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Old 08-11-2007, 03:20 PM
 
Location: Wisconsin
84 posts, read 555,237 times
Reputation: 39

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I'm from Wisconsin, I'll be graduating college in the next year or so, therefore, I am trying to obtain some information on cities which I might be interested in moving to. I definitely think I want to get out of Wisconsin, so my main choices are Chicago (to stay fairly close to home), Denver or now recently, I've actually been contemplating a move to Canada. I've visited a few times and I've really loved the country. I've never been to Toronto, but from what I have seen, it looks great.

My first question is, what is economy like in Toronto? I'm majoring in Marketing, is there lots of opportunity for that kind of field down in the Toronto area?

Second, what do fairly nice studio apartments run for in the downtown area? I'm not looking for luxury, but I'm not looking for something old and run down either. I hope (I say hope, because I really don't know, as salaries vary) to be making $30-$35k (US Dollars) a year. I realize that is not much at all for a big city, but could one live fairly decently on that salary in Toronto? I apologize if I'm being naive and it's not realistic to think I could live there on that salary, but I don't mean to be, I just simply do not know about living expenses in Toronto.

My last question is, what is the bug situation up there? I can handle pretty much anything except spiders. I dislike them with a passion, but only if they are in the home. If they're outside, wandering around outside, I don't care and I let them live. However, if they come in my house, I get freaked out a bit and have to get rid of them. Here in Wisconsin, we only have really small ones inside the house occasionally, and that's only in the summer months usually. Do you get anything big in the homes in Toronto or is it mainly just small ones?

Thanks for the help!
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Old 08-11-2007, 07:08 PM
 
4 posts, read 24,705 times
Reputation: 15
You will find it very hard to live on that amount of money in Toronto. I make about 45,000 a year and have a hard time paying my bills at the end of the month. Condo's in most downtown parts of Toronto usually start at 200,000 and if you move outside of the downtown area (depending on how far) you start to move into a ghetto situation.

If you can afford the price of living downtown, it's a worldclass place to live. If you can't, well...let's not get into it.

I have lived in Toronto for 45 years fyi, so if you have any other questions feel free to ask me.
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Old 08-21-2007, 07:38 PM
 
Location: Torontp
64 posts, read 203,549 times
Reputation: 25
Stay away.

Toronto is fast becoming a left-wing head in the sand tragedy waiting to happen.
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Old 08-23-2007, 12:15 PM
 
Location: Toronto
217 posts, read 344,557 times
Reputation: 68
As one of the people above me said, its very hard to live downtown with your current salary.

Also beware of the weather. Its great in the summer but winters are brutal, fall and spring are pretty chilly as well.
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Old 08-23-2007, 10:08 PM
 
4,282 posts, read 15,711,789 times
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The OP is from Wisconsin; I doubt Toronto's "brutal" winters will be too much for him.
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Old 08-24-2007, 03:09 PM
 
Location: Torontp
64 posts, read 203,549 times
Reputation: 25
Quote:
Originally Posted by Galloway View Post
As one of the people above me said, its very hard to live downtown with your current salary.

Also beware of the weather. Its great in the summer but winters are brutal, fall and spring are pretty chilly as well.
As long as he brings his snowshoes and keeps the heat on in the igloo he should be fine
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Old 08-24-2007, 05:27 PM
 
384 posts, read 1,705,974 times
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You know I lived in New York for over 30 years and Florida for the last 7 and I have to admit, I would rather deal with the cold than to deal with the heat.
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Old 08-25-2007, 12:51 PM
 
Location: Perth, Western Australia
9,589 posts, read 27,706,298 times
Reputation: 3647
Quote:
Originally Posted by Galloway View Post
As one of the people above me said, its very hard to live downtown with your current salary.

Also beware of the weather. Its great in the summer but winters are brutal, fall and spring are pretty chilly as well.
I would agree with that point.

I would expect good marketing jobs to be $50-60k Canadian. With the current exchange rate that should equal $45-54 k per year U.S. Before Sept.11, 2001 our exchange rate was terrible; $1.59 Cdn for $1 U.S. Now it's like $1.09 for $1 U.S.

For rents, expect to pay over $1000/mth for the more desirable appartments.

Living downtown can be very expensive if you want to own a car. (high insurance rates) However if you don't need your own car living there can be reasonable. Our transit system is pretty reliable and safe or you can also use taxis. Some people I know live there just rent cars for the odd weekend they want to get away and that saves them a lot of money.

If you can find employment downtown you don't need a car. If your employment is in one of the surrounding cities outside of Toronto and want to live downtown anyways you'll probably need a car.



I noticed this poster is from Toronto, so perhaps they know nothing about Wisconsin's climate.

Wisconsin's climate is a little sunnier and drier than Toronto's because they are west of the Great Lakes, and winds typically come from the west here. However our winter extreme lows usually don't get quite as cold and our summers tend to have lower extreme highs.

Basically expect a little more humidity and clouds year-round, but also slightly less extreme temperature swings, as well as a more delayed spring warm-up as the lakes tend to keep us cool-cold longer.

Bugs are probably no different than Wisconsin. We don't have a lot of mosquitos when you are west and south of Toronto.
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Old 08-27-2007, 12:46 AM
 
10 posts, read 45,439 times
Reputation: 11
Quote:
Originally Posted by j_rode View Post
My first question is, what is economy like in Toronto? I'm majoring in Marketing, is there lots of opportunity for that kind of field down in the Toronto area?

Second, what do fairly nice studio apartments run for in the downtown area? I'm not looking for luxury, but I'm not looking for something old and run down either. I hope (I say hope, because I really don't know, as salaries vary) to be making $30-$35k (US Dollars) a year. I realize that is not much at all for a big city, but could one live fairly decently on that salary in Toronto? I apologize if I'm being naive and it's not realistic to think I could live there on that salary, but I don't mean to be, I just simply do not know about living expenses in Toronto.

My last question is, what is the bug situation up there? I can handle pretty much anything except spiders. I dislike them with a passion, but only if they are in the home. If they're outside, wandering around outside, I don't care and I let them live. However, if they come in my house, I get freaked out a bit and have to get rid of them. Here in Wisconsin, we only have really small ones inside the house occasionally, and that's only in the summer months usually. Do you get anything big in the homes in Toronto or is it mainly just small ones?

Thanks for the help!
To answer your first question, Toronto and surrounding area is one of the world's outstanding economic zones. It is unbelievably diversified and has opportunities in just about every line of work. I am sure the biggest marketing firms have huge offices there and plenty of big and small companies doing some kind of marketing. The GTA (Greater Toronto Area, i.e. including Mississauga ,etc.) must account for well over 10% of the Canadian economy.

I haven't lived there in many years but visit at least once a year and it just grows and grows. I visited Chicago and the two cities really felt similar to me in many ways. Great neighbourhoods, tons of awesome restaurants and things to do, people from every corner of the world.

Second question - again I haven't lived in Ontario for awhile but do have some direct knowledge. You should be able to live in a decent place for $1,000 per month. As long as it's just you, I think $40-45k is a salary at which you can be comfortable in the city (no car though).

At $35-$40k, you could still live in the city but maybe in a shared apartment and certainly relying on public transit (which I also think is very good).

As for taxes and quality of life, I defer to the folks who live there now...

I saved the best for last - your spiders question. They are as big as your hand! I'm kidding. For the most part, I only remember small spiders in Toronto. All kinds of different little ones, to be sure, that's been my experience with spiders on the east coast generally. And they do live inside, not just outdoors.

Of course I may not be very observant of spiders too...but I've always made a place for a few spiders in my home, they keep the place free of other bugs. I think I'd have noticed if any were potential horror movie stars.
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Old 08-27-2007, 11:17 AM
 
Location: Perth, Western Australia
9,589 posts, read 27,706,298 times
Reputation: 3647
Remember that with an income of $40-45k Cdn you would only get to keep between $26,000-31,000 after tax.

That's why it'd probably be better not to move for less than $50k/yr,
which would probably still be less than $35,000 Cdn after tax.
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