Lets talk about how to move from east coast to the west coast. We moved from Ottawa to Vancouver in August 2018. We were successful able to achieve this goal by planning. This is how our plan looked like:
a) We gave ourselves 10 months to focus on moving. We both had a full time job in Ottawa, so we had to work around our busy lives and schedule by creating a longer period to plan
b) For each month we set a target of goals to accomplish. For example for “month 6” we planned to start looking for apartment. We figured it will take at least 4 months to find an apartment in Vancouver.
Also another thing to do is make a list to do before moving:
- find boxes to pack
- find a discount moving company
- find a place to live in Vancouver (for our needs as a couple it may differ from a family or a single person)
- Quit our jobs
- Start to pack. divide the rooms, and target each room every month
- cancel utilities
- Sell our car. we needed extra money. plus we did not want to own a car in Vancouver because of the expenses until we become better settled in Vancouver
- Look into the job market in Vancouver
- Start saying our goodbyes to friends we had made with coffee dates and outing
- Donating furniture and clothing, throwing away everything else
What you need to move:
In order to move you need at least three months of savings while you are looking for work.
How much did it cost for us to move:
a) For the moving company $985…We choose the discount company centennial moving after looking at the reviews and comparing prices
b) Our airline tickets cost a total of $800. A one way trip from Ottawa to Vancouver, plus baggage cost
c) We stayed in an hotel for our last night in Ottawa. It cost us $160
d) Our taxi service to the airport $25
e) damage deposit for our new apartment in Vancouver was $725. The best way to find an apartment in Vancouver is research. Look at craiglist and google search. We made a list of all available rental companies and building management companies in Richmond (our decision to move to Richmond was because of where it located in Vancouver, and the rental pricing in Vancouver). After making the list, contact each rental company three months in advance, to know the availability and when to start applying.
*********The total cost for the move was $2695*******
I will write a blog in the future on the cost of setting up the apartment. buying furniture and other household supplies.
Bestlife Vancouver 