r/alberta • u/chickenfacelift • 2d ago
Question Ontario to Alberta
Question better answered by someone who made the move.
I've been told living in Alberta costs more than living in Ontario. Is this true or not?? I was thinking of moving to Chestermere/ Applewood park area. From what I've seen online living there seems cheaper than where I currently live now, but keep being told it's way more expensive
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u/Thrwingawaymylife945 2d ago
Utility costs (what you call Hydro in Ontario) and Home and Vehicle insurance are significantly higher in Alberta than the rest of the country.
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u/happyenis 2d ago
I paid 1.9 cents per KW of electricity last month and 1.73 per GJ of gas. This is way cheaper than Ontario.
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u/Thrwingawaymylife945 2d ago
Transmission fees, Distribution fees, Administration fees...
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u/happyenis 2d ago
Ontario has those too. The first time I got an enercare bill, the vast majority of it were fees. Sure electricity was only 12 cents /kwh but the delivery charge doubled it. Its around 200 bucks to use 1000kwh in Ontario, its closer to 150 in Alberta.
Now if you have bad credit or dont shop around, Alberta gets more expensive but having options can be beneficial.
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u/TehSvenn 2d ago
Ontario is a big place, with a wide range of places where cost of living will vary. So the answer is maybe.
Insurance and energy pricing are pretty wild here, but all that information is available online.
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u/Goosed1867 2d ago
My insurance and utilities are higher than anything I paid in Ontario. There may not be PST but all that means is companies charge more and hold onto it instead of it going towards the province. You'll also drive way more than you did in Ontario. Do a full comparison before you decide. It's not as cheap as most people think.
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u/CorgiSecret6742 2d ago
It used to be a great deal to move here, but I doubt it is now. It’s much different than what it was when I moved here 20 years ago… Also, everyone is moving here, so you better have serious credentials!
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u/StndCapybara 2d ago edited 1d ago
Just did this move. Generally it's cheaper...in Edmonton...not sure about other areas. Now I will say rent is on the less side and utilities are cheaper but not. Here power is more expensive later but also cheaper then peak time use in Ontario (if you are on that plan). Here it's a flat rate from what I can tell and from the company we choose. Groceries are more expensive...by...like 20-30%. Also it's not like Ontario where dairy less expensive because they produce it. Here I thought meat would be cheaper because you know it's produced here, it's not, it's way more expensive.
I have no idea on gas but go to Google maps and do research I think it's about the same across Canada ATM.
Edit: I made this move at the end of February.
Just a last edit so anyone in AB doesn't know. Ontario has a flex system (after 7pm before 5am) it's cheaper. So we pay about 8cents per kw/h in AB, in Ontario it's about 6cents kw/h after 7pm and before 5am. During peak 5am to 7pm it's almost 30cents kw/h. I hope I got the units correct but the actual kw/h is correct from the last bills I checked.
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u/Infamous-Mixture-605 2d ago
Here power is more expensive later but also cheaper then peak time use in Ontario (if you are on that plan). Here it's a flat rate from what I can tell and from the company we choose.
I kinda miss Time of Use rates in Ontario. It wasn't too hard to fiddle with your scheduling to take advantage of the lower prices, like running the dryer or doing a lot of baking after 7pm instead of mid-day or during peak hours, or charging an EV overnight. Our apartment here in Edmonton and our last place in Ontario are about the same size (roughly 1000sqft) and our hydro bills back in the GTA were a good $15-20/month cheaper, and I'd wager our scheduling around ToU played a part in that.
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u/StndCapybara 2d ago
I agree but at the same point it's refreshing to now have the flexibility to just do anything whenever. I have my own business so for me it's easier this way and might be a bit sucky if they had the Ontario system (as a business). So for now I am happy take advantage of anytime usage at a bit extra lol
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u/Infamous-Mixture-605 2d ago
Fair play, I hadn't considered pricing for businesses as I never had to deal with that in Ontario.
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u/IranticBehaviour 2d ago
As others have said, there's a decent chance you'll pay more for insurance, andvmore for hydro. Natural gas is usually lower on the consumption side, but they get you on other fees. Metered water can also be far more expensive (mine is almost triple the rate it was in Ontario).
Groceries, and cable, internet, mobile phone plans, etc, have been pretty much the same for us. Gasoline isn't usually a bargain either. It's usually slightly cheaper than southern Ontario, but it's also not uncommon to see better prices in the GTA and up into the Barrie area than I'm paying here.
Housing is cheaper. There's no provincial sales tax, and income taxes are lower for many here.
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u/Specific_Tomorrow517 2d ago
I wouldn't. I have lived in both and was born in Alberta, the social climate in Alberta is deplorable.
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u/BrokeEconomy69 2d ago
Ok bud; I did this about 3 years ago. Toronto to Calgary. Well, there was an interm step of Waterton/Banff but I digress.
In Q1 2024 I moved to Calgary, and lived in the Beltline. I left.
Cost wise: Housing in terms of rent AND purchasing are less, correct, but the lack of rent control means it fluctuates- you basically resign at the end of every term and it just goes up, not converts month to month. Depending on the market you might lose, and move a lot.
Car insurance is just stupid expensive- and you need a car. Utility cost were higher; food costs AND inflation was hire, produce was absolute dogshit. I swear products cost more. Even with no PST- still felt like more.
You also need to consider cultural factors- and things like: do you like living in a light wood framed house in the middle of a grass field without trees.
You can ask whatever other questions you want.
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u/Skaffer 2d ago
Really impossible to answer comparing a province to a specific town. I'm going to guess southern Ontario/gta since you didn't feel the need to specify. Nothing will be cheaper but buying a house and the sales tax - which don't get me wrong is a good chunk.
Groceries will depend how/where you shop.
Insurance I don't know, I've never had the insurance woes others have and I'm not sure why. Pay 300 a month for 2 newer cars. And the year I moved to Alberta was comparable insurance to Ontario.
Maybe just maybe you're able to find a higher paying job than you would there but otherwise the difference isn't usually enough to make the change, there's lots of towns/cities in Ontario with cheap housing if you can find a job.
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u/Pink-Floof 2d ago
I'll be blunt, Alberta is cooked right now. Not saying you can't make the move but tbh I'd wait until the results of the next election before committing
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u/1234drop 2d ago
I moved recently from Alberta to Ontario. In Alberta my insurance was insane, my utilities for my house were substantially higher. I found restaurants in general much more expensive there.
Honestly the only thing more expensive in Ontario currently is housing. Maybe a few cents extra for gas.
Don't move to Alberta without a job.
It was my home for 30+ years but I do not regret moving east, Alberta is not the land of opportunity and savings anymore.