Is Calgary an expensive place to live? CBC thinks so.

[ExtraSlow]

80815

CBC news is saying Calgarians pay more for "essentials" than people in the rest of the country.
http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/calgary/stats-can-costs-prices-essentials-food-shelter-transportation-alberta-spend-1.4455826

Funny that the story directly below is about how Albertans have the highest debt levels too.

I'm of the opinion that people driving luxury vehicles and living in massive suburban estate homes is a huge factor in this, but hey, maybe I'm just bitter.

[ercchry]

I think for the size of our city shelter isn’t terrible... but I agree that everything else is more. Even with all the extra tax in Ontario my restaurant and grocery store visits are less

[colinxx235]

yah whenever I used to go home to visit extended family in Regina it blows me away how pretty much everything is way cheaper there. Restaurants/Drinks/Groceries are very noticeable.

Even in Calgary I find depending where you live reflects in the cost of groceries/food. The Aspen tax is my favorite.

[bjstare]

yah whenever I used to go home to visit extended family in Regina it blows me away how pretty much everything is way cheaper there. Restaurants/Drinks/Groceries are very noticeable.

Even in Calgary I find depending where you live reflects in the cost of groceries/food. The Aspen tax is my favorite.

RE: Aspen tax on groceries.. I've found you get what you pay for. My wife and I live in Coach Hill so we either shop at Safeway in Aspen landing or Strathcona Sq Sobeys, and the selection and quality of "fresh" food in general (bakery, meat, produce) is FAR better at those two stores in comparison to other Safeway locations located in areas with a lower average income (take Thorncliffe Safeway for example), where the produce is all garbage and various things are frequently sold out. Maybe the food is more expensive in the SW, but at least it doesn't look like it should go straight into the green bin in my backyard :rofl:

[ercchry]

Woodbine Safeway is garbage... which I kinda get... but there is still $$$ streets in woodbine and woodlands :dunno:

[ExtraSlow]

Woodbine has a very abnormally high number of both secret rich people and crack addicts.

[ercchry]

So many luxury cars... and cars that should of been crushed a decade ago.. it’s fun! It’s like the inner city but with bigger home lots :rofl:

[colinxx235]

RE: Aspen tax on groceries.. I've found you get what you pay for. My wife and I live in Coach Hill so we either shop at Safeway in Aspen landing or Strathcona Sq Sobeys, and the selection and quality of "fresh" food in general (bakery, meat, produce) is FAR better at those two stores in comparison to other Safeway locations located in areas with a lower average income (take Thorncliffe Safeway for example), where the produce is all garbage and various things are frequently sold out. Maybe the food is more expensive in the SW, but at least it doesn't look like it should go straight into the green bin in my backyard :rofl:

Haha I'm a Co-op guy, which is technically Went Worth... but I am normally very satisfied with the quality of produce/meals department. Some of the fresh food and the curry/soup/salad bar is awesome. Some days you come home from work and are like fuck i'm lazy but don't want to eat like shit. Great options.

If I feel like ballin then you have Sunterra, but damn... need that 89coupe money for that place on the regular :rofl:

[ercchry]

Still have had better grocery experiences in TO at a metro than anything in this province... but it’s amazing how the system is setup here that we’re happy paying more for less cause we can also shop at even worse stores :rofl:

[ExtraSlow]

Thorncliff safeway was out of broccoli for like a week this fall. How the fuck does that even happen?

[bjstare]

Woodbine Safeway is garbage... which I kinda get... but there is still $$$ streets in woodbine and woodlands :dunno:

Thorncliffe safeway is similar, in that it neighbours high income areas (i.e. cambrian heights) as well as crack houses that line centre and 4th st haha. In that parking lot, I've literally seen a lady with an LV bag get into a G63, which was parked next to a car that should have been crushed decades ago, and I'm sure was doubling as the persons primary residence.

[ExtraSlow]

I love areas like that. Wentworth/west springs area gives me the creeps.

[Buster]

someone in the grocery business once told me that the Aspen safeway has the highest profit margins of any safeway in the country.

[mr2mike]

someone in the grocery business once told me that the Aspen safeway has the highest profit margins of any safeway in the country.
Them stay at home Aspen trophy wives...

[msommers]

Produce at Safeways always seems to be mediocre at best. It always baffles me how they stay in business. Coop tends to have much better stufff, from the dowtown coop to the one in forest lawn lol

[C4S]

someone in the grocery business once told me that the Aspen safeway has the highest profit margins of any safeway in the country.

Shoot .. I love that Safeway .. never busy, no line up, easy to find parking spot, and those "Toyish" shopping cart is always available .. ^_^ (good for my little kids!) and the bread shop in the same spot, just park same spot to buy grocery and bread!

So, diff safeway, diff price in same city?? :banghead:

[Sugarphreak]

...

[max_boost]

I shop in the NE to remind myself where I came from and where I'm probably gonna end up again as life goes full circle. :rofl:

[suntan]

Add on government fees and taxes are totally out of control in AB



Weird, I usually bounced between that one and the one in WestHills and I never noticed a pricing difference

Cleaner stores, and more importantly, clean people shopping there.... worth the extra cash, haha. I used to do my boxed goods at Superstore, and then anything fresh from Safeway. Best combination of savings and hygiene!

I always found Coop to be way more expensive than other places, or are you guys working in the member rebates or something?

Co-op is definitely the most expensive. Doesn't mean they have the best profit margins. They're tiny so they don't get the big supplier discounts like other stores.

They have kick-ass produce though. They had golden melons this summer and they were incredible.

[Seth1968]

I shop in the NE to remind myself where I came from and where I'm probably gonna end up again as life goes full circle. :rofl:

And given that profound admittance, you would make a reasonably minded neighbor.

Our so called leaders have never lived in poverty. Their food is more greed, more $1000 dinners, more elitism that can buy their way out of just about every crime. The peasants pay for such (us), work to pay for it.

One example of this is the latest Trudeau shit, or even his thievery finance minister . But that's
all ok, as the so called "ethics commissioner" is just another bought out POS that is bought out as well.

Again, Democracy my ass.

EDIT: Fuck off with your 25 dollar windfall, while you pay hundreds for the elite.

[Seth1968]

I shop in the NE to remind myself where I came from and where I'm probably gonna end up again as life goes full circle. :rofl:

And given that profound admittance, you would make a reasonably minded neighbor.

Our so called leaders have never lived in poverty. Their food is more greed, more $1000 dinners, more elitism that can buy their way out of just about every crime. The peasants pay for such (us).

One example of this is the latest Trudeau shit, or even his thievery finance minister . But that'
s all ok, as the so called "ethics commissioner" is just another bought out POS.

Again, Democracy my ass.

[revelations]

Essentials perhaps, but the big ticket items that really matter - cost of auto ownership, rent and real life fees (eg bridge tolls, taxes on fuel) - The GVRD is, by far, the most insane in the country. Its a millionaires playground.

[zhao]

Produce at Safeways always seems to be mediocre at best. It always baffles me how they stay in business. Coop tends to have much better stufff, from the dowtown coop to the one in forest lawn lol

Safeway stays in business because of single men and rich stay at home moms.

I shop at safeway 2-3 times a week, and pick safeway because I can walk in at 530pm on a weekday and I have a 50% chance of finding an empty till when its time to check out, and tills are usually only 1 person deep when there isn't an empty till. Also, i dont know if its my neighbourhood, but there is a severe lack of old women trying to pay with their checkbook, 16 coupons from 1982, and using up the last of their pennies for the rest. That means no wait time to gtfo. To me that is worth it right there, and the thing is, safeway isn't even that expensive.

My safeway also has a pretty good variety of meat too, and the produce is actually really good... and i like that its actually nice inside.

[hurrdurr]

I shop at the 12 ave SW Safeway practically every day. The pricing is normally pretty good and you can load discounts onto your air miles card for items that you purchase often.

Blue chip Friday and the first Tuesday of every month coupled with other incentives has earned me almost 3000 airmiles this year which is decent for a free points card.

It's relatively clean, great staff and shelves always stocked.

In comparison I live across the street from the Midtown Co-Op and while they do have a good produce department (sometimes carrying ethnic fruits like full Jackfruit) the price is noticeably higher than that of safeway for practically any food item.

I try to avoid it but when need be I pay for the locational convenience.

[Xtrema]

As big city goes, housing is actually affordable here. Especially compare to GVR and GTA.

I think it you are using % of income, it just shows Calgarians are biting more than they can chew because we are conditioned to think that $700K houses are for middle class.

[R!zz0]

we are conditioned to think that $700K houses are for middle class.

Aren't they?

[lasimmon]

Aren't they?

Median family income in Calgary is like $90k. You think a family can afford that house with $90k?

[zhao]

Median family income in Calgary is like $90k. You think a family can afford that house with $90k?

ya, u agree average income and that house price doesn't compute..... but that's not even that bad. What I do not understand is toronto or vancouver. Their wages suck in those 2 cities compared to alberta, and yet what is a war era house cost that maybe has seen one renovation wiht a 45 minute commute to vancouver? 1.5 million. A 2 bedroom condo in toronto is what, 600k?

I have a friend in vancouver, he has a very good government job making around what I do, which is amazing for BC, and his wife also works, and they bought their house pre-vancouver mainlander boom for 600-700k. They have 3 kids, and still have to have 2 students live with them to make ends meat. I have no idea how anyone raises a family in vancouver unless they are making 150k+ a year household income. That is miles away from the average income there as well. How do people survive there?

...and then you look at toronto and its evne a worse scenario.

[max_boost]

Each time my friends and I talk about Van or Tor we wonder the same thing. HOW?

I think I have it pretty good but the idea of Van or Tor just scares me. I'll just stay in Cal and visit those cities whenever.

[Xtrema]

You adjust by living in small apartments and don't have kids.

[revelations]

You adjust by living in small apartments and don't have kids.

And no car.

Try pricing out ICBC insurance in GVRD.
Then fuel taxes.
Then tolls.

[firebane]

And no car.

Try pricing out ICBC insurance in GVRD.
Then fuel taxes.
Then tolls.

ICBC isn't much more expensive if you have a good driving record
Fuel taxes goes towards infrastructure and public transit which is MILES ahead of Calgary
Tolls? They were removed by the NDP

[max_boost]

You adjust by living in small apartments and don't have kids.

Sounds like me right now. No kids, just babies.