what to buy in U.S before I relocate to Montreal (sales, rental)

[BudFields]

I have recently accepted a job w/ a company in Montreal, (just east of the airport). I plan to relocate there this summer and rent for a year, then possibly buy. I am looking for advice re what to products to purchase in U.S. , (car, wine, mattress), before I move to Montreal. If it is much cheaper to purchase a car, TV, etc. before I move, I will take money from savings to do so.
Also, what items, (milk, other groceries), are significantly more expensive in Montreal/Quebec and should I drive to the States to shop for?
Thanks for your help, in advance. We have been suggested to look for rental house in NDG or other 'anglo' neighborhood near airport and downtown. If you have suggestions re 'anglo' neighborhoods, subway use or other useful info for immigrating US ex-pat-to-be, please chime in.


Best Regards

[Zoisite]

I think pretty much everything you can buy in Canada is more expensive than what you'd pay for it in the States. Some things cost the same. Very few things (if anything) cost less. I'd suggest you find out from Canadian Immigrations what kind of personal possessions you can bring with you and then decide from there.
Before you arrive: Prepare to move - Bringing goods to Canada

You can go across the line to go grocery shopping but there are some things you can't bring back, for example fresh fruits and vegetables, living plants. Groceries that are pre-packaged and clearly labelled with bar codes are okay to bring back. If you go over a certain price limit within a certain time limit spent across the line then you would have to declare and pay duty on your purchases when you cross the border into Canada. Your best bet would be to do some comparison pricing of groceries in Canada once you get here, before you start shopping across the border.

.

[minibrings]

I brought my Saab over when I moved to Canada and it was no worries bringing it over as it met all Canadian standards. Also it was duty free since it was a GM subsidiary so it fell under a NAFTA made product (I'm not kidding).

But be forwarned. Insurance in Ontario was more expensive than New York. Im sure Quebec won't be much less. You need to bring references from your car insurance company in the US.. for as many years as you can get. Also be sure to bring copies of your drivers extract from as many states and as long as you've been licensed. In Ontario, to qualify for the regular license I had to bring proof I was licensed in the US for at least 3 years. To get the best rates, thats when the referals from the insurance companies and drivers license extracts helped.

When I get to Quebec I'd see if Canadian Tire is having clearance sales on snow tires for your car, get them cheap and put them away. You are legally required to have snows in Quebec in the winter months.

[avironneur]

Car insurance is brutal in Canada - I paid 71 dollars a month in New Hampshire for full coverage (US) and in Montreal I paid 170 CAD per month, in Waterloo Ontario I pay 125 per month

12 years driving experience
Perfect record

So if you don't meet those standards you will undoubtedly pay more

[BudFields]

Thanks SO MUCH for your reply and the Immigration link!
My (future) boss claims that cost-of-living in Montreal is cheaper than Washington DC and I am finding the opposite in my online research. In fact, it appears that COL in Montreal is as much as 34% higher! Do you believe this is accurate? This has serious implications for me, as the employer is offering me a salary that is no more than what I am making in the US. I need some reliable data to support my request for a higher salary. Your help is much appreciated.
BRgrds

[Cart24]

Originally Posted by BudFields

Thanks SO MUCH for your reply and the Immigration link!
My (future) boss claims that cost-of-living in Montreal is cheaper than Washington DC and I am finding the opposite in my online research. In fact, it appears that COL in Montreal is as much as 34% higher! Do you believe this is accurate? This has serious implications for me, as the employer is offering me a salary that is no more than what I am making in the US. I need some reliable data to support my request for a higher salary. Your help is much appreciated.
BRgrds

According to the Mercer COL survey DC is higher than Montreal, you can look into the site to see what criteria was used to determine this. (List of most expensive cities for expatriate employees - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia)

This list does not factor in Taxes though and that is where you will see the major difference come tax time each year. Basic tax rates are somewhat comparable between the US and Canada (US is still lower depending on tax bracket) but deductions and exemptions are significantly more generous in the US than Canada, and the tax burden overall in Quebec is much higher than DC.

So you may want to focus on the tax burden when negotiating your salary.

[BudFields]

Cart:
Thanks for the reference to the Mercer survey! Very helpful, although I question their description of the Canadian dollar being 'weak' compared w the USD.
BRgrds, bud

[ThroatGuzzler]

Originally Posted by BudFields

Cart:
Thanks for the reference to the Mercer survey! Very helpful, although I question their description of the Canadian dollar being 'weak' compared w the USD.
BRgrds, bud

At the time it was but it's just recently gotten to par.

[Acajack]

Originally Posted by BudFields

Thanks SO MUCH for your reply and the Immigration link!
My (future) boss claims that cost-of-living in Montreal is cheaper than Washington DC and I am finding the opposite in my online research. In fact, it appears that COL in Montreal is as much as 34% higher! Do you believe this is accurate? This has serious implications for me, as the employer is offering me a salary that is no more than what I am making in the US. I need some reliable data to support my request for a higher salary. Your help is much appreciated.
BRgrds

The new boss is probably thinking mostly of housing costs and may also still have some of the "old days" in mind - perhaps he is thinking of prices when he bought his own house.

I think that housing in Montreal is still a pretty good bargain when compared to DC, but prices have gone up sharply in recent years and it is no longer the rock-bottom deal Montreal was in the fairly recent past.

[avironneur]

I grew up in both DC and Montreal and know a lot about both:

Rent and housing are indeed both cheaper as is transit if you decide to use the services of the STM (Societe des Transports de Montreal -- the equivalent of the WMATA in DC) BUT the following are astronomically more expensive:

Sales tax is 14%

Goods (even though the CAD and USD are almost equal in value) cost 20% more in Montreal

Car insurance is insane compared to US rates

Cigarettes and alcohol are significantly more expensive and selection is very poor unless you like Canadian or Quebecois beers

Clothing is very expensive and if you are very tall like myself (6'3") or heavy you will find trouble finding sizes as most clothes even at international chains (Zara, GAP, H&M) is more suited to the thinner-framed more average height French-Canadian