tell us ABOUT yourself
My name is Nicole, I’m originally from England, that’s where I grew up and went to University for Aerospace Engineering. I always knew I wanted to live overseas though and not wanting to work in engineering, I decided to move away to Australia for a year to enjoy something completely different, travel as much as possible and then I continued the time away with a move to Vancouver, Canada.
Moving to Vancouver
When and why did you move to Vancouver?
I moved to Vancouver 7 years ago, following a year travelling in Australia and SE Asia. I didn’t want to go back to England long term so I applied for the next easiest visa to get my hands on which was Canada. I wasn’t successful the first time so I moved back home, regrouped and tried again and was finally able to move to Canada. I have no idea why I chose Vancouver, maybe I’d heard about it from other people on my travels but that’s where I headed!
How did you get set up?
This was a bit tough, everything requires you to have an address, but without a bank account, phone plan or job getting a lease can be hard! Opening a bank account is pretty easy but not many banks will allow credit cards for those without a credit history in Canada so it’s best to do research and find ones that will as it becomes really necessary. Phone plans are easy to get but VERY expensive compared to other countries so be prepared for a much higher monthly phone bill than you’re used to. Once you have those three main things covered things get much easier to navigate!
Was it difficult for you to get medical insurance?
I bought travel insurance before travel (I think it’s a visa requirement if i remember correctly). Once you are working fulltime you can qualify for MSP which is the national healthcare and is now free (it used to be a monthly fee to be registered), this will get you free healthcare but you only qualify after working for 3-6 months (I don’t remember the exact timeline). Prior to that if you need to see a doctor or have care you will need to pay out of pocket.
What did you bring with you?
Just two big suitcases! At the time it was mostly just clothes and personal items.
What surprised you about life in Vancouver?
You will inevitably pick up hobbies! It seems like everyone in Vancouver has so many hobbies on the go because it’s such an outdoorsy city. People hike, mountain bike, ski, backcountry camp etc. Other than skiing this was all completely new to me before moving and now it’s all a main part of my life!
What should people consider before deciding to move to Vancouver?
The city is boring… there’s no way around it. This is not the place for you if downtown life is what you’re looking for. The nightlife is renowned for being bad and post covid it’s only gotten quieter. It’s too expensive of a place to live. If that’s what you want, there’s much better cities to be in. Vancouver’s appeal is for what you can do outside the city, in just half an hour you can go from sitting on the beach to skiing in the mountains. It’s all about the outdoors here!
How did you find an apartment?
There are two main platforms that people use for housing in Vancouver, that’s craigslist and facebook marketplace. This is where you can search and apply for places, either your own, sublets or roommates. Lease agreements in Vancouver are usually 1 year long and then roll into what’s called monthly contracts. This is where your original lease just continues on as is, the landlord cannot change the terms of the lease or evict you (except with very specific circumstances), they can also only increase the rent by 2.5% annually. Tenants only have to give 30 days notice to end their lease after the 1 year mark. For this reason almost all listings will usually be available online in the first 2 weeks of every month, after that they drop off and you often have to wait for the next month to see more listings come up again. The rent is EXPENSIVE so be prepared, if something looks too good to be true it definitely is.
Living in Vancouver
What is Vancouver famous for?
As mentioned above, Vancouver is known for its beautiful scenery and outdoors. Surrounded by mountains it really is one of the most beautiful places you can live. It is also famous for being incredibly hard to make friends though… and that’s very true. Expats tend to stick together and locals stick with their own. I’m fortunate to have local friends through work before covid being in a close knit office but otherwise you’re not likely to make too many local acquaintances.
What apps do you find useful in your daily life in Vancouver?
The All trails app for hiking on the weekends & Dailyhive is popular for finding things to do in the city. Evo is a must if you drive, it’s a carshare app that allows you to pick up cars from around the city to get around without having to rely on your own. It’s great when you first move there and don’t have your own car, you can rent them by the minute, hours or day for bigger trips.
What are your favorite places in Vancouver?
My favourite places are definitely the islands off of Vancouver like the Sunshine Coast, gulf islands and Vancouver Island. Perfect for weekends away, gorgeous beaches and ocean views!
How much money do you need to live comfortably in Vancouver?
The honest answer is anything between $100-200,000 CAD. You used to be able to live comfortably on less but with the skyrocketing price of rent and housing now it’s really tough to live on less.
Do you feel safe living in Vancouver?
Definitely, there’s nowhere I would consider as safe as Vancouver.
What's on your list of favorite restaurants and cafés in Vancouver?
The restaurants in Vancouver can be so good, there’s so much multicultural food to try I couldn’t pick a favourite!
I’m a coffee snob though so of all the best coffee shops, some of my favourites would be Nemesis, Revolver, Pallet, Their There.
I’m a coffee snob though so of all the best coffee shops, some of my favourites would be Nemesis, Revolver, Pallet, Their There.
Final Thoughts
What is the most recent thing you've read in the news about life in Vancouver?
The housing crisis…it’s a constant thing in the news. The availability of housing in Vancouver is at a critical point and it’s making it very hard to afford to live there and find stable accommodation unfortunately.
What’s the difference between Canadians and English people in your opinion?
Banter…Canadians are known for being polite and this is very extreme and true. English people are very sarcastic and like to joke about each other and it’s considered funny and normal, we call it banter. Canadians do not have this same culture at all and often take things that are said with sarcasm literally and get offended easily.
Can you tell us something else about Vancouver that we might not know?
It’s a really small place, there’s so much to do outside of it that it makes it feel bigger but the city itself is such a tiny area and the neighbourhoods all have their own very specific vibe and lifestyle even though they’re only 5-10 mins down the road.
What movies should people look at to learn more about Vancouver?
Pretty much all movies you see are actually filmed in Vancouver, it’s a massive hub for filmmaking. To learn about Vancouver life though I can’t really think of any.
Are there any experiences there that you are particularly proud of or that surprised you?
Just becoming someone that does so much outdoor activity surprises me now when I look back! Coming from the UK I’d never even been camping before so to be hiking and camping so often now is funny to look back on.
What are some disadvantages to living in Vancouver?
Vacation time is low, compared to the UK where you get so much vacation time at work, Canada unfortunately offers very little. This makes it really hard to travel outside of Canada, being on the West Coast means flights are always long haul and expensive so not having much time to go away makes it hard, it’s not a good place to be for travel outside of the country.
Tells us about music from Vancouver
Vancouver Island is definitely home to a lot of folk style bands and you can see a lot of small town bands there.
Was it easy making friends and meeting people in Vancouver?
I talked about this earlier, but I was lucky. I got a job in a really big company with lots of younger people working there and it was before COVID so we were fulltime in the office downtown everyday. I made some amazing friends from this which I wouldn’t have made if I were to work there now. I also definitely have a lot of expat friends, Vancouver has a small town vibe and everyone knows someone you know, there’s always a link between people.
What are your plans for the future?
I’ve actually left Vancouver for over a year now, i’m travelling all over Europe with my partner and our dog looking to make the most of being here! We miss Vancouver often though and know deep down that it will always be our home now but it’s fun to keep travelling the world and seeing what else is out there!
Thank you Nicole for your insight into living in Vancouver! It’s incredible what happens when you follow your guts! I find it very interesting that you decided to move there without knowing for sure what to expect! I wish you the best in your travels with your partner and dog!
