New Zealand v Canada

[craig1234564]

Do you think new zealand is a better place to live than canada?
Ive been looking at nova scotia and it seems as good a choice , similar weather but colder winters,
plus closer to UK etc.
what do you think?

[kanatakiwi]

Is this a trick question?
Ultimately it depends what you want out of your move, and you need to visit both places as there is a big different in various places in Nova Scotia , just as there is in NZ. (Halifax is not Amherst, Auckland is not Taihape, etc)

but here's a list toget you thinking........

Canada—Pros
Much cheaper cost of living
Better wages
Lots of outdoor activity, hiking fishing skiing etc
Great scenery
Safe place to raise your kids
Free health care system (struggling)
First nations culture
Housing less expensive than NZ
Close to UK, lots of cheap flight bargains
Close to US
Warm dry homes
Better selection of organic food etc
Great food at reasonable prices in restaurants, cafes
Has Ikea, Pier One and other great stores
close to Montreal for great French culture,jazz etc.
Nova Scotia has Acadian influence
Has tax free registered retirement savings plan
Hockey hockey hockey (ice hockey)
Many employers provide dental and extended health (eyeglasses, prescriptions etc)
snow

Canada –Cons
Cold winter
High heating bills
Too close to US
Harder, longer to get PR
Nova Scotia a bit clannish (settled by Scots) you will always be considered someone from “away”. (Except in Halifax which is a lovely cosmopolitan city)
snow


NZ—pros
Great scenery
Warmer weather
Lots of outdoor activity
Safe place to raise your kids
Rugby and cricket
Good education system
Kiwisaver (but not as good as RRSPs)
4 weeks holidays (at least as long as Labour is government)
cheap prescriptions
free health care system (struggling)
Maori culture
Close to Australia and Pacific Islands
lots of rainbows!


NZ-Cons
Cold damp houses
High cost of living
Eating out every costly
High heating costs
Lower wages
High cost of housing
Large underclass of disadvantaged groups
Prevalence of gangs
Exorbitant Dental costs
Rain
Expensive flights to NA and UK

Keep in my these are just my opinions, others may feel quite differently.
Good luck.
Gloria

[JandM]

I can relate to, 'Is this a trick question?' What do YOU want, Craig? Judgement on 'better' about ANYTHING is always going to be relative and subjective, relative to a person's own situation and experience, and subjective because it depends how someone feels inside.

Okay, playing it from that point of view... Yes, NZ is better than Canada, because my family are in NZ, and I've been to NZ and enjoyed myself. I've never been to Canada, and I don't know anybody in the part of it you mention. I know most people are going to think that's silly if applied to them - all those reasons that mean something (everything?) to me are totally irrelevant to anybody else.

[Familyofmonkeys]

We also made a choice betwen NZ and Canada. Personally I loved the time I spent in Canada (although i've never been to Nova Scotia) and have some family there too. But, we chose NZ (despite never visiting first) as the work culture is more relaxed and the annual leave (slightly) better. We felt that if the world went to pot (and there are alot of changes beginning to happen now), you could survive more easily in NZ. That said, before we got here and decided we really love NZ, we would have gone to Canada if NZ wasn't working for us.....but it is

[spudulike]

I don't think it is a trick question or a silly question in the slightest. Every single answer on this forum is subjective but it doesn't stop people asking questions!

I would certainly find out as much as possible about Canada if I were you. I have several Canadian friends I was talking to the other night that made me think about visiting with a view to moving there one day (although probably one day far from now). I love NZ but can't imagine ever living there again for many reasons but I would certainly consider moving somewhere else...

Good luck

[craig1234564]

yes thats right i was meaning , what do you think in your experience of visiting or research etc?
not what should i do, but what do you think of the two places?

anyway, the first person to reply, kanatakiwi, you seem to have a long list of good things about canada compared to new zealand, why did you move?
do you regret the move or you are glad you left canada for new zealand.

Also i share the world problems view as in if america came under attack it would be safer to be away in new zealand .

[kanatakiwi]

I moved to NZ because my husband is a kiwi and wanted to come home as he acquired four grandchildren in a short space of time. He had lived in Canada for 14 years, loved it, still would prefer to live there, but family is here, so we are too. We both enjoy living in NZ, I miss my family in Canada, we go back and forth a lot and may live there again in the future. Its purely subjective where you think is best. We were certainly much better off financially in Canada, but we are doing fine here too and its not always just about money.

I too tell myself that we will be better off here if the US madly causes its own destruction, but when I see the effect the global economic crunch is having on NZ, I think it is faring much worse than Canada in terms of gas prices, food prices, economic downturn etc.

As I said you need to check both places out. Personally I think the west coast of Canada is one of the world's lovliest locations and would return there in a minute if for any reason I was not with OH anymore. Nova Scotia I am not so sure about.
Gloria

[Janey]

Hi
I do not think its a daft question either I have visited relis in Vancouver twice and love the place but agree with all the negatives above, our choice was Oz, NZ or Canada we have relatives in both Oz and Canada but think both are too big for us also we did not want our relis to feel that they had to sponser us We liked NZ and the more we have read the better it seems our recce visit in May went to prove that.

Our OZ relis will only be 3 hours away instead of 24 which will be great so ww will see them and have independance!
incidently Canada is pushing for more Brits at the moment particuarly in Healthcare and Visa applications might become more easy.

FIL works in Healthcare and said I could have a job tomorrow and be sponsored if I needed does sound appealing but NZ is our no 1 dream

[craig1234564]

yes janey i also heard about canada wanting people so thats what got me thinking,
kanatakiwi, why do you think the west coast of canada is better than the east? , also if you are not well off how do you afford to visit canada often as you said? what jobs do you and OH do?

[Leanne]

Hi Craig.

Kanatakiwi is from Victoria and I will agree that it is a beautiful place. I've been to a few other places on Vancouver Island...and equally beautiful.

West coast vs east coast...good luck with that. It's all a personal judgement. Canada is huge. I think you could actually throw the UK in there about 40 times. There are so many lovely places here, and then some not so great places. It's all what you and your family are looking for.

Now, myself being from Winnipeg I will whisper in your ear that I would not recommend it here. That is, unless you regularly like to live at -30 in the winter!eyes: And then watch out for the mosquitos in the summer!

I will say with the research I've been doing, that I think that I would be financially better off if I stayed in Canada. But, I'm going to NZ on my own, and if I choose to come back to Canada, I wouldn't be uprooting kids (again).

One other good thing about Canada is the "free" health care system that we get taxed dearly for. I have never paid for any medical services in Canada. Whether it's to the hospital, to the GP, or any kind of medical test that is needed. I think this differs slightly from NZ, where there are user fees paid. (Somebody please correct me if I am wrong on this).

Good luck with whatever you decide.