Cost of living in Canada, Ontario.?

Hello,

My husband and I are thinking of moving to Barrie, Ontario. My husband was born in Canada, but left when he was a teen. He currently works for a computer firm as a computer technician, with 10 years experience. I am a Veterinary assistant, although I haven't had any formal training. I have also worked in an office environment, and have a great reference from my former employer. We would like to know what our chances are if we were to move to Canada. Would we be able to live comfortably with average incomes? What would we be left with after taxes have been deducted from our salaries? Would it be enough to cover our rent, and other expenses? And how much is car insurance, on average? At least one of us will need a car. My husband has been driving for 15 years, and has a clean record. We would like to rent first before buying our own home. Would the mortgage payments be too high for a modest home? We will have $27,000 CAD for a down payment.

Please advise! Thank you

hey there.

we moved to barrie from the Uk in march and its been a real eye opener!
your husbands driving record from the uk means nothing the insurance companies really have your pants down and you can expect to pay nearly 10 times what you pay in the uk.
rent will be around $1200 a month. with the first and last payments required up front with most landlords expecting a 12 month lease.
work experience doesnt count for much and you have to see if your qualifications are recognised in Canada even then resumes are ignored if you havnt got the all important Canadian experience.
tax is another thing the provincial and federal government love to grab off you
finally most banks and mortgages want between 25% - 35% down payment for newly arrived immigrants.
dont let this put you off i thought you ought to know the truth rather than sugar coat it Barrie is a lovely place with lovely people in it and we hope to stay here for the foreseeable future
hope this helps

i live in toronto, ontario, where i'm sure the cost of living is higher than in barrie, and we manage quite well.

i live with my partner, who makes more $ than i, and i am just starting a new career part time. i am not making a lot of money right now, and even so with out combined incomes we are definitely not struggling. we rent, b/c the down payment for a mortgage in the areas of TO we are interested in living are just too high for us right now. we have one car, we have all the regular expenses, we go out for dinner every week, we dress pretty well....... i have to say it's not that bad.

of course, you have to manage your money well, no matter how much money you make. but i think you too will be fine! especially being in barrie where cost of living isn't as high as in toronto.

from what i've heard, barrie is really developing. i'm sure you will be able to find employment in your fields.

good luck with the move!!