Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
Ben and Jerry's is American ice cream anyways. It's like asking why import beers cost more than Budweiser.
It is relevant b/c there is no good quality, all natural canadian ice cream for sale. I hear Udder Guys is good but haven't found it at any of my groceries..and have a sneaking suspicion it will be overpriced as well.
Why is it that Ben & Jerry's always comes up during a cost of living comparison between the two countries? This probably the 4th time I've heard this...
I mean, it's good ice cream and all but the conversation always seems to go like this: Fuel, housing, taxes, produce and Ben & Jerry's - like it's some basic life necessity.
you forgot transit prices, airfare, car price (Ontario made car is more expensive in Ontario than in Haiwaii).
Has anyone noticed that for the same second hand stuff (furniture etc), Canadians also ask for considerably more than Americans? For example, for a couch that was bought for $500 4 years ago, a typical Canadian seller might ask for $150, while an American asks for something like $80. It is shocking how much Canadians think their second hand possession are worth. This is kind of a cultural shock for me since I moved here.
Has anyone noticed that for the same second hand stuff (furniture etc), Canadians also ask for considerably more than Americans? For example, for a couch that was bought for $500 4 years ago, a typical Canadian seller might ask for $150, while an American asks for something like $80. It is shocking how much Canadians think their second hand possession are worth. This is kind of a cultural shock for me since I moved here.
I find that Americans move more on average which might have something to do with it. They are born in a given city, go away for college in another city, work in a different city, may go to grad school in another city, then work in another city after that. Most people I meet in the US have lived in at least a couple of cities compared to the majority of people I know in Canada, at least in Toronto. I guess being in the biggest city in a small country, there isn't really an incentive to move. Vancouver is far away and generally not more lucrative job wise and there are both language and job issues in Montreal.
I find that Americans move more on average which might have something to do with it. They are born in a given city, go away for college in another city, work in a different city, may go to grad school in another city, then work in another city after that. Most people I meet in the US have lived in at least a couple of cities compared to the majority of people I know in Canada, at least in Toronto. I guess being in the biggest city in a small country, there isn't really an incentive to move. Vancouver is far away and generally not more lucrative job wise and there are both language and job issues in Montreal.
that's definitely true.
I sometimes want to move to a different city, but there is no different city to move to. Here in Toronto, a very large percentage of people I know are from the GTA. My ex boss was born in Burlington and have worked and lived in the GTA for his entire life.
I hope there are more cities from us to choose from, subject to the following criteria
1) plenty of jobs, diverse economy and salary level commensurate with costs
2) urban and exciting. great restaurant and culture scene; not a boring downtown office - suburban house lifestyle
3) metro population 2M+
I don't expect anything weather-wise as it will be unrealistic. That leaves us with --- Toronto.
and no, Ottawa and its byward market is far from enough.
you forgot transit prices, airfare, car price (Ontario made car is more expensive in Ontario than in Haiwaii).
Has anyone noticed that for the same second hand stuff (furniture etc), Canadians also ask for considerably more than Americans? For example, for a couch that was bought for $500 4 years ago, a typical Canadian seller might ask for $150, while an American asks for something like $80. It is shocking how much Canadians think their second hand possession are worth. This is kind of a cultural shock for me since I moved here.
My Honda Ridgeline RTL ( EX-L in Canada ) was made in Ontario but costs more than 20% higher in Canada not including taxes. The shipping cost is almost double in Canada.
Vancouver housing market 2nd least affordable on planet
Quote:
Trendy neighbourhoods and cityscapes nestled against a backdrop of snow-capped mountains are among the things that draw people to Vancouver, but it comes at a price and it's not just a lot of rain: Vancouver is one of the world's least affordable when it comes to housing.
Lotusland was ranked the second least affordable among 337 metropolitan markets, according to a housing affordability survey from Demographia released this week. Hong Kong is the most unaffordable.
On the flip side, the survey found Detroit, the most affordable major market.
Demographia, a U.S.-based urban policy consulting firm that argues government policies to contain urban sprawl leads to higher house prices and speculation in markets, rates affordability using a method they refer to as the median multiple.
That is the median house price divided by gross before-tax annual median household income. The higher the measure the more unaffordable.
Vancouver's median multiple was 9.5, with its median house price of $621,300 on household income of $65,200.
"The idea is that, 'I want to be here so badly that I'm willing to pay higher rent and make lower salary,' " said Tsur Somerville, a real-estate expert and professor at the University of B.C.'s Sauder School of Business, in a Vancouver Province newspaper report.
"There's a perception right now that (Vancouver's) an attractive place to be."
The ninth annual survey was done on 337 markets including Australia, the United States, United Kingdom and New Zealand.
A measure of 5.1 or greater places a city in the severely unaffordable category. Vancouver saw its measure fall to 9.5 from 10.6, a ranking described as "dreadful" by Wendell Cox, a co-author of the survey in the Globe and Mail. Cox added the figure needed to drop further.
Elsewhere, Toronto's measure inched higher to 5.9 from 5.1, while Calgary's ranking moved up to 4.3 from 3.9. Overall, housing in Canada is moderately unaffordable, the survey showed.
At WalMart in Vancouver, I saw cereal rolled back to the American price, so hopefully Vancouver will start to become more affordable.
But there are reasons why the USA is cheaper:
1. USA has lower minimum wages than Canada.
2. USA has a larger economy with more competition.
3. Canada has more food standards that cause food to be more expensive.
4. Real Estate price is more in Canada.
But there are many things cheaper in Canada.
Plus, Africa is also cheaper than the United States, so being affordable obviously has nothing to do with how good a country is.
Possibly with the added competition, prices will decrease. But Target's prices are the same as Zeller's prices were and the same as Walmart and everything else.
Also, non-union stores are cheaper, Superstore, Save On Foods etc.
At WalMart in Vancouver, I saw cereal rolled back to the American price, so hopefully Vancouver will start to become more affordable.
But there are reasons why the USA is cheaper:
1. USA has lower minimum wages than Canada.
2. USA has a larger economy with more competition.
3. Canada has more food standards that cause food to be more expensive.
4. Real Estate price is more in Canada.
But there are many things cheaper in Canada.
Plus, Africa is also cheaper than the United States, so being affordable obviously has nothing to do with how good a country is.
Possibly with the added competition, prices will decrease. But Target's prices are the same as Zeller's prices were and the same as Walmart and everything else.
Also, non-union stores are cheaper, Superstore, Save On Foods etc.
The minimum wage is a much bigger issue in Canada because the percentage of Canadian workers receiving minimum wage is much larger than in the US. A far greater number of US workers earn above the minimum wage. The fact is that productivity is much higher in the US.
Just what additional food standards does Canada have? It is not just food that is more expensive, so are most items.
FYI, the local purchasing power in Vancouver is 34% lower than San Diego CA. San Diego is a high COL city with average income. Local purchasing power is the cost of living vs income. An average person in San Diego can buy 34% more than the average person in Vancouver. FYI, the average Monthly Disposable Salary (After Tax) is over $1,000 /mo ( 26% ) higher in San Diego than Vancouver.
Last edited by JohnSoCal; 01-31-2014 at 10:27 PM..
Canada is more expensive, but not by a whole lot. Groceries are a bit more yes, but still not too bad. Eating out is roughly the same.
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
