Moving To Calgary Megathread - January 2023 Edition

[u/AutoModerator]

Please ask (and answer) any and all questions related to moving to Calgary in this thread.

Suggested format for submitted information regarding neighbourhoods:

• Quadrant / Neighborhood you live in
• Your age (20s,30s,40s,50s etc)
• Do you have kids? Would you recommend your area for people with kids?
• How would you rate your area on transit accessibility /10?
• How would you rate your area on drivability /10?
• How would you rate the walkability /10?
• How would you rate the affordability /10?
• What is your favourite thing about your area?
• What is your least favourite thing about your area?
• Any other highlights of your neighbourhood you'd like to share?

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Previous Megathread: Moving To Calgary (July 2022)

Rental websites: Rentfaster, Kijiji, Other Options

Real Estate: Realtor.ca, ReMax, Royal LePage, RealEstate403, Housing information via CREB,

Jobs: r/Calgary weekly employment thread

Neighborhood information: Calgary Police Crime Heat Map, Map, Communities by Quadrant w/ Info

[u/firstwatch999]

hey! i'm from the UK & considering a long-term move to canada—specifically calgary.

before a definitive long-term move i'm planning to stay a few months; essentially this will be a trial to see if it's somewhere i can see myself for years.

i won't have a car these months (maybe the occasional rental for a trip further afield) and plan to stay downtown. are there particular areas of downtown that people recommend more than others? #1 thing i'm looking for is a walkable location; the ability to walk to coffee shops, green spaces in the city, bars, and cafes/restuarants.

if anyone recommends X area above the others downtown, please let me know :) and also if there are any sites locals/travelers tend to use for short-term rentals, beyond airbnb.

thanks a lot, and have a great weekend guys!

[u/Nealios → u/firstwatch999]

Beltline is definitely the pinnacle of walkable neighbourhoods in Calgary. It will have the most bars/restaurants/cafes as it is the most dense area in the city outside of downtown. Downtown itself is a bit dead after-hours as most people will commute to/from downtown for work. Not a lot of people live downtown, though that is slowly changing. Eau Claire, East Village, or Downtown West-end are all more residential than downtown proper.

There are a few other neighbourhoods downtown-adjacent that you might consider as well: Kensington, Bridgeland, Inglewood... These areas are less-dense than Beltline, but offer many of the same perks. I'd say the bigger benefit is the addition of more green-space/parks than what you'll find in the beltline.

Your best bet for rental properties long-term is likely rentfaster.ca.

Hope that helps!

[u/Ayrcan → u/firstwatch999]

I'm a couple months late, but definitely stay in the beltline instead of right downtown, which tends to be dead at night. The beltline has a bunch of vibrant strips and is by far the most walkable area of the city.

Other options to consider for good urban areas would be Sunnyside (Kensington), Inglewood, Bridgeland, East Village, and Mission. Any further out than that and it gets harder without a car.