B.C. city named best in the country for wealth-life balance
While B.C. isn’t generally known for its affordability, Victoria has snagged the top spot in a ranking of “wealth-life” balance cities.
“Wealth-life” balance is where people have the opportunity to meet both their financial and personal goals, according to Tangerine, which commissioned the report.
“The sweet spot where financial growth meets everyday happiness,” reads a post from Tangerine.
The study used AskPolly.ai, an AI-powered market research platform, to analyze thousands of anonymized conversations about money, work, and lifestyle in over 20 Canadian cities. It looked at two indicators for each place: a “joy score” (measuring positive emotional sentiment) and an “importance rank” (measuring how often people talked about financial or life goals).
It deemed Victoria as “a land of opportunity for building wealth by residents.”
“Yes, it’s a bit pricey, but it’s an ideal spot for growing your net worth,” states the report.
The city has good career opportunities and high emotional satisfaction in building wealth and its economy.
As of September 2025, the average home price was $877,900 (compared to Vancouver’s $1,142,100), and the unemployment rate was 4.7 per cent in December 2025 (compared to Vancouver’s at 6.2 per cent).
Meanwhile, 2021 data shows that Vancouver’s median household income is $90,000 — $5,000 higher than Victoria’s of $85,000.
Vancouver makes the ranking, too
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Vancouver still earned a ranking on the list as the “best city for entrepreneurship.”
“Despite higher costs, Vancouver ranked highly for workplace flexibility, networking opportunities and career satisfaction. A diverse economy and vibrant cultural scene help residents pursue entrepreneurial ambitions,” reads a release sent to Daily Hive.
While the city has one of the highest costs of living in the country, “many residents prioritize lifestyle, wellness, and career growth, redefining what wealth-life balance means in a major global city.”
“Vancouver is recognized for its strong job market, high earning potential, and unparalleled access to nature and urban amenities.”
Vancouver residents are willing to make financial trade-offs in order to enjoy this access to nature and urban amenities, the release notes.
It’s made quality of life rankings before, including being the only North American city to make the top 10 in the Mercer 2024 Quality of Living Survey due to its temperate climate, recreation options, and cosmopolitan living.
Vancouver was also named the happiest city in North America just last year.
Other cities that made Tangerine’s wealth-life balance ranking were Montreal for paying off debt, Winnipeg for low cost of living, and Halifax for buying a home.