I currently live in Toronto, Canada as a student with my mother and I am currently debating if I should stay here or move to San Jose, California.
Apparently, the job that I'm going for here in Toronto starts off at 58k CAD which is 44k USD. If I were to get hired as the same job in San Jose, they start off at 84k USD which is 110k CAD.
It would take me literally 6 years to get up to that salary in Toronto when I start at 100k CAD in San Jose.
Though after a little bit of comparing, the cost of living in San Jose is a little bit (27%) more expensive than in Toronto. But to argue you're making much more money and the Canadian dollar is 0.76 to the American dollar.
Is it worth moving for a better possible quality of life?
what about healthcare? what about transportation? what advantages do you get in each place? The USD being a stronger currency is definitely advantageous if you go outside the country on vacation, but it's already accounted for in the cost of living (example: maybe a car will cost you 5 months of salary in canada while it costs you only 3 in the US)
What if you have kids? Is it better to raise kids in the US or in Canada?
Elijah Long
>What if you have kids? Is it better to raise kids in the US or in Canada?
Everything else in this post is sound advice but this is bullshit. OP, don't get carried away and make the wrong life decisions based on huge 'IFs'. Also, condoms and abortions already exist so you won't even have to worry.
Also >2016
>Having Children >Not losing all your money to a crazy woman Choose 1 and only 1.
Jason James
>America >Healthcare Pick one.
Austin Davis
I'm not having kids or getting married, but maybe OP wants to. I'm just giving him something to think about. When you go work somewhere, you're probably going to stay there for a very long time, not just stay a couple years. It's not unreasonable to think 10 to 15 years in advance.
Wyatt Young
You're right but I probably want one kid and get married in about 10 years from now (OP).
Chase Evans
not it's not
Reason: factor in prop 13. Namely, renters get crucified while everyone who bought homes before 2000 make bank. You, as a new resident, will have to put up with $1000+/mo rents and 90 minute commutes. And since most of the companies here are startups/new companies, you will be treated like shit and exploited at them because the turnover is so ridiculously quick (under 3 years).
No, you cannot make a fortune here and then jettison out. You'll spend maybe 5-6 years of your life fighting an uphill battle until you give up.
TL;DR The high salaries get thrown down the toilet when you factor in taxes and cost of living.
Nicholas Robinson
Also OP another thing you have to realize is that in many respects California is playing catch up. The state's infrastructure is woefully inadequate due to the hard cap on property taxes (prop 13) and the 67% vote requirement for ALL tax increases (also prop 13's doing).
This means that all roads are choked with traffic and transit networks are not nearly as expansive as they need to be. The only exception is ACE, which runs out into the tri-valley (aka desert wasteland), but even then most jobs require at least one transfer. All bridge commutes are at least an hour if not longer.
Put simply life here is hellish and you won't enjoy it. Don't move here, you WILL regret it. The only people that don't are those that bought homes 20 years ago and are sitting on shitloads of money. These people also vote against all new housing development (this is a thing that is voted on here) which causes rents to skyrocket.
Perhaps in 20 years things will be different (given that CAHSR will be built, perhaps a Caltrain tube to Oakland, also BART to SJ) but until then (2036) you won't want to move here. So don't.
Jaxon Powell
Don't move here. Rent is shit as what said. Cost of living is absurd for what they give you. This place is also literally dead in terms of interesting to do and Toronto has far more interesting people and places.
Carson Gonzalez
$3000 a month for housing Also CA takes at least 10% straight out of your check for state income tax. So unless you are frugal and have a baller job lined up I wouldn't recommend it.