The reality of moving from BC to Alberta is one that many residents are considering due to the cost of housing in the province, but some are weighing the pros and cons.
In a thread on the BC subreddit, a post warned caution for those considering a move to Alberta, warning folks to do their research.
“When I left [Alberta] for BC in 2011, I had to take a big pay cut, and all costs were much higher. When we returned to [Alberta] in 2022, things had changed, and no one seems to know,” said Redditor pinupbob.
Many agreed with his sentiments about income taxes, auto insurance and utilities being more expensive in Alberta than in BC.
“From someone who pays bills in both provinces, you are bang on. It’s unreal how expensive [Alberta] is today. Unfortunately, die-hard Albertans argue the fact and refuse to accept they are being put through the wringer. People are being misled by cheap housing and propaganda,” said one user in response.
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Cheaper housing?
One thing is certain: housing IS cheaper in Alberta. Whether renting or buying a home, Alberta vastly outclasses BC in affordability.
Looking at rent alone, you can see via Rentals.ca report how much cheaper housing is in Alberta. On average, asking rent for a one-bedroom apartment in Calgary is $942 cheaper than in Vancouver. The advantage is even more significant in Edmonton, which is $1,341 cheaper!
Rentals.ca
What about insurance?
Comparing auto insurance costs is a little bit more complicated.
According to a 2023 report from Insurance Business, using HelloSafe’s 2023 car insurance barometer, Alberta came out as the most expensive.
“In terms of specific Canadian cities, Calgary, Edmonton, and Halifax were identified by HelloSafe as having the most expensive auto insurance premiums in Canada, each paying annual medium premiums of $3,182, $3,150, and $2,490, respectively,” Insurance Business states.
“On the other hand, the cities with the lowest annual median premiums were Vancouver ($1,841), Winnipeg ($1,381), and Saskatoon ($1,249).”
Other costs
There are tons of other costs to consider, and many in the Reddit thread are raising flags about just how cheap Alberta is.
“I will actively discourage people from coming here if they think it is somehow cheaper or better than BC; it’s not,” one Redditor said.
Some have even spoken about groceries and even dental care being cheaper in BC.
“Moved from Calgary to the lower mainland in 2018. Aside from housing, I find a lot of things cheaper in BC… groceries, dental can be added to your list, too.”
One user summed it up best.
“Grass is greener on the other side. People choose what they want to see ’til they are faced with reality.”
Do you have experience with both provinces? We’d love to hear your thoughts.
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