A TikToker Compared What She Spends Living In Calgary To Vancouver & It's Surprising (VIDEO)
There is a lot of debate on whether it's truly better to live in Calgary or Vancouver and one of the key points it usually comes down to is cost.
As a notoriously expensive city, Vancouver usually loses out on any argument on this point alone, however, Madi Wood, a TikToker who moved from B.C. to Calgary, made a video which broke down some of the costs you might not expect to come across in Alberta.
While it's well known that things like renting and buying a house in Calgary are a lot cheaper than in Vancouver, there are actually some unexpected costs to living in Alberta that people might not consider.
@madiwood_ This is not an exhaustive list, so please dont come for me. I love both Vancouver and Calgary, for different reasons. Much love everyone in either place - all that matters is that you love where YOU live. #calgarytiktok #vancouvertiktok #canadatiktok #canadarealestate
Having a car is an expensive business
One thing that Wood found has been costing her more since moving back to Calgary was using her car a lot more. While gas overall is cheaper than in B.C., Wood said she uses her car way more in Alberta.
Not only is she using more gas, there are also a lot more car maintenance costs that come with it.
"Driving more means more frequent oil changes, maintenance, changing your tires," she explained.
Heating costs so much
It's common knowledge that in winter, Calgary is a pretty cold place to be with temperatures sometimes getting as low as minus 40 degrees. Unfortunately, that means heating your home can get pricey.
"You've got to heat your house and it's a non-negotiable and it can be expensive," she said.
Flights are limited
Planning a vacation is usually going to be pretty expensive but in Calgary, it can definitely be trickier as there are a lot of places you aren't able to fly to directly, meaning you're probably going to need to take a connecting flight from Vancouver or Toronto.
"By virtue of actually just needing literally more flights like connecting flights, it costs more," Wood added.
You go through beauty products so fast
Calgary also has a very different climate to Vancouver and while the amount of sun is nothing to complain about, using SPF is a must and an additional cost.
The city is also super dry and if you want to stop yourself from drying out completely, it takes a lot of product.
"It is freakin dry here. Moisturizer for my body, moisturizer for my face, more conditioner for my hair, more Aquaphor and lip balm for my lips," Wood said.
Housing is clearly cheaper
It's no secret that Vancouver is an expensive part of the country to live in and Wood definitely noticed a difference in housing prices by square foot in Calgary and how much more you can get for your money.
"There's like no comparison, in terms of where I was living before and where I live now," she explained.
Going out for a nice dinner is less pricey overall
As there is less tax in Alberta, activities like going out for dinner are usually a lot less expensive compared to a city like Vancouver.
"A lot of even the really nice restaurants here are very reasonably priced," Wood said.
Ski passes
For skiers, there's definitely a clear winner when it comes to affordability and hint, it is not Whistler. With so many different hills in Alberta to visit, overall it's apparently cheaper than B.C. nomally.
"The price per day on one of the many many hills available is cheaper compared to Whistler. I know Whistler is great, but there's no denying that it's gotten particularly expensive in the last few years," Wood added.
