Vancouver vs Seattle (transplants, sale, cliquey)

[aek11]

I don't intend this to be a 'which one is better' thread, but more of a: what are the similarities, and what are the differences thread.

I am very familiar with Seattle, but Vancouver...I've never lived there (only visited many times).
I want to see if I would want to live in Vancouver so help me out by giving me more information .

I've basically lived in Seattle almost all my life (except I don't live there right now). I actually like the Seattle weather, except I wish it was a little colder. I like how the weather there is very mild in all seasons compared to many other places. I can't stand hot weather!! I didn't like Seattle because it was so boring and a lot of the people are very closed-minded, and too-safe.

Compare/Contrast:
1. Weather
2. People
3. Food
4. Nightlife
5. Jobs
6. Housing
7. Lifestyle
8. ETC>>>>>

[f1000]

1) Weather of Seattle on one day will be for the most part the same as in Vancouver that same time.

2) People. Vancouver is more cosmopolitan and an even greater presence of Asian influences than in Seattle. There are more international tourists and fresh immigrants. Friendliness-level is about the same, most Vancouver people are polite enough but not necessarily "friendly" as is also the case in Seattle. However, in Seattle there are bouts of jubilant personalities- transplants from other parts of the US that are extremely friendly. This may or may not be as noticeable in Vancouver, as Canadians are more reserved in nature generally. People in both Seattle & Vancouver are often outdoor-focused, coffee-cup-gripping liberals. There are alot of parallels that way.

3) Food. To me, US-restaurant-chains with locations in Seattle such as Cheesecake Factory/ Claim Jumper/ Ruby Tuesday are better: more variety, better value, than many of the comparable Canadian chains. Mexican and Thai food in Seattle is better than in Vancouver. If there are BBQ restaurants in Seattle they will likely be better than in Vancouver even if Seattle is a "northern" city. However besides that, Vancouver has far better ethnic cuisine if that is of interest to you. There are some notable independent restuarants in Vancouver that are good too- overall, to me, Vancouver has better dining offerings than Seattle except in restaurant chains.
In the grocery stores, food availability is fair in Vancouver but generally more expensive than in Seattle (which is already more expensive than other parts of the US)...you won't be able to access so much in Mexican or "Southern" items, etc. but everything else won't be a problem.

6) Housing: within the context of their respective countries, both Seattle & Vancouver are relatively pricey (overpriced if i may add)

7) Lifestyle: very similar considering the weather, geography, demographics, "regional" mindset (Pacific NW), etc. There's really not much difference, and more similarities between the two than Seattle to other U.S. cities or Vancouver to Cdn ones.

8) Etc: Seattle is nothing compared to many US cities in terms of freeway infrastructure, but it is even worst in Vancouver (due to geography, as well as anti-freeway agendas)...Safety: Vancouver has a high property crime rate and I wouldn't think that Seattle necessarily has a higher crime rate than Vancouver...infact despite some lower-grade areas of Tacoma/ Auburn/ DT Seattle fringe areas, Seattle lacks urban blight like Vancouver's Downtown Eastside. That neighborhood is an eyesore but if you're familiar with other US cities with true ghettos, it is not particularly daunting.

[movingwiththewind]

After all good things I read about Seattle in this forum, I still prefer Vancouver, BC. I am just too lazy to explain why. I also don't want to explain why, because there always will be people saying that what I said is not true. So I'll keep it to myself. I'll just say that Vancouver and Seattle differ in many ways. Those differences make me like Vancouver much more better than Seattle.

[aek11]

Anyways, I recently moved to the midwest ..to try to be in a new environment, but I find that it is TOO DIFFERENT. And maybe what I need is somewhere in between what I know and what is new. Although I like it a lot here and I'm glad I live here, it's not necessarily my DREAM-PLACE that I want to live for too long. And I plan to finish school here, but I have a good feeling about Vancouver as my next permanent destination.

Originally Posted by f1000

3) Food. To me, US-restaurant-chains with locations in Seattle such as Cheesecake Factory/ Claim Jumper/ Ruby Tuesday are better: more variety, better value, than many of the comparable Canadian chains. Mexican and Thai food in Seattle is better than in Vancouver. If there are BBQ restaurants in Seattle they will likely be better than in Vancouver even if Seattle is a "northern" city. However besides that, Vancouver has far better ethnic cuisine if that is of interest to you. There are some notable independent restuarants in Vancouver that are good too- overall, to me, Vancouver has better dining offerings than Seattle except in restaurant chains.

I don't usually go to chain-restaurants like....Red Robin, etc anyways. I do love Thai food though so that sucks that Seattle has better! I don't know if you've tried Thai Tom.....I think Vancouver has better Asian food right? which is awesome because that is pretty much all I eat! Do they have those very authentic-feeling Japanese restaurants there like they have in NYC St. Mark's? I tried a couple Korean restaurants in Vancouver - Robson St, and they were so amazing. Other places have nothing even close to that, not Seattle, LA, NYC, wherever...
movingwiththewind, if you ever feel not-lazy-anymore, please do tell me why you prefer Vanc. It would probably help me a lot.
From my impressions of Vancouver, it seems like Vancouver has a more "high-class feel" than Seattle. Also people seem very 'aloof' there.

[jr75]

I am a fan of Seattle. Seattle just has more soul to it than Vancouver. Vancouver feels like a resort city, with no real economy except tourism and lacks a feeling of authenticity that I think Seattle has. Vancouver has a stunning natural setting ofcourse and some great Asian restaurants but I feel like outside of the downtown it falls off quite quickly. I like the historic architecture of Seattle's neighborhoods more and the fact that Seattle is a creative city that is full of music, coffee joints and cool boutiques. Seattle continues to pump out great bands and there are plenty of places to go see them or brewpubs to just hang out in. Vancouver seems to more upscale and clubby but many people love Vancouver so I guess it's just whatever you're looking for that makes the difference.

[kattwoman2]

Originally Posted by movingwiththewind

After all good things I read about Seattle in this forum, I still prefer Vancouver, BC. I am just too lazy to explain why. I also don't want to explain why, because there always will be people saying that what I said is not true. So I'll keep it to myself. I'll just say that Vancouver and Seattle differ in many ways. Those differences make me like Vancouver much more better than Seattle.

I agree! I had one guy try to tell me that I was anti-social and just sat in my house all day b/c I tried telling people that 1) My experience in Seattle was that it was hard to make friends and 2) The only main safe part of Washington DC was in the NW district and some parts of the SW district. Though, in comparison to many people in the U.S. I have done quite a bit of traveling (especially since barely more than a quarter of U.S. citizens have a passport). Seriously, some losers need to understand that we are posting from our experiences, so it does not make it right or wrong, it's just our opinion and experience and they are not the all-mighty God of Seattle or DC. Just my 2 cents.

On that note, I have met people from Vancouver and have friends that live in the area. I also lived in Seattle for a couple of months. I'm a pretty social person from the South, so I'm used to going up to strangers and trying to make friends at a club or some outdoor event. The people I met from Vancouver seemed much more willing to talk to me and make friends than the people from Seattle. Granted, Vancouver people--including a couple of actors I've met--were pretty shy, but when I tried to talk to the people in Seattle it was sort of like "Okay, I said hi, now I am leaving b/c I don't know you." They didn't say it out loud, and they are polite, but it's sort of like everyone lives in their own little bubble and they do not want to waste time socializing.

Also, some of the people seemed a bit pampered and paranoid, but they lived more around the Kirkland/Redmond area. Some of my older friends I knew beforehand said to me, "You can't just go up to guys and say hi! They'll think you're flirting!" Or, "You can't go outside by yourself! You could get shot! People have been known to shoot kids for throwing snowballs!" I'm hoping this is an exaggeration, but their paranoia made it seem as though I was living in a war zone! In Vancouver, there are some people that complain about the crime rate and about how bad the club scenes are in comparison to Toronto, but to me the people were a bit friendlier in terms of socializing for longer periods of time.

Each place has its pros and cons. Vancouver has a halfway decent healthcare system in comparison to Seattle (though I've heard more complaints about Vancouver's healthcare in comparison to Montreal or Toronto), they have better public transportation (not even a freaking metro), King Co. in Washington has one of the highest tax rates and no one knows where they're money is going to b/c the government in the area allegedly altered the allocation listings of funds, and the job economy seems to be better in Vancouver from what my friends were telling me than in Seattle. Seattle is doing a little better since one of my friends was recently hired after being told for 6 months that the state was having a hiring freeze and she would have to live off of her unemployment b/c the company did want her but couldn't hire her. However, when I was living there in August and September the job market was horrendous in my field. I am mostly into Marketing/PR/etc but have some technology skills as well. However, Microsoft laid off a ton of people and shipped those jobs off to India (which is why my friend was looking for a job) and this added to the economic downturn did not make Seattle a good choice for me to start a career. So, I had to move back to the rural South and suffer through the close-mindedness of the conservatives while saving up money and researching other cities to move to.

I recommend researching your career goals, life goals, etc. and see which place seems to be a better fit. I wanted to live in Seattle, but it just wasn't working for me. I did meet people from Vancouver that seemed pretty nice. However, this is just my experience so read through the comments, talk to people that are natives of these places, research online, try living in each place for a week (stay in a hostel) and then decide on a course of action from there.

[minibrings]

Have you looked at the Canada Immigration web site to see if you even qualify to move to Vancouver?
That really is the first step.

[ken.k-la]

Originally Posted by jr75

I am a fan of Seattle. Seattle just has more soul to it than Vancouver. Vancouver feels like a resort city, with no real economy except tourism and lacks a feeling of authenticity that I think Seattle has. Vancouver has a stunning natural setting ofcourse and some great Asian restaurants but I feel like outside of the downtown it falls off quite quickly. I like the historic architecture of Seattle's neighborhoods more and the fact that Seattle is a creative city that is full of music, coffee joints and cool boutiques. Seattle continues to pump out great bands and there are plenty of places to go see them or brewpubs to just hang out in. Vancouver seems to more upscale and clubby but many people love Vancouver so I guess it's just whatever you're looking for that makes the difference.

I agree almost completely with jr75, Vancouver lacks an identity and a soul in my opinion. That said, the natural beauty of both places is phenomenal, but Vancouver takes the cake in this case.

1.)The weather between the two is very similar, maybe a degree or two warmer in Seattle. So that right there is a "wash."

2.)People....how do I put this, both cities appear friendly and polite on the surface, but are rather cliquey "deeper down."

3.)Vancouver is one of the best places in North America for dining, especially if you are into Asian and/or other ehtnic cuisine (a good Thai place is Montri's Thai on West Broadway). That said, finding a good Mexican restaurant in this town (and country for that matter) is like finding a needle in a haystack, it is just impossible to find. I also found that the Chain restaurants wise: Seattle wins hands down. Both the Marrakesh and Kasbah Moroccan restaurants in Seattle blew away any Moroccan food I have had in Vancouver (slightly unrelated, whatever).

4.) Nightlife, well, Seattle is the home of the Grunge scene of course, and the clubs, lots of pubs, and top-rate microbreweries are very difficult for any city to match. Vancouver has some clubs on Granville and what not....Yaletown maybe? Both are not really big party towns, but Seattle has better nightlife. Seattle also seems to draw better concerts, especially if you like underground music, or at least I have found.

5.) Cannot properly comment, but Vancouver will ride out this recession much better then eastern Canada, but then I think Seattle will also ride it out better then most other cities in the U.S.

6.) Both are rather overpriced in the housing market. Median price for a home in Seattle is $384,000 (HousingTracker.net: Median Home Asking Price & Inventory Data for Seattle, Washington), where as in Vancouver it is $638,000 (Vancouver Cost of Living).

7.) I would say this is a wash, very similar. Vancouver may have closer access to certain outdoor activities, but, basically these cities are identical in lifestyle.

8.) Traffic in both cities is horrendous, but Vancouver I think is worse. Vancouver has some minimally acceptable public transit if you are within 10 miles of the city, where as I find public transportation in Seattle to be a joke quite frankly. I think that if you lived here in Vancouver you would find the restaurant scene overall not nearly as good as New York (like you mentioned previously). It all depends on what you like, either way you are making a good choice in my opinion (mind you once I am out of college I am out of this region, gotta get away from the climate), as both cities are really fun places to be. However, considering you found Seattle "boring" I am sure you would find Vancouver "boring" too.

[rifleman]

Originally Posted by kattwoman2

Each place has its pros and cons.

Vancouver has a halfway decent healthcare system in comparison to Seattle (though I've heard more complaints about Vancouver's healthcare in comparison to Montreal or Toronto), they have better public transportation (not even a freaking metro), King Co. in Washington has one of the highest tax rates

One of the more common comments about Canada in general is in relation to their health care system. Just seven quick examples of how bad it is up in Vancouver:

One: My wife had a miscarriage first pregnancy, but is Rh-. Her specialist OBGYN "forgot" to give her the Rogame injection that protects the following pregnancy, and we didn't know about it until she was (successfully) pregnant again in the US and was talking about it with her new OBGYN. That doc was aghast! Nice I.

Two: My best friend had some problems and was in the Vancouver General Hospital. He clearly and repeatedly told the sign-in nurse that he was almost fatally allergic to aspirin and analogs. But also he had a Med-Alert wrist band noting this clearly. The first-shift attending doc not only heard and wrote down his sensitivity, but also noted it as a special note on the entrance to his private room. Long sad near-fatal story short: the next shift doc, responding to my friend's complaint about a killer headache, orders some Ketorolac after talking to him and reading his chart. Puts the guy into a 10 day coma. All subsequent consultations with other docs indicated that this was a case of extreme neglect and lack of proper diagnosis. Malpractise in the extreme. He lapsed into and out of death three times, and was crash-carted back every time.

Tried to sue, but the Canuck system doesn't go for it. After 5 years of them deflecting, the court settled and gave him $50k. Ooohhhh! After paying his lawyer $28k, he was left with... well, you do the math. Now he's on a vast array of supportive drigs and dreads having to go into the hospitals up there ever again. Nice II.

Three: My dad's pacemaker, for some reason, actually migrated out of his upper chest cavity, breaking the skin open and the corner of it was poking out. Visible! He went to his doc, who said "We're kinda backed up right now. I think that we can get to you in surgery in ohhh 10 days to two weeks" . Nice III!

Four: My mom had to wait 6 months to get a much needed MRI. Here in our very VERY small rural WA St town, I can get one (let's see, it's only 8:30a; lots of time left) by noon today. Worst case, by tomorrow. Using the latest Sanyo unit. My MRI, at VGH, was in what I refer to as "The People's Diesel-Powered Military Surplus MRI Machine" Old, chipped-paint olive drab (looked like they bought it on sale in Russia) and with an aperture about 4" smaller than my shoulder to shoulder dimension and I'm not a big fat guy, just normal. It basically intro'd me to the concept of "Screaming Claustrophobia" which persists to this day even when I enter the room of ANY MRI machine. Nice IV.

Five: My dad has a permanent catheter. He's 97. Last week it plugged up and he called using his Life Line alert system. The ambulance arrived, but it was exactly 12 hours (!!!!!!!!!!) after the first call. He was in excrutiating pain by then. They got him down to the hospital, where, amidst the vast masses of new (mostly illegal) immigrants flocking to the hospital to take advantage of the "Free Health Care", dad wasn't seen for, what do you want to guess? 8 more hours! By then they had put him on a morphine drip. A new nurse came on duty, said "Oh my god!", pulled the plugged catheter, inserted a new one, released the backed up urine, and voila, he was OK. It only took 23 hours... Nice V.

Ask Canadians what they think of their "vunder-health-system" and, just because they "SURVIVED" some medical problem, they'll all say "it's wonderful"! They have NO IDEA about really up to date modern healthcare technologies (as in The Mayo Clinics, where, a few years back, the Canadian Federal Minister of Health went to have his bypass surgery... Hmmm...). Plus, with the government's liberal and entrenched wealth re-distribution philosophy (see: Obama 2009), GP docs are horribly underpaid for their work, often making no more than a good liberal-voting union dock or steel worker.

And of course it's not "free". The tax rate in Canada, versus in Washington State, is on average about 15% higher. (Well, also, see : Obama, 2010 and on). Plus their sliding taxation scale truly punishes an entrepreneurial attitude, simultaneously rewarding sloth. It's all designed to garner votes for their ever-expanding socialist ideals.

I fled that scene, having owned my own consulting company and watched the benefits of my very hard work and personal financial risks going to support some union hard-liner or unemployed recent immigrant from India or Haiti. Unnacceptable. Not racist, but a fact. Verifiable.

But I will say, you've just GOT to visit the sushi bars (Takumi, West Van, north of downtown Vancouver, across the Lion's Gate Bridge) and Chinese restaurants. Some of the best IN THE WORLD.

And University tuitions are very reasonable. Housing not so much.

Finally, the Canadian anti-American snobbery can get tiresome real fast. (Q: What is a Canadian? A: "Well, I'll tell you! I'LL YELL YOU!!! WE'RE SURE NOT AMERICANS, THAT'S WHAT!" ) ...and on and on that idiocy will go until you walk away or stuff their pie-hole with a rolled up American flag. (If it wasn't for a constant US military presence in Northern Canada in the '50s through the '60s, they would all be speaking Russian or Chinese there now, but who cares, eh? They LOVE to snidely "Bush-Bash" at their cocktail parties.)

I'm just sayin... Just a knowledgeable educated commentary from someone who grew up "there" and now lives safely down in the horrid USA near Seattle. I'll take "here" any day, problems or not.

Your choice, as always.

[movingwiththewind]

Originally Posted by rifleman

One of the more common comments about Canada in general is in relation to their health care system. Just seven quick examples of how bad it is up in Vancouver:

One: My wife had a miscarriage first pregnancy, but is Rh-. Her specialist OBGYN "forgot" to give her the Rogame injection that protects the following pregnancy, and we didn't know about it until she was (successfully) pregnant again in the US and was talking about it with her new OBGYN. That doc was aghast! Nice I.

Two: My best friend had some problems and was in the Vancouver General Hospital. He clearly and repeatedly told the sign-in nurse that he was almost fatally allergic to aspirin and analogs. But also he had a Med-Alert wrist band noting this clearly. The first-shift attending doc not only heard and wrote down his sensitivity, but also noted it as a special note on the entrance to his private room. Long sad near-fatal story short: the next shift doc, responding to my friend's complaint about a killer headache, orders some Ketorolac after talking to him and reading his chart. Puts the guy into a 10 day coma. All subsequent consultations with other docs indicated that this was a case of extreme neglect and lack of proper diagnosis. Malpractise in the extreme. He lapsed into and out of death three times, and was crash-carted back every time.

Tried to sue, but the Canuck system doesn't go for it. After 5 years of them deflecting, the court settled and gave him $50k. Ooohhhh! After paying his lawyer $28k, he was left with... well, you do the math. Now he's on a vast array of supportive drigs and dreads having to go into the hospitals up there ever again. Nice II.

Three: My dad's pacemaker, for some reason, actually migrated out of his upper chest cavity, breaking the skin open and the corner of it was poking out. Visible! He went to his doc, who said "We're kinda backed up right now. I think that we can get to you in surgery in ohhh 10 days to two weeks" . Nice III!

Four: My mom had to wait 6 months to get a much needed MRI. Here in our very VERY small rural WA St town, I can get one (let's see, it's only 8:30a; lots of time left) by noon today. Worst case, by tomorrow. Using the latest Sanyo unit. My MRI, at VGH, was in what I refer to as "The People's Diesel-Powered Military Surplus MRI Machine" Old, chipped-paint olive drab (looked like they bought it on sale in Russia) and with an aperture about 4" smaller than my shoulder to shoulder dimension and I'm not a big fat guy, just normal. It basically intro'd me to the concept of "Screaming Claustrophobia" which persists to this day even when I enter the room of ANY MRI machine. Nice IV.

Five: My dad has a permanent catheter. He's 97. Last week it plugged up and he called using his Life Line alert system. The ambulance arrived, but it was exactly 12 hours (!!!!!!!!!!) after the first call. He was in excrutiating pain by then. They got him down to the hospital, where, amidst the vast masses of new (mostly illegal) immigrants flocking to the hospital to take advantage of the "Free Health Care", dad wasn't seen for, what do you want to guess? 8 more hours! By then they had put him on a morphine drip. A new nurse came on duty, said "Oh my god!", pulled the plugged catheter, inserted a new one, released the backed up urine, and voila, he was OK. It only took 23 hours... Nice V.

Ask Canadians what they think of their "vunder-health-system" and, just because they "SURVIVED" some medical problem, they'll all say "it's wonderful"! They have NO IDEA about really up to date modern healthcare technologies (as in The Mayo Clinics, where, a few years back, the Canadian Federal Minister of Health went to have his bypass surgery... Hmmm...). Plus, with the government's liberal and entrenched wealth re-distribution philosophy (see: Obama 2009), GP docs are horribly underpaid for their work, often making no more than a good liberal-voting union dock or steel worker.

And of course it's not "free". The tax rate in Canada, versus in Washington State, is on average about 15% higher. (Well, also, see : Obama, 2010 and on). Plus their sliding taxation scale truly punishes an entrepreneurial attitude, simultaneously rewarding sloth. It's all designed to garner votes for their ever-expanding socialist ideals.

I fled that scene, having owned my own consulting company and watched the benefits of my very hard work and personal financial risks going to support some union hard-liner or unemployed recent immigrant from India or Haiti. Unnacceptable. Not racist, but a fact. Verifiable.

But I will say, you've just GOT to visit the sushi bars (Takumi, West Van, north of downtown Vancouver, across the Lion's Gate Bridge) and Chinese restaurants. Some of the best IN THE WORLD.

And University tuitions are very reasonable. Housing not so much.

Finally, the Canadian anti-American snobbery can get tiresome real fast. (Q: What is a Canadian? A: "Well, I'll tell you! I'LL YELL YOU!!! WE'RE SURE NOT AMERICANS, THAT'S WHAT!" ) ...and on and on that idiocy will go until you walk away or stuff their pie-hole with a rolled up American flag. (If it wasn't for a constant US military presence in Northern Canada in the '50s through the '60s, they would all be speaking Russian or Chinese there now, but who cares, eh? They LOVE to snidely "Bush-Bash" at their cocktail parties.)

I'm just sayin... Just a knowledgeable educated commentary from someone who grew up "there" and now lives safely down in the horrid USA near Seattle. I'll take "here" any day, problems or not.

Your choice, as always.

'ERY 'NGRY!!!!!!!!!!!! A little bit off-topic, thou'...