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With the ever increasing quality online options, cost of education is collapsing in the US (as it should). If you are over 25 and below certain income level Uncle Sam pays for you up to 8K a year to use for whatever accredited school program you want to use it (including online).
A lot of stats about welfare programs in the US does not take in consideration a lot of low income support programs like, for example, food stamps.
At 25K of income or lower, health care is basically free (Medicaid)
Overall, on average, cost of living is lower in the US...and by a significant margin
Yeah I think i'd need to look at a whole lot more detailed comparisons for the last sentence to be validated.
Thanks for the info in the first paragraph though.
Yeah I think i'd need to look at a whole lot more detailed comparisons for the last sentence to be validated.
Thanks for the info in the first paragraph though.
I also think it is a misconception that cost of living is lower in the US. I think the overall cost of living in the US is underestimated, even without considering complicated factors such as healthcare and education.
Vancouver, one of the most expensive cities in the US, actually has a lower cost of living than Portland, OR, a not-so-important city in the US. It will also be very hard to convince me that Los Angeles or even Chicago is cheaper than Toronto. They are certainly not.
The US does have some incredibly cheap places to live, especially in terms of housing price, however I want to point out that 1) cheap cities are cheap for a reason, otherwise people in Boston would all move to Atlanta 2) you don't HAVE to BUY a house to live- that's a self-imposed restriction.
I also think it is a misconception that cost of living is lower in the US. I think the overall cost of living in the US is underestimated, even without considering complicated factors such as healthcare and education.
Vancouver, one of the most expensive cities in the US, actually has a lower cost of living than Portland, OR, a not-so-important city in the US. It will also be very hard to convince me that Los Angeles or even Chicago is cheaper than Toronto. They are certainly not.
The US does have some incredibly cheap places to live, especially in terms of housing price, however I want to point out that 1) cheap cities are cheap for a reason, otherwise people in Boston would all move to Atlanta 2) you don't HAVE to BUY a house to live- that's a self-imposed restriction.
For me trying to compare lifelong COL between the two countries is not easy given the way Healthcare is in the States. I think costs can vary so much from person to person, their age and I guess the plan they have - for me I kind of like that we don't have to worry about that. Pay your taxes and what you are taxed is layered based on your income. I know every two weeks when I get paid how much goes to federal taxes and that is it - healthcare costs paid for in my taxes. None of this pick a bronze plan or a gold plan or an emerald etc etc.. Now i'm talking about basic healthcare of course extended benefits like massage/accupunture/chiropractic/glasses etc are through work. If one is on welfare or government disability that is all covered by the government - healthcare and 'extended benefits'
All said I know some things are cheaper in the U.S than Canada - general goods and services but my experience over the years is that It isn't as deep as people think. Housing costs in both countries are highly variable and more based on where you live within each country instead of a nice easy peasy its cheaper in the U.S.. well no and as you said Boston is more expensive for housing than Atlanta for a reason.
Its the same thing in Toronto. People complain about how expensive it is but I can't find an airport job in Sudbury paying what I get paid here. I've compared salaries in other places in Canada and generally they are quite a bit less for what I do. Most airports don't even have the job I do in other cities in Canada. I even checked in the U.S and the salary is a bit less but that is because they have a different system there and it is more airline controlled and airlines are getting cheap when it comes to salaries.
I also think it is a misconception that cost of living is lower in the US.
It is not a misconception at all...it is true...I lived in both places and any other forum members that lived in both nations has confirmed that.
Quote:
Originally Posted by botticelli
Vancouver, one of the most expensive cities in the US, actually has a lower cost of living than Portland, OR, a not-so-important city in the US.
I do not see how Portland has a lower cost of living than Vancouver....Seattle has a lower cost of living than Vancouver....
Rent may be the same or a tad cheaper in Vancouver but that's about it.
Quote:
The US does have some incredibly cheap places to live, especially in terms of housing price, however I want to point out that 1) cheap cities are cheap for a reason, otherwise people in Boston would all move to Atlanta 2) you don't HAVE to BUY a house to live- that's a self-imposed restriction.
Austin is cheaper than Anchorage according to that list...I would live in Austin 1000 times over Anchorage....
Last edited by saturno_v; 03-08-2017 at 12:24 PM..
Housing costs in both countries are highly variable and more based on where you live within each country instead of a nice easy peasy its cheaper in the U.S.. well no and as you said Boston is more expensive for housing than Atlanta for a reason.
Interesting you raised this point....I randomly checked housing prices for some middle of nowhere places in Canada vs. middle of nowhere places in the US ...and the difference was very significant.
Some places are cheaper not because they are less desirable.....regulatory difference, type of jobs available, environmental, logistic and geographical factors, etc....
Again, for example, Anchorage is more expensive than Tampa....where you rather live??
Last edited by saturno_v; 03-08-2017 at 12:35 PM..
Interesting you raised this point....I randomly checked housing prices for some middle of nowhere places in Canada vs. middle of nowhere places in the US ...and the difference was very significant.
Some places are cheaper not because they are less desirable.....regulatory difference, type of jobs available, environmental and geographical factors, etc....
Again, for example, Anchorage is more expensive than Tampa....where you rather live??
Well thing is you can check but I don't know what you're checking and that'll never necessarily give you the full picture. Its kind of like those COL comparison that you were laughing about. I actually agree with you. I looked at my own city and a lot of the prices listed were ridiculous. 2.79 for a liter of milk for example. Sure that is the going price but for a buck more you can get 4 liters. Very few people I see buy those 1 liter cartons of milk. Everyone stocks up on 4 liter bags. You pay way less per litre.
Another point about the uselessness of these comparison is they use named brand stuff. Like how much a pair of Levi's cost in one city v the other. Problem is - most people don't buy Levi's - duh! I can't remember the last time I bought Levi's maybe 25 years ago when I was kid. In most places people don't buy these things they buy a local version of something. I can pay 1.29 for a 2 liter thing of Nestea Iced Tea at the local supermarket but I NEVER do because the Canadian version of 2 liter Iced tea called No Name brand is way better and tastier and its .99 cents.
Same thing with Chicken. I have a freezer - why would I ever pay for the price listed on these comparison sites.. NO I buy a bunch of chicken on sale and freeze it. Same with Lean ground beef. Half the year I don't even buy fruits and vegetable from the supermarket - I go to a farmers market near a flea market and buy the stuff for much less AND its fresher.
So there are a billion things locals due anywhere to decrease cost of living that none of these stupid comparisons will ever capture.
Well thing is you can check but I don't know what you're checking and that'll never necessarily give you the full picture. Its kind of like those COL comparison that you were laughing about. I actually agree with you. I looked at my own city and a lot of the prices listed were ridiculous. 2.79 for a liter of milk for example. Sure that is the going price but for a buck more you can get 4 liters. Very few people I see buy those 1 liter cartons of milk. Everyone stocks up on 4 liter bags. You pay way less per litre.
Another point about the uselessness of these comparison is they use named brand stuff. Like how much a pair of Levi's cost in one city v the other. Problem is - most people don't buy Levi's - duh! I can't remember the last time I bought Levi's maybe 25 years ago when I was kid. In most places people don't buy these things they buy a local version of something. I can pay 1.29 for a 2 liter thing of Nestea Iced Tea at the local supermarket but I NEVER do because the Canadian version of 2 liter Iced tea called No Name brand is way better and tastier and its .99 cents.
Same thing with Chicken. I have a freezer - why would I ever pay for the price listed on these comparison sites.. NO I buy a bunch of chicken on sale and freeze it. Same with Lean ground beef. Half the year I don't even buy fruits and vegetable from the supermarket - I go to a farmers market near a flea market and buy the stuff for much less AND its fresher.
So there are a billion things locals due anywhere to decrease cost of living that none of these stupid comparisons will ever capture.
I agree with you...these stats comparison often are meaningless and potentially dangerous if people trust them blindly as a motivating factor before moving to a city.
Yes, my middle of nowhere comparison was anecdotal (I compared few places between lower southeast BC with north east Washington state))
With the ever increasing quality online options, cost of education is collapsing in the US (as it should). If you are over 25 and below certain income level Uncle Sam pays for you up to 8K a year to use for whatever accredited school program you want to use it (including online).
A lot of stats about welfare programs in the US does not take in consideration a lot of low income support programs like, for example, food stamps.
At 25K of income or lower, health care is basically free (Medicaid)
Overall, on average, cost of living is lower in the US...and by a significant margin
?
Your argument is odd.
Fusion2 is stating that schooling costs and HC costs greatly influence the COL for ALL Canadians. You come back with information on what the poor receive in the US.
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- for me I kind of like that we don't have to worry about that. Pay your taxes and what you are taxed is layered based on your income. I know every two weeks when I get paid how much goes to federal taxes and that is it - healthcare costs paid for in my taxes. None of this pick a bronze plan or a gold plan or an emerald etc etc.. Now i'm talking about basic healthcare of course extended benefits like massage/accupunture/chiropractic/glasses etc are through work. If one is on welfare or government disability that is all covered by the government - healthcare and 'extended benefits'
