Especially cost-of-living. How much is a 2 bedroom apartment in a decent location? Are there any particularly decent parts of town outside of downtown to live, epsecially near UBC? Are any of these neighborhoods cheaper than downtown? How’s commuting by bike?
I might be taking a one-year job there but the pay is pretty depressing, although I’m not sure HOW depressing, with the exchange rate and all. I don’t know much about the city and this offer sort of surprises me, so I need to make some tough decisions (pay versus quality of life).
Any warnings or suggestions? Thanks in advance.
AFAIK, Vancouver is pretty expensive city to live in. There is a reason though, it is also one of the most beautiful cites anywhere. Hope you don’t mind Asain foods.
Should also put out a call for Larry Mudd. He lives there.
It is expensive to live in Vancouver. Downtown and West side (in the direction of UBC) are especially so. Sorry. A 2 bedroom apartment will run you anywhere from $1000/month to your firstborn son and your right and left arms. Further East you’ll find cheaper rents ($800 - $1300/month), but neighbourhoods can be good or bad within a block or two of each other. You will find lots of apartments for rent in the area of Fraser and 12th. I would avoid them. The neighbourhood isn’t great, and it’s really noisy because it’s near a major truck/ambulance route. Same goes for 12th and Clark. On the other hand, if you can find a place near Broadway (but not right on Broadway), there is an express bus than runs along that street all the way out to UBC. You will it find very handy. Check out the areas around Main Street and Commercial Drive. Both are pretty cool neighbourhoods, and have good access to transit.
Quality of life is pretty good. It’s one of Canada’s ‘best’ cities, and it’s got a lot of things going on with active lifestyles. The west coast is expensive, though, but there has been such a real estate boom that if it’s anything like Victoria, there are a lot of people who’ve purchased as an investment and are renting out condos, etc.
It’s rainy. Really rainy. On the other hand, you can be biking all year round, and enjoying the beach and flowers in March.
Browsing one of the big papers (the other one is the Province) might give you an idea of the rental market. http://homes.canada.com/vancouver/browsecategory.aspx?id=3134
The ‘bad’ part of town is the Downtown Eastside, but like any major city, it has drugs and crime and traffic.
If it’s a one-year job, I’d say go for it! Here’s your chance to live in a genuine “foreign” country and have that experience, and yet it’s not too different from the USA. Vancouver definitely has a strong Asian sector, so it’s got a West-Coast-Asia vibe all its own.
And the Olympics are coming.
I meant, Vancouver has its share of typical big-city problems like drugs, crime, and traffic, which is certainly not exclusive to the Downtown Eastside.
I get to work in Vancouver every so often. IMHO it is one of the world’s great cities. If our local guy there ever quits I am applying for the job.
Expensive, yes. But I think it is worth it. It’s only a year go for it.
I LOVE Vancouver. It’s one of my fav places to visit. I have thought about moving there myself someday.
Yes, places can get pricey, but look at the view! Water, moutains, TREES!!! The shrubs there grow to huge proportions!
There is always something going on. One of my fav is that they film alot of great sci-fi there. Sigh It’s amazing how all the alien planets the Stargate visit look like British Columbia… :dubious:
Oh oh Oh! I almost forgot! One of my best stories EVER happened in Vancouver. That makes it a totally cool place. I give it an enthusiastic thumbs up! 
I just got back from there. I had booked a hotel through the cruise company, but as the ship arrived in the morning and we couldn’t check in until the afternoon, we went on a three hour bus tour, mostly through Stanley Park and the city center. The bus driver mentioned some rents and house prices, and they seemed expensive, but not as bad as New York or San Francisco, or even L.A.
I was VERY impressed by this city, and found it easy to navigate the downtown area on foot when I spent some time later, walking around.
Ok, would a one-bedroom in the 900-1100 CND range near the uni be fair/ good/ so-so/ not-so-great? Is that a deal (looking into university-owned housing as a rational approach)?
I know, I’ve fantasized about living there for some time (Vancouver is where people who live in Seattle and Portland wish they could live. . .); this is an interim replacement for someone and I so do hope that when the permanent position comes open they consider me. I’d so like to be in Vancouver for a while.
You might be able to find something good in that range in that neighbourhood. Beware of anything listed as a “garden suite”, thats just a euphamism for basement suite. Even still, if you get a South and/or West exposure, it wouldn’t be too bad. Living on campus would depend upon your tolerance for young, just-moved-away-from-home, fratboys. At least it would give you a base to look for other housing from. Most of the best deals are not advertised in the papers, and are found instead either through word of mouth, or just by walking through cool neighbourhoods and looking for “for rent” signs.
You were also asking about biking… Vancouver is a bike friendly town for the most part. The only drawback, IMHO, is that it is pretty hilly. It feels as though you are always going up hill.