The Toronto Squeeze
My wife and I both worked in Toronto—she's a UX designer, I'm a software developer. Combined income of about $220K, which sounds great until you realize a semi-detached house in a neighborhood we liked was $1.4 million. We were renting a 2-bedroom apartment for $3,100, watching our savings grow too slowly.
The Math That Made Us Move
In 2023, we bought a 3-bedroom house with a backyard and ocean views in Dartmouth for $475,000. Our mortgage payment is $2,400/month—less than our Toronto rent. We have a garage. A garden. Space for our kids to play.
Our Toronto salaries mostly stayed the same. Yes, Nova Scotia has higher income tax, but the cost of living difference more than makes up for it. Childcare is cheaper. Restaurants are cheaper (though we miss the variety in Toronto).
What We Love About Atlantic Canada
The community. People actually know their neighbors here. The work-life balance—I log off at 5pm and walk to the beach with my kids. The seafood. The hiking. The sense that we're building a real life, not just surviving.
The Trade-offs
We miss our friends. Family visits require flights. Healthcare access is a real issue here—we waited months for a family doctor. Winters are harsh, and when the power goes out during a storm (which happens), you better be prepared. We bought a generator in our first month.
But when I look at my kids playing in our backyard, with the Atlantic visible in the distance, I know we made the right choice.