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You'll be in the company of lots of Jewish people in North York. If you stay near the Yonge/Fitch subway line you'll be able to travel downtown whenever you want easily.
I agree.
Anywhere near Bathurst St has a high concentration of Jewish people, nice area too.
I still remember the old slogan on North York signs, "City with a Heart".
Also on the plus side, newly expanded Yorkdale Mall offers great shopping.
I'm female, but I see your point I'm not looking for a trendy neighborhood because they're usually loud and have more problems with petty crime, at least down here they do.
I'm Jewish so I don't eat pork and most BBQ around here is pork...and I don't often go out for Mexican, so I doubt I'd miss either. I'll google the areas you recommended; thanks for the response!
I'd throw up another recommendation for Yonge/Eg. The housing stock is on side streets, so it's very quiet, but Yonge and Eglinton are major retail avenues loaded with amenities and you're 15-20 minutes from downtown by subway (or you can walk it, a great walk, in about an hour). I can't imagine living anywhere this quiet on side streets and this active on the major roads. There's very little petty crime and non-existent violent crime.
I'd throw up another recommendation for Yonge/Eg. The housing stock is on side streets, so it's very quiet, but Yonge and Eglinton are major retail avenues loaded with amenities and you're 15-20 minutes from downtown by subway (or you can walk it, a great walk, in about an hour). I can't imagine living anywhere this quiet on side streets and this active on the major roads. There's very little petty crime and non-existent violent crime.
What's the cost of living like...rent, utilities, etc?
If I wanted to search for a place to rent or buy, what would be some good terms in the search engine? I realize the cost of living will be considerably higher than where I live now (Dallas); is it possible to live in Toronto without a car? Ditching my car would help a lot.
What's the cost of living like...rent, utilities, etc?
If I wanted to search for a place to rent or buy, what would be some good terms in the search engine? I realize the cost of living will be considerably higher than where I live now (Dallas); is it possible to live in Toronto without a car? Ditching my car would help a lot.
Cost of living will likely rise a lot from where you are so I hope you get a salary increase. Living with a roommate would be around $700-$800. You can probably rent a place around there for $1200-$1600 according to my memory (but someone with more current knowledge can correct me). Just look at Craigslist to get a sample. Taxes on your pay cheque (check) will be higher as will the cost of most goods. Be ready for it.
Buying a one-bedroom condo in the city will avr. around $350k but I don't think you should do that off the bat, both because the market is still priced quite high (but coming down slowly) and you need to see if you like living there before committing to anything.
Many people downtown don't have a car, it's common. Also at Yonge & Eglinton, being on the subway line precludes the necessity of having a car we well. Many young people around there don't have a car as well. You can definitely ditch your car if your work is accessible by the subway or close to public transportation.
Cost of living will likely rise a lot from where you are so I hope you get a salary increase. Living with a roommate would be around $700-$800. You can probably rent a place around there for $1200-$1600 according to my memory (but someone with more current knowledge can correct me). Just look at Craigslist to get a sample. Taxes on your pay cheque (check) will be higher as will the cost of most goods. Be ready for it.
Buying a one-bedroom condo in the city will avr. around $350k but I don't think you should do that off the bat, both because the market is still priced quite high (but coming down slowly) and you need to see if you like living there before committing to anything.
Many people downtown don't have a car, it's common. Also at Yonge & Eglinton, being on the subway line precludes the necessity of having a car we well. Many young people around there don't have a car as well. You can definitely ditch your car if your work is accessible by the subway or close to public transportation.
(All figures in USD)
I make about $90k in U.S. dollars and if I put in for a transfer to Toronto, I probably couldn't expect much of a raise but you never know. My mortgage, taxes, and insurance on my house here in Dallas are about $1500 a month and my utilities (gas, electric, water) run about $200-$300 a month. My car is paid for so I don't have a car payment but my insurance is about $700 a year and gas is about $100 a month. I've lived in Europe before so I have dealt with high living costs, but I've also been back in Texas for over five years so I've gotten used to things being less expensive. Not everything in Dallas is cheap...real estate is relatively cheap but that's about it. Food, gas, utilities, etc. are more in line with US averages.
I make about $90k in U.S. dollars and if I put in for a transfer to Toronto, I probably couldn't expect much of a raise but you never know. My mortgage, taxes, and insurance on my house here in Dallas are about $1500 a month and my utilities (gas, electric, water) run about $200-$300 a month. My car is paid for so I don't have a car payment but my insurance is about $700 a year and gas is about $100 a month. I've lived in Europe before so I have dealt with high living costs, but I've also been back in Texas for over five years so I've gotten used to things being less expensive. Not everything in Dallas is cheap...real estate is relatively cheap but that's about it. Food, gas, utilities, etc. are more in line with US averages.
Well $1500 for mortgage, taxes and insurance for a house will likely be similar to your rent for a 1 bedroom but you can likely do better than $1500 if you look. Your utilities should be less since you are maintaining an apartment vs. a house. A metro pass costs ~$130 a month so if you dump your car, your transportation costs will be about the same here taking public transit as driving back in Dallas. If you bring your car, your insurance will will be at least double and gas is more so I wouldn't do it if you can get to the office easily via public transit. Eating out, buying clothes, getting a cellphone, banking, flying places, etc. will all cost more. That being said, $90k is more than enough for a single person in the city-- paying rent, meals & entertainment and tucking away savings.
But it sounds like you have your expectations in check regarding cost of living and seem to live life more for the experience. Toronto and Dallas are very different cities so it will be a great opportunity to expand your horizons and try something new.
Well $1500 for mortgage, taxes and insurance for a house will likely be similar to your rent for a 1 bedroom but you can likely do better than $1500 if you look. Your utilities should be less since you are maintaining an apartment vs. a house. A metro pass costs ~$130 a month so if you dump your car, your transportation costs will be about the same here taking public transit as driving back in Dallas. If you bring your car, your insurance will will be at least double and gas is more so I wouldn't do it if you can get to the office easily via public transit. Eating out, buying clothes, getting a cellphone, banking, flying places, etc. will all cost more. That being said, $90k is more than enough for a single person in the city-- paying rent, meals & entertainment and tucking away savings.
But it sounds like you have your expectations in check regarding cost of living and seem to live life more for the experience. Toronto and Dallas are very different cities so it will be a great opportunity to expand your horizons and try something new.
Thanks for taking the time to answer my questions, I appreciate it; I'm sure I will have more once I start planning a visit to Toronto. It won't be anytime soon; soonest could be summer 2013.
simply put this city sucks
...
if you must come next summer and check the place out....i'm sure you'll hate it
Leave. No, really, just leave and don't look back.
BigDGeek, I moved to Toronto from Chicago, and I love this city. I think you will really enjoy your time here. I suggest living as close to downtown as possible. Yonge/Eglinton as has been suggested is a really good place since it is in between downtown and North York, and really close to both by subway.
What's the cost of living like...rent, utilities, etc?
If I wanted to search for a place to rent or buy, what would be some good terms in the search engine? I realize the cost of living will be considerably higher than where I live now (Dallas); is it possible to live in Toronto without a car? Ditching my car would help a lot.
In the older apartment buildings, you could get a 1 bedroom for between $1050-1300. In the new condos, it's probably closer to $1400-1600. Utilities aren't too bad... unless specified, apartments cover water and heat, usually. I pay about $90 every two months for hydro on a 1 bedroom. If you keep your car and want a parking spot, that's usually $100 a month extra.
It's possible to live without a car, but I wouldn't do it if I didn't live on the subway line. I would ditch the car at Yonge/Eglinton... everything is within walking distance and as mentioned, it's a quick trip downtown (and North York is about 10-15 minutes away by subway and there's a decent-sized CBD there you may need to visit for work). If you need to take a car out for shopping or long trips, many of the condos and apartments have some sort of car rental affiliate on site.
What's the cost of living like...rent, utilities, etc?
If I wanted to search for a place to rent or buy, what would be some good terms in the search engine? I realize the cost of living will be considerably higher than where I live now (Dallas); is it possible to live in Toronto without a car? Ditching my car would help a lot.
I went to a cost-of-living comparison calculator. To quote:
Consumer Prices in Toronto are 24.40% higher than in Dallas, TX
Consumer Prices Including Rent in Toronto are 27.27% higher than in Dallas, TX
Rent Prices in Toronto are 33.54% higher than in Dallas, TX
Restaurant Prices in Toronto are 19.24% higher than in Dallas, TX
Groceries Prices in Toronto are 33.93% higher than in Dallas, TX
Local Purchasing Power in Toronto is 17.85% lower than in Dallas, TX
I moved to the greater toronto area from the southern U.S. last year and I'm in permanent sticker shock, especially with regard to housing prices. A ~1400 sq foot condo in my building that recently sold for $500,000 would have been about $170,000 in the U.S. And services, like hair stylists, eye check-ups, auto repair etc. cost a lot more. I used to get a vision exam for ~$25---here it cost me $90. And there's a 13 % goods and services tax on nearly everything.
Last edited by ellemint; 12-19-2012 at 03:16 PM..
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I'm not looking for a trendy neighborhood because they're usually loud and have more problems with petty crime, at least down here they do.
