had me working US west coast hours, which didn’t work too well time zone-wise. After a year or so I told my manager I was going to put in my resignation, and they offered to rehire me from their Vancouver, Canada office if I moved there myself. No moving support other than getting my temporary worker visa set up, so I had to find a place to live, move my belongings, etc. out of pocket. In hindsight I could’ve probably negotiated that, but that’s not really in the Swedish nature so I didn’t.
Ultimately, I am happy with the move though. I now hold permanent resident status and my wife has received citizenship. We’ve moved around inside B.C. a bunch as well over the past 10 years, but we’re now settled in a lovely place that combines all the things we loved about our home in Sweden and the amazing scenery this province has to offer.
DM we if you want more practical hands-on advice on things to do first, second, etc. when moving here and getting set up to work and live here.