[3pt14159]

You don't pay more in Toronto. You don't even pay more in tax let alone healthcare and housing. Vancouver is really the only place it could reasonably be argued that you pay more while earning less, and it's one of the warmest areas in Canada, with awesome giant mountains, and a beautiful coastline.

Live in Halifax[1], earn $80k a year as a decent, but unremarkable, software developer and buy a house downtown or on the water for $250k. Don't worry about your girlfriend or brother asking for help to pay their $20k medical bill. Don't worry about getting thrown in prison for simple cannabis possession or other small crimes. Don't worry about getting shot, while still being able to buy guns if you're responsible.

[1] Or Ottawa, or Montreal, or Quebec City, or Kingston, or Waterloo. I choose Toronto because it's more fun, but even here my rent right downtown for my own place is only $1525.

[kogepathic]

> Live in Halifax

Yeah but that Atlantic Canada winter. Brrrh. Nope!

> Or Ottawa, or Montreal, or Quebec City, or Kingston, or Waterloo

These all experience winter. Although skiing does make up for some of that, and in Ottawa you've got the Rideau canal.

[infinite8s]

Yeah, Ottawa is great. It's so cold for so long that the Rideau canal freezes and hundreds of people can skate on it at a time (in fact there's a whole festival that occurs on the frozen canal!)