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Not Luxe ☼ Travel
  • ABOUT NICK & RAYCHEL
  • WHY “NOT LUXE”
  • Cambodia
  • Australia
  • Travel
  • Teaching ESL
  • Move Abroad
  • Travel Insurance

living in vancouver

    living in BC vs. living in Ontario Toronto vs. Vancouver

    Living in Ontario vs. Living in British Columbia (BC)

    by Nick & Raychel January 23, 2021

    The age old question – Ontario or British Columbia, which is the best Canadian province to live in? In this article, we’re going to be covering what it’s like living in Ontario vs. living in BC, which is a huge topic that will be incredibly hard to tackle because Ontario and BC are both massive provinces. 

    Ontario vs. BC: we also covered the contents of this blog post here on our YouTube channel!

    For perspective: the real size of both Ontario & BC

    In land mass, Ontario is 2.8 times the size of Japan, 3.6 times the size of Italy, and 10 times the size of Iceland. BC is 2.5 times the size of Japan, 92% larger than Spain and 86 times larger than Jamaica. 

    So needless to say, the culture in Northern Ontario, vs. Southern Ontario varies greatly, somewhere like Vancouver, BC is going to have a very different feel than Port Alberni, BC to Prince George, BC. It’s a bit of an insult to try to categorize provinces as a whole, but hey, we’re Canadian and we’re going to try.

    A better question would be what is life like in Toronto vs. Vancouver, which we will mostly answer in this article – but we will try to include as many cities, small towns, cottage countries, islands, and remote communities as we can.

    living in ontario

    Let’s start with the province of Ontario, which is:

    • Home to Canada’s capital city of Ottawa
    • Home to Canada’s largest city, Toronto
    • That said, Ontario is really the center of business in Canada
    • There are 48 airports in Ontario and the province is 1.076 million km2 and has about 14.57 million people living in it 

    In comparison, the province of BC:

    • Has less than half of that, at 5.071 million people
    • British Columbia’s capital city is Victoria BC, and BC’s largest city is Vancouver which only has approx. 675,000 people living there

    Why does population density matter?

    The difference is important to mention, because the population density of BC vs. Ontario is obvious when you’re living in them. BC feels much more open and airy compared to Ontario, which can feel more crowded.

    In Ontario, the GTA (or Greater Toronto Area) has a much busier feel than the lower mainland in BC. While Vancouver has the appearance of being a “big city”, it really isn’t one at all, which impacts the surrounding areas as well. Toronto is surrounded by these huge freeways all around that are packed with cars and backed up by traffic.

    best areas to live in vancouver

    Transit in Ontario vs. transit in BC

    I found commuting in Ontario to be more stressful than anywhere I’ve lived in BC because of the number of people. If you’re living in the GTA and commuting to Toronto, you’ll likely have easy access to the Go Train which is a service that runs through many cities in Southern Ontario.

    However, commuting to work on the Go Train is much more expensive than Vancouver’s Skytrain. For example, going from Oakville to Toronto on the Go Train is $19.40 return trip, whereas to go from Surrey to Vancouver during peak hours is 3.00 one way or 10.50 for a day pass, which provides unlimited transit use on ALL buses for the entire day.

    The Skytrain is also a much more beautiful ride.

    The beauty in BC vs. the beauty in Ontario

    Vancouver is one of the world’s most beautiful cities, and many people know that it’s surrounded by mountains and right on the west coast of Canada so you’re living right on the ocean. The beauty expands throughout BC, which is lined with gorgeous mountains.

    Ontario is flat, which can be a shock to people who grew up in BC.

    But Ontario hosts a different kind of beauty. Ontario is home to 4/5 of the great lakes, and it translates into the Ontarian ‘cottage country’ culture. Many people who live in Ontario either own a cottage or know someone with one. You’ll hear talk of Orillia, Muskoka, Thousand Islands, Sauble Beach, Tobermory or Manitoulin Island to name a few. 

    Having a cottage on a lake is ideal in Ontario, and in BC there are different sorts of options for this. So some (very fortunate) families might have a cabin up in Whistler, or on the Sunshine Coast, but real estate is more expensive in BC than Ontario.

    ontario niagara falls

    So is BC really that much more expensive than Ontario?

    Off course, if you’re comparing living in Vancouver, BC which is 1.67 million dollars for the average home, to living in Sudbury Ontario where the housing price is approx. 279,000, that isn’t fair. You have to compare apples to apples, because you can find cheaper real estate in places like Williams Lake or Prince George. So when you’re doing your research – remember to be fair. Are you considering a major city and business hub to a small Northern town? 

    When it comes to renting in Vancouver vs. renting in Toronto, both major Canadian cities are expensive as hell and, honestly, around the same price. 

    The outdoorsy culture in BC is undeniable 

    Sure, BC is expensive – but you really get what you pay for as it is absolutely gorgeous. If you’re looking for a more outdoorsy culture, pick BC, the lower mainland, Fraser Valley, Okanagan, Vancouver Island, are all packed with hikes and gorgeous scenery. You can hike all year round, as the weather is fairly mild in the lower part of BC.

    Wet, mild winters vs. cold, sunny winters

    Now, let’s talk about those chilly Canadian winters, shall we? This is usually a massive deciding factor when deciding what Canadian province to live in – and it’s the age old debate of Vancouver vs. Toronto. 

    Ontario typically has sunnier winters than BC, although the temperatures drop, like a lot. In Ontario, you’re more likely to have a white Christmas. In this province, you’ll really get all four Canadian seasons in their glory. Scorching hot summers, autumns that boast beautiful orange and red leaves, a white Christmas, and rainy Springtimes. 

    On the other hand, the Southern part of BC has Canada’s warmest winters. Anyone coming from somewhere like Australia or Trinidad & Tobago may laugh at that, but hey it’s the warmest we’ve got. The west coast is known for having a wet, grey winter and tends to be mild all year ’round.

    So when comparing winter in BC to winter in Ontario it all depends on your preference: do you prefer wet, mild winters or freezing, sunny days? You decide!

    ontario in the winter

    Multiculturalism

    Toronto has been called the most multicultural city in the world, and you can definitely see with your own eyes and taste with your own mouth the beautiful diversity in Toronto. Over half of the population is foreign born and over 250 ethnicities and 170 languages are represented in the Toronto Region.

    Vancouver has its diversity as well, but not to the same extent. Vancouver, and BC in general, is diverse but there the population is predominately made up of white / European and Asian people – predominantly, Chinese and South Asian – which is cool, but in Toronto you really feel that diversity is the pulse of the city.

    … but the sushi!

    We have to add this in but Vancouver has some top tier sushi for VERY low prices and so if you’re a Vancouverite moving to Ontario, you’re not going to get the same delicious sushi for the same price in Ontario – huge con in our eyes.

    Minimum Wage: BC vs. Ontario

    We will also mention that the minimum wage is slightly higher in BC than Ontario. The minimum wage in Ontario being 14.25 an hour and the minimum wage in BC being 14.60 per hour.

    wine country in bc

    Side note: Both countries have great wine, and wine country in Ontario is gorgeous, as is wine country in BC.

    So what province do we like more?

    We like BC more because:

    We like the smaller population, it feels more open

    We like being surrounded by mountains 

    We like being on the coast

    We love our cheap Vancouver sushi

    And we prefer having the option for milder winters


    Have you been to either provinces before? Let us know which one is your favourite in the comments below. We hope this gave you a general idea of the differences between the two provinces, what do you think? BC or Ontario? 

    Moving to Vancouver? Find our write up on the best neighbourhoods to live in the city!

    Want to live in BC but you don’t want to skip out on the snowy winters? Here’s our article about living in the Okanagan Valley!

    4 PinterestEmail
  • 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.

  • 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.

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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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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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  • Working to TRAVEL✈️🚐

If you’ve been following along with our vlogs and stories, it will come as no surprise to you when I say that our days are long right now. When we chose to start travelling, we signed up for a work-save-travel-repeat cycle and have been living in for the past 4.5 years. 

We chose this life.
But we still get tired. 

And between fixing up the van, preparing for our next adventure and working full time in that Southern Ontario heat - it’s a lot. But our minds are set on travel, on exploration, on adventure, culture, and learning. So we adapt to the seasons and understand that this point in the cycle is  just that - a season -  and we are so damn grateful to be doing it together.

📍 Traditional territories of the Erie, Neutral, Huron-Wendat, Haudenosaunee and Mississaugas.
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Tags: #notluxe #worktotravel #travelcouple #vanlifecouple #traveldiaries #vanlifediaries #travelgram #livetoexplore #vanlifeculture #budgettravel #worktotravel #traveljobs #travelblogger #vanlifestyle #vanliving
  • **CLOSED** GIVEAWAY!! 🎉

We are giving away a Bluetti EB70 portable power bank. Having a power station on hand is a sweet backup for those who are already set up completely for off-grid living and/or a good start for weekend campers looking to try out van or camper van life. We are stoked to have another way to work outside, charge more appliances and get out adventuring.

The winner will win ONE Bluetti EB70 power bank & charging cables. 

Specs:
• 716Wh capacity and 800W rated wattage
• The ultra-stable LiFePO4 battery chemistry,2500+ life cycles
• 4*110V AC outlets, 2*100W PD ports, 2*5V/3A USB-A ports, 2*regulated 12V/10A DC outputs, 1*12V/10A car port,1*15W wireless charging pad.
(Note: does not come with solar panels)
-

HOW TO ENTER:

1. Like this post 
2. Must be following @nickandraychel & @bluetti_official
3. Tag a friend in the comments below (more tags = more entries)
4. Bonus entry - share this post to story for 5 extra entries! 

Open to USA & Canada residents. Giveaway closes on June 22, 2022. 
Winner will be announced on 06/25/22. 

-

Disclaimer: No purchase necessary. Giveaway is not sponsored, endorsed or administered by, or associated with Instagram.

The contest period will run from 06/15 to 06/22 2022.

— 

Tags: #vanlifecouple #vanlifeing #notluxe #vanlifediaries #vanlifegiveaway #campinggiveaway #campervan #vanconversion #camperliving #tinyliving #tinyhomeonwheels #tinyhomes #vanlifenewbie #vanlifers #livinginavan #livingoffgrid #offgridliving #vanlifedreams #travelinspo
  • Slowing down 🚐 

The whole appeal of van life and many alternative living options is the freedom to take a go at your own speed.

But sometimes it feels like you just want to see it all.
And we’ve seen SO much in the past twenty months. 

Especially in the past six.

As Canadian travellers, I find that our slow season is the opposite of others. We escape the cold weather and have been abroad for many Christmases and snowfalls. During those times, we’re cliff jumping, waterfall hopping, cruising, skatepark hunting, friendship building…

Then, when lake season rolls around we’re ready to take on a more conventional work schedule, to save up to do it all again.

But we have to tell ourselves to relax, to enjoy the downtime, to take in the peaceful moments just as much as the epic ones. To soak up the sun, to drink water, to slow down.

It’s a constant learning process.

📍Traditional Hohokam, Patayan, and Yavapai land ⁣

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Tags: #vanlife #vanlifeshot #vanlifemeetup #vanlifemoments #vanlifemovement #vanlifemagazine #vanlifestyle #vanlifeculture #vanlifecouple #vanlifeconversions #campulance #campinggirls #campinglife #rvliving #camperlife
  • But how do you SHOWER? 😅

This photo is from the most ridiculous YouTube thumbnail we’ve had to date. We took so many funny photos this day, we couldn’t NOT share. Or maybe we could. Oh well.

But let’s answer the question while we’re at it.

🚿 We primarily go to Anytime Fitness which is a little pricier than Planet Fitness. In our opinion, however, the equipment is way nicer, there are usually less people, they’re all over Canada & the US, it’s open 24/7, and the showers are private.

🚿 When we’re not near an Anytime Fitness (this has only happened one time when we were in Quartzsite), we find a truck stop shower to go to.

🚿 And that’s about it. We bought a camping shower at the beginning of van living and only used it one miserable time.

Do you think a shower is necessary in a van build?

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Tags: #vanlife #vanlifeshot #vanlifeshower #vanlifecamper #campinglife #campingtrip #vanlifebuild #vanlifediaries #vanlifegirls #vanlifetravel #vanlifetravels #vanlifestyle #vanlifeexplorers #campinggirls #outsideisfree #outsideshoot #vanlifeculture #vanlifecommunity
  • We have been doing so much stealth city camping lately that we felt like we needed a break. When we first moved into our van, we set off to Vancouver Island, where we were constantly surrounded by nature - and even though we had no idea what we were doing, it was just easy to be outside.

As you guys know, we’ve lived all sorts of van life. From brick & mortar jobs, to off-grid living, to city dwelling, to full-time travelling. Lately, we’ve seen A LOT of cities and while we’re grateful to have covered so much ground, we knew we needed nature. 

So we nestled ourselves into Starved Rock State Park and reset.
Full video is on YouTube. Link in bio.

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Tags: #vanlife #vanlifecouple #vanlifediaries #vanlifers #vanliving #ambulanceconversion #vandwelling #vandweller #camperlife #campervan #camperconversion #campingbackpack #campinglife #campingtrip #illinois #starvedrockstatepark
  • “The life you have led doesn’t need to be the only life you have” – Anna Quindlen

I can’t imagine committing to being the person I was 5 years ago for the rest of my life. I can’t imagine committing to one mindset or one way of life. 

It would be impossible to put into words how much we’ve changed through travel and meeting people. And as we start to hype ourselves up for our next big journey, we’re excited to dive head first with an open mind. 

Whether you’re building a van, starting a new job, buying a plane ticket, or even walking out of the house every morning - you have no fucking idea what’s in store.

Travel has a special way of changing you. 
And the best thing you can do is allow it. 

📍 Traditional Kumeyaay land
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