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Not Luxe ☼ Travel
  • ABOUT NICK & RAYCHEL
  • WHY “NOT LUXE”
  • Cambodia
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Category:

Move Abroad

    Vancouver vs Kelowna

    Living in Kelowna vs. Living in Vancouver

    by Nick & Raychel February 25, 2021

    Living in Kelowna vs. living in Vancouver – are they really that different? What’s the difference between the lower mainland and the Okanagan? What is the weather like in Kelowna vs. the weather in Vancouver? We will be covering our most frequently asked questions about living in two of British Columbia’s most popular cities. Whether you’re moving to Canada for a working holiday visa, immigrating to Canada, or moving to BC from Ontario, this article may be helpful for you!  

    We are from Vancouver, we met in Vancouver, and we ultimately call Vancouver home. That said, we have been living in and out of the Kelowna / Vernon area for the past year, and we are completely in love with living in the Okanagan Valley as well. As with anything, there are pros & cons to both lifestyles so let’s chat.


    Prefer to watch, not read? Find our YT video on the same topic here!

    Vancouver is cheaper to live in than Kelowna 

    If you’re wondering if Kelowna is cheaper to live in than Vancouver, the answer is yet. It’s been said before and we’ll say it again – basically anywhere is more affordable than Vancouver. 

    Vancouver is Canada’s most expensive city to live in, but Kelowna isn’t in the clear either. According to CTV, Kelowna is Canada’s 6th most expensive city, closely following Victoria BC. The cost of living is undoubtedly increasing in Kelowna, and there are some arguments to say that the cities are almost equally as expensive to live in when we’re comparing Vancouver vs. Kelowna.

    One thing that we noticed is that when you’re living in the Okanagan Valley, if you really want to get the most out of your experience, you probably will want to have a car. The truth is not the same for Vancouver. We both lived very happy, eventful lives in Vancouver for over 10 years with no car and solely utilizing the public transit system that the city has to offer. We honestly can’t say the same for Kelowna. It all, of course, depends on your lifestyle. If you’re living in Kelowna, you may save on rent, but are you now making car payments, buying a ski pass and taking drives in and out of the surrounding areas every weekend, your costs pay pile up there too.

    Vancouver BC is Expensive

    Vancouver is much bigger than Kelowna, but Kelowna still has the city feel 

    The population size of Vancouver is 675,000 people, compared to Kelowna where the population is 132,000 which makes them sound like they’re not comparable at all. That said, Kelowna is one of the biggest cities in BC and definitely the biggest city in the Okanagan Valley.

    This is what we love about Kelowna. 
    Kelowna has both a small town and bigger city energy at the same time. Its downtown is obviously much smaller than Vancouver, but you really don’t miss out on flavourful restaurants, fun bars and fashionable boutiques to visit. 

    The city of Kelowna

    Vancouver has a better transit system than Kelowna

    The transit system in Kelowna is not great, and the rush-hour traffic can be (quite honestly) unbearable. Highway 97 in particular is a huge stretch of highway controlled by traffic lights with few overpasses, and the lack of thought for cross traffic is….brutal. And yes, everyone complains about it.

    The traffic in Vancouver isn’t great either (especially downtown) but for a larger city, it’s expected. That’s why we heavily relied on the transit system while living in Vancouver, and after living in some other big world capitals, we can say the transit system is pretty good. Is it perfect? No. Do Vancouverites complain about it? Yes. But in our opinion, it’s a way more enjoyable commute to work in Vancouver vs. Kelowna.

    Both cities have a lot of tourists

    … and they often visit for different reasons! Kelowna and the surrounding areas in the Central Okanagan have a thriving industry because well, duh, it’s wine country. Who doesn’t love wine country?! On top of mesmerizing vineyards, the Kelowna area is also home to orchards, lakes galore, and world-class outdoor recreation that you really can’t beat. With the two biggest attractions being the many vineyards and Big White, however, you’ll see a lot more tourists in the summer and winter months.

    Vancouver, on the other hand, has tourists year-round. Vancouver has much milder weather than Kelowna, and some of the mildest weather in all of Canada. That means people flock from all day every day, from all over the world, all year ’round. 

    The tourism industry brings a lot of jobs to both cities, but we find this fact to be more prevalent in Kelowna. In Kelowna, summer workers particularly will find plenty of jobs in agriculture, wine-making, and tourism industries.

    Kelowna has lakes, Vancouver has the ocean

    Both cities have year-round recreation that you really can’t beat – but now we’re comparing apples to oranges. If you’re asking us which city is better – Vancouver vs. Kelowna – in terms of proximity to nature, you’re asking the wrong question. It’s all about preference!

    Vancouver and Kelowna are both very outdoorsy cities, but because of the bodies of water they hold, the activities can be different. Lake culture in the Okanagan is thriving. In the summer, folks in the Okanagan head to the lakes and bring their paddle boards, boats, tubes, water skis, and skidoos.

    In Vancouver, people bring their frisbees and footballs to the sandy beach and go for a salty dip in the Pacific Ocean to cool off.  

    Both cities are home to many gorgeous hikes and within an hour drive of both destinations, you’ll find even more high altitudes to explore.

    Nature in Vancouver BC

    The weather is very different in Kelowna vs. Vancouver

    Kelowna really has all four seasons and Vancouver, well, does not. If you’re looking for a textbook Canadian winter with a hot summer, orange autumn, snowy winter and rainy spring, the Okanagan Valley is the place to be. 

    If you’re trying to escape or avoid the snow, Vancouver may be your best friend. Vancouver’s winters are typically more mild and wet, with greyer but warmer days.  The winters in Kelowna are much colder than the winters in Vancouver, but the sun shines on most days during the winter months. We can’t say the same about Vancouver.

    Personally, the grey skies in Vancouver don’t bother us – but some have reported to feel as gloomy as the sky looks during the winter months in Vancouver. Again, it’s all about preference here!

    Which do you prefer: sunny & snowy winters? Or wet & mild winters? Vancouver vs. Kelowna? You be the judge!

    Both cities have an airport

    Some people may not know that Kelowna has an airport! Kelowna International Airport (YLW) offers more than 70 daily non-stop commercial flights with nine airlines. Though it’s much smaller than Vancouver International Airport (YVR),  it’s still a very convenient staple in the city of Kelowna.

    Kelowna BC downtown

    Vancouver & Kelowna are both absolutely stunning

    Kelowna is a beautiful city that expands every day.  People from all over the world are attracted to its wineries and orchards, fresh fruit, funky local businesses, and gorgeous lake culture. Surrounding Kelowna are other stunning cities like Penticton, Summerland and Osoyoos, which is Canada’s only desert. 

    Vancouver is also well-known for it’s beauty. Surrounded by mountains, ocean, and parks, Vancouver is a world-class destination for visitors to marvel at it’s lookouts and scenery.

    We can tell you this, you won’t miss out on scenery regardless of what city you choose – and although they are quite different, they are only about 4 hours away from each other! So hop in the car and explore!

    ___

    If you still want to read more on Vancouver vs. Kelowna – check out our blog here about living in Vancouver and our article here covering what it’s like living in the Okanagan Valley. 

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  • Things to do in Kelowna in Winter

    by Nick & Raychel January 30, 2021

    Everyone knows that Kelowna is a great place to spend the summer. But how is Kelowna in the winter? Find our 6 favorite things to do here!

  • Top 5 Neighbourhoods to Live in Vancouver, BC

    by Nick & Raychel January 12, 2021

    After living in a variety of apartments in Vancouver, we’ve compiled our top 5 neighbourhoods to live in Vancouver BC. If you’re moving to Vancouver, you’ll have to read this.

  • Cost of Living in Cambodia [2022]

    by Nick & Raychel January 4, 2021

    Moving to Cambodia for work? You may be wondering what the cost of living looks like in Cambodia – and we break it down in this article.

  • Living in the Okanagan Valley, Canada (What It’s Like)

    by Nick & Raychel May 29, 2020

    What is it like living in the Okanagan? We talk about the Okanagan Valley and what it’s like living in the wine country of beautiful British Columbia.

  • Living in Vancouver, Canada | The Pros & Cons

    by Nick & Raychel May 23, 2020

    What’s it like living in Vancouver or moving to Vancouver? We’re about to tell you about our experience in beautiful British Columbia here.

  • Working Abroad | 7 Reasons Why It’s The Best Way To Travel

    by Nick & Raychel March 30, 2020

    Living & working abroad changed our lives. Here, we outline the reasons why you should work overseas to inspire you to change yours too.

  • Move to Cambodia Without a Job | The Survival Guide

    by Nick & Raychel March 24, 2020

    Moving to Cambodia without a job? Yeah, we were in the same boat too. Here’s how we found the courage to do it.

  • How to Pass Your Teaching Demo in Cambodia

    by Nick & Raychel March 4, 2020

    If you’ve done your research on moving to Cambodia & teaching English, you would know that you will likely need to do a teaching demo as a part of your interview process. Hopefully your TEFL course has already set you up for this – but what if it didn’t? What if it did but you’re a bit rusty? Not to worry – keep calm and read our four major tips for passing your teaching demo in Cambodia.

  • Renting an Apartment in Phnom Penh | What You Need to Know

    by Nick & Raychel February 27, 2020

    All of our best tips & tricks for renting an apartment in Phnom Penh, Cambodia. If you’re looking for a place to live in Cambodia, make sure you check out these tips on how to find your perfect home away from home.

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Nick & Raychel
Nick & Raychel

In 2018, we sold everything we owned and moved to Cambodia to teach English.

Let’s make this clear: this journey didn’t start with money. This journey started with a desire to see the world and to do something different for a change.

We’re not going to fool you with photos of floating breakfasts and private jets. We know what it’s like to be on a budget. Although we like to take pretty pictures, we aren’t going to wake up at an ungodly hour to give you unachievable travel jealousy. We aren’t going to censor ourselves or lie to you.

What we are going to do is stay in cheap hostels, find ways to make money, give the advice that we would want to hear, and share our experiences with you honestly.

Are you in?

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GUIDE TO MARKETS | PHNOM PENH, CAMBODIA (2018)

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ABOUT NICK & RAYCHEL

About Us Hi! We’re Nick & Raychel, the Canadian travel couple behind the brand ‘Not Luxe’. Far before we were married (and on a mission to see the world), we were working…

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  • Every choice comes with sacrifice. We chose to use our money that we work for to travel, and we continue to make that choice every day.

But making that choice means we haven’t been able to do other things that another 30 year old couple would maybe do. We sold our car, all of our things, we don’t have a stable place to live, we haven’t started a family, we don’t own a home.

We work overtime to afford our travels, and we have very little money for anything else. 

And of course, we must acknowledge that we have huge amounts of privilege to even be able to make that choice. Our strong passports allow us to see much of the world, we were born into a country where our currency is valued worldwide, and we always have a friend or family member’s couch to crash on if we need it.

So this post is not meant to complain, rather show: everything comes with a sacrifice - and if you’re considering giving up your stable life for full-time travel, there may be some things you have to leave behind.

➟ follow @nickandraychel // full-time van life & budget travel 

__

Tags: #notluxe #traveltips #budgettravel #cheaptravel #budgettraveltips  #girlslovetravel #travelgram #getoutstayout #livetoexplore #travelblogger #canadiancreator #vancouverblogger #vanlifesociety #vanlifediaries #traveldiaries
  • We’ve lived on 3 continents by travelling slow and working when we end up 🫶🏼

& somehow our travels brought us back to our home city for the summer this year for the first time in 6 YEARS! Damn.

But we’ve said it once and we’ll say it a trillion times, we will do almost a n y t h I n g in the name of travel.

Any questions?

➟ follow @nickandraychel // full-time van life & budget travel 

__

Tags: #notluxe #traveltips #budgettravel #cheaptravel #budgettraveltips #gapyear #travelgirls #travelgirlsgo #girlslovetravel #travelgram #granolagirl#getoutstayout #livetoexplore #travelblogger #vanlifeculture #vanlifediaries #vanlifeideas #liveoutdoors #vanlifeliving #vanlife #homeiswhereyouparkit #tinyhome #canadiantravel #ohcanada #canadiancreators
  • If you want to live in a van in 2023/2024, here is our roadmap for getting started with van life. 

⇾ Embrace minimalism and downsize your possessions

⇾ Research different van options that fit your lifestyle and budget

⇾ Set a realistic budget for your van purchase or build

⇾ Plan your layout and storage needs

⇾ Learn about solar power and sustainability

⇾ Source materials and supplies for your build - you can learn on YouTube

⇾ Talk to insurance companies and classify your van as a motorhome

⇾ Download iOverlander and create a budget for your travels

⇾ Connect with the van life community and attend meetups

⇾ Hit the road and embrace the freedom of van life 

➟ follow @nickandraychel // full-time van life & budget travel 

__

Tags: #notluxe  #vanlife #vanlifemovement  #vanlifegirl #tinyliving #vanconversion #vanconversionideas #vanbuild #camperlife #homeonwheels #vanlifers #vanlifecouple #travelcouple  #granolagirl #vandwellers #explorecanada #travelcanada #yvrcreators #canadiantravelbloggers #outdoorscreator
  • How much I spend in a day living *basically* rent-free in Vancouver 

As many of you know, we live in a van, but we also do housesitting with @trustedhousesitters 

Transit with a compass card is $2.50 which I use frequently - especially to visit my parents who also live in Vancouver 

This day we checked out To Live For Bakery @tolivefor.bakery which I highly, highly recommend to anyone who is cruising through the city and ends up on Nanaimo 

Also popped by @welksonmain for some N/A drinks from  @sobercarpenter & @getgruvi 

And our Trusted Housesitters membership is $11/mo totalling $0.38 for rent per day

& the one day total was $18.23 

Any questions?

➟ follow @nickandraychel // full-time van life & budget travel 

Tags: #notluxe  #vanlifeculture  #traveldiaries #travelgram #livetoexplore #vanlifeculture #budgettravel #worktotravel #traveljobs #travelblogger #vandwelling #discovercanada #vancitylife #bcadventure #canadiancreator #vancouverfoodie #veganfoodie #outdoorsycreator #minimalism #housesitting
  • Things we would have never done if we had listened to ✨ fear ✨(and these are just a few)

• quit our jobs to teach English in Asia
• sold everything we owned (twice) 
• moved to a country we’d never been to before (twice)
• converted an old ambulance into a tiny home with no experience
• drove from Canada to Mexico in our van 
• met up with people from the internet and became best friends 

But mostly, taken a chance on ourselves.

We do our best to not let fear or the opinions of others lead the way. 

Do you have any to add?

➟ follow @nickandraychel // full-time van life & budget travel 

__ 

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  • Is van life really cheaper than renting? Van life costs vs. monthly expenses living in an apartment.

Not to mention the average price in Vancouver now is $2,700 - so not sure where we’d find that $1,300 rental anymore.

Any questions about van life?

➟ follow @nickandraychel // full-time van life & budget travel 

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