I am posting this to those who are thinking of moving to Canada from the US. I was quite confused when I did it and this will hopelfully help some of you who are thinking about it.
I moved to Canada two years ago after living in Colorado for 5 years. I was quite apprehensive when I moved here. Was not sure about the country, policies, jobs, taxes etc. But you can nicely settle down.
Most importantly, I know several people who compare it to the US - mostly in terms of the Green Dollar. Yes, absolutely you will make more money in the US and the US dollar has more value. Having said that, the loonie is quite comparable. If a home costs USD. 300k in a good suburb in the United States, a similar home will cost you CAD. 300K in Canada. The cost of grocery is also comparable, though slightly more. Cars & Electronics are a little expensive - factoring in the 1.35 conversion rate. Overall, you can maintain a similar standard of living.
There are more taxes in Canada. But the quality of life is also good. The subject to taxes is just overly magnified. The taxation on income is not flat as it is in the US (30% of your salary). Taxes are different and is based on the range of the income. For example, 25K-50K is taxed at 25%, while 50K-70K is taxed at 32%. For a person earning in the high 5 digits, the overall tax will be around 36%........ higher but comparable.
Job market is good, albeit not great. A deserving person can find a job in a few weeks (atleast I did). Toronto is a good place for jobs in Canada.
What I have seen, if you move to Canada whole heartedly and embrace it, you will love it. The country has wonderful things to offer, in my opinion. It is quite safe, people are friendly, diverse cultures and a little of everything. It makes you feel like you belong here!!
Bottomline, if you feel like staying in the US is better, you should do so by all means. But if you have made up your mind to move to Canada for good, just do it. It is definitely worth it. Good luck.
I moved to Canada two years ago after living in Colorado for 5 years. I was quite apprehensive when I moved here. Was not sure about the country, policies, jobs, taxes etc. But you can nicely settle down.
Most importantly, I know several people who compare it to the US - mostly in terms of the Green Dollar. Yes, absolutely you will make more money in the US and the US dollar has more value. Having said that, the loonie is quite comparable. If a home costs USD. 300k in a good suburb in the United States, a similar home will cost you CAD. 300K in Canada. The cost of grocery is also comparable, though slightly more. Cars & Electronics are a little expensive - factoring in the 1.35 conversion rate. Overall, you can maintain a similar standard of living.
There are more taxes in Canada. But the quality of life is also good. The subject to taxes is just overly magnified. The taxation on income is not flat as it is in the US (30% of your salary). Taxes are different and is based on the range of the income. For example, 25K-50K is taxed at 25%, while 50K-70K is taxed at 32%. For a person earning in the high 5 digits, the overall tax will be around 36%........ higher but comparable.
Job market is good, albeit not great. A deserving person can find a job in a few weeks (atleast I did). Toronto is a good place for jobs in Canada.
What I have seen, if you move to Canada whole heartedly and embrace it, you will love it. The country has wonderful things to offer, in my opinion. It is quite safe, people are friendly, diverse cultures and a little of everything. It makes you feel like you belong here!!
Bottomline, if you feel like staying in the US is better, you should do so by all means. But if you have made up your mind to move to Canada for good, just do it. It is definitely worth it. Good luck.
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