I Moved To One Of 'The Best Places To Live In The World' & It Lives Up To The Hype

The views expressed in this Opinion article are the author’s own and do not necessarily reflect the views of Narcity Media.

A year ago I packed my bags and unknowingly moved to one of the most livable cities in the world — Vancouver.

The 2022 Global Liveability Index ranked Vancouver as one of the best cities to live in, along with Calgary and Toronto. Vancouver came above Toronto (of course), and when I saw the ranking I wasn't the least bit surprised.

Coming from the East Coast, it was actually hard to impress me in terms of natural beauty, but boy did B.C. come through.

There are so many reasons why I can tell you, from first-hand experience, why Vancouver is the all-around best place to live. Keep in mind too that I'm saying that despite my super high rent, so you know it's gotta be really nice.

Here's why I totally think my new home lives up to all the hype, and none of the hate, it gets.

You get the best of both worlds

City, nature, a bumping food scene, epic ski hills — it's all right there at your fingertips. Nightlife might be the only boring part about living in Vancouver, because there is so much other stuff to do. You don't have to give up your peaceful time in nature to be in a city here, unlike other places (looking at you Toronto)!

The people

People in Vancouver are friendly (for the most part), super active, and generate all-around good vibes. I love walking down the street and seeing people running and biking everywhere. On a sunny day in Vancouver, the atmosphere is unbeatable.

The beaches

The mountains are great, but the beaches right in the city are what make this place truly amazing. When it's not rainy season, the beaches are full of people swimming and playing volleyball, with the picturesque mountains as the backdrop.

It's in B.C.

Perhaps my favourite part about the city is just that it's in B.C., a stunning province full of amazing small towns and hidden gems. You can take a weekend trip from Vancouver and end up on some tiny island, feeling like you're in a different country.