7 surprising ways that life is so different in Calgary compared to Toronto
Big city vibes versus endless blue skies.
Ferry rides and city skylines. Right: Urban staircase amid greenery.
Have you ever wondered how different your life would be if you moved from Toronto to Calgary?
The views expressed in this Opinion article are the author’s own and do not necessarily reflect the views of Narcity Media.
I'm originally from Halifax but moved to Toronto for university and ended up staying after my degree was done. After about six years in the big city, I decided it was time for a change and headed out west.
Toronto has a lot of things going for it that I loved, from the diverse dining scene to ample job opportunities and unique neighbourhoods. However, it's also expensive, crowded and everyone's always on the go.
The first time I rocked up to Calgary I remember thinking how much more space there was, how chill everyone seemed and how amazing it was to have mountains just a short drive away. It's just a different lifestyle altogether. Some things took me by surprise, and even though the these are two Canadian cities, they have a lot of differences between them.
If you're thinking of moving to Calgary, these are a few ways you might find life in Calgary is vastly different from Toronto.
Calgary is much more laid-back.
When I moved from Halifax to Toronto, I experienced a bit of culture shock because Toronto is bustling all the time. People are always on the go, rushing from work to school to home and out for the evenings. Because people are so busy, they can also sometimes come across as cold.
Calgary doesn't have that same sense of urgency that you feel in Toronto. Sure, people have places to be and can sometimes be in a rush, but overall things seem much more relaxed. For the most part, people will take the time to chat or even help out a stranger if need be.
Maybe it's the better weather, the lower cost of living or just the peace that comes with having incredible nature all around you. Whatever it is, I'd take Calgary's chillness over Toronto's chilliness any day.
Toronto is big, but Calgary has more room to breathe.
There's no disputing that Toronto is bigger than Calgary when it comes to population size and urban sprawl. However, Calgary just feels bigger. One of the first things I noticed about Calgary was the refreshing sense of space.
If you live in Toronto, you have to drive pretty far to get away from the city. It seems like the suburbs go on forever. Plus, pretty much everywhere you go there are hordes of people, which makes the city feel cramped.
In Calgary, there are tons of places to escape the crowds where you won't see a skyscraper in sight. You can stroll through stunning parks with natural landscapes or just hop in your car and be in the mountains or prairies in less than an hour.
The weather is better in Calgary.
Does Calgary get cold in the winter? Absolutely. But even on frigid days, the sun is often shining. In fact, Calgary is the sunniest city in Canada with an average of 333 days of sunshine a year. Then there are the chinooks, which can bring in spring-like weather in the dead of winter.
That's not to say that Calgary doesn't get rain and snow because it does. But it's nothing compared to the nasty weather that can roll in from Lake Ontario in Toronto.
The humidity in Toronto is another thing that really got to me. During the summer, there can be days when you don't even have to move to start sweating. A.C. is a must! Calgary is much drier, so you don't get that gross stickiness you get in T.O.
The Bow River is a whole lot more fun than Lake Ontario.
As a Maritimer living in Toronto, I definitely appreciated being close to a big body of water. Of course, Lake Ontario isn't exactly the ocean. But it was nice to have waterfront views and get out on a boat every once in a while.
The thing about Lake Ontario though is that unless you have your own boat, your experience with the lake will probably be limited to gazing it at it from the shore or catching the odd ferry over to Centre Island.
The Bow River is so much more than just a scenic waterway running through Calgary. It's also the spot to be in the summertime for epic rafting and tubing trips. There's nothing better than spending a sunny day floating down the river with a cold drink in hand. It's a fun vibe that you just don't get on the lake in Toronto.
You can't beat having the mountains in your backyard
Toronto may have Lake Ontario, but Calgary has the Rocky Mountains just a short drive away. It's one of the things Calgarians are most proud of.
It's hard to describe how awesome it is to be able to set off on outdoor adventures that include hiking along forested trails, swimming in gorgeous turquoise lakes and meandering through alpine meadows that offer views of snow-capped peaks.
Even when you're in the city, you can still catch views of the mountains from certain vantage points in Calgary like Nose Hill Park and Signal Hill. In Toronto, your views consist mostly of houses, strip malls, skyscrapers and maybe the odd glimpse of the CN Tower or the lake.
The cost of living is cheaper.
Regardless of all the great things you can say about Toronto, there's no getting around the fact that it's wildly expensive. I can't tell you how many less-than-ideal apartments I lived in simply because they were the only ones in my price range.
While I wouldn't necessarily call Calgary cheap, it's definitely less costly than Toronto. According to Numbeo, rent prices in Calgary are 25% lower than in Toronto. That's a pretty significant amount of savings.
There are also so many fun things to do in Alberta that are cheap or don't cost a thing. You can go on hikes, hit up a park or just float down the Bow River on a raft. To be fair, there are also free things to do in Toronto. However, I found it pretty hard to go out in T.O. without spending a ton of money.
You don't necessarily need a car in Calgary, but it sure helps.
One of the great things about living in Toronto is that you don't need a car to get around. The TTC can get you pretty much anywhere you want to go and there are bicycle lanes all over the city. Plus, walking is always an option.
Calgary also has a decent transit system. The CTrain and buses are reliable and the downtown is walkable and easy to navigate by bicycle. However, Calgary is pretty spread out. Depending on where you live, it might be difficult to get from point A to point B on transit alone.
You can totally live in Calgary without a car, but it sure is more convenient to have your own wheels. A car makes it so much faster to get around and easier to get out of the city and explore quaint towns on a road trip. Plus, you won't have to wait in the cold for a bus or train.
The neverending debate on the best Canadian city lives on, but if you've been tempted by Alberta it might be time for a change!