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| Subject: approximate monthly budget for a single person |
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just wanna share my budget, hopefully give you general idea about living expense.
All Canadian funds, monthly budget
It might be huge different from the city you live and the place I live.
I live in the west coast of B.C, a city with 80k population.
Rent for a bachelor basement: 300
1986 Toyota Corolla insurance: 92
Gas and oil: 210--250 (I travel a lot in the island) I drive about 600KM/week, lot of them is job related. In small town, you have to have a car.
Cable TV plus internet: 50
Cell phone bill: 50
Grocery: 150??200
( I fish a lot, oyster, crab every week, cut a little bid my grocery)
Medical Insurance: 54
Party, dinning out, movie, club, you know those 20s something, spent about 100 bucks.
Basically, I spend about 1K/month, this is after RRSP deduction, I usually pay myself first before spending.
[16-08-2005,18:45]
[**.66.78.44]
departure bay |
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(in reply to: approximate monthly budget for a single person)
Wanna give you a idea what kind of life is my life, I am a cheap person, I admit. haha.
I don??t spend a lot, never eat out, maybe once every two month go to Victoria eat Dim Sum.
I only go to Vancouver every four month, because too many place I can spend money.
Gym, usually I do it in my previous college, it??s free with personal coach. Swimming, just outside my house, in the ocean.
Close distance, bike, walk. Gas is 106.9/L in my town, if it??s not job or have to use car, just don??t use.
Guys, I don??t spend a lot on clothes, too expensive, if I need some, just value village, or Salvation Army.
Don??t wanna spend money on fancy car, usually Asian like that, I hate that so much. Car is liability.
In my town, nobody cares how you dress or what kind of cars do you drive, if you have no need, just don??t buy it.
Have to save a lot of money for my future house or education.
[16-08-2005,18:55]
[**.66.78.44]
departure bay |
my turn (in reply to: approximate monthly budget for a single person)
My turn. I live in a 2 BR condo in a Vancouver suburb. I am giving you market rent for my housing. I live well but not extravagantly.
housing 1,300
electricity 75
telephone 28
long distance (too much)
internet 35
cable vision 52
medical insurance 59
perscriptions, chiropractors, dentist ect. 100
entertainment 300
clothing 200
food 400
household (garden stuff, repairs, etc) 150
car insurance 140 /mo (1,600/yr with 10 years safe driving)
car maintenance (new car so N/A)
gas 100 (communte about 30 km day)
vacation 200
oh &*%$&* fund 100
total $3,239
[16-08-2005,19:51]
[***.181.198.246]
sharon |
(in reply to: approximate monthly budget for a single person)
holly!!!!why such difference.
[16-08-2005,20:00]
[***.179.100.222]
Anonymous |
(in reply to: approximate monthly budget for a single person)
Hey, Sharon, you can use calling card to phone France, I believe it´s way cheaper than god damn telus, sux.
some calling car might only cost you 2--3cent/min
[16-08-2005,20:03]
[***.179.100.222]
Anonymous |
(in reply to: approximate monthly budget for a single person)
holycow!
how much do I have to spend for our family of 2 adults & 3 lil kids then? we have to rent 2 BR apt minimum, more food, more clothes, higher health insurance premium, a van instead of sedan....etc etc.
is there any less expensive places to live???? give me suggestion please..I have never been to canada before.
PS : I am waiting for IA
thanks.
[16-08-2005,20:24]
[**.0.119.43]
truly tx |
(in reply to: approximate monthly budget for a single person)
like I said, I live in one of the most expensive cities in Canada and I am living a moderate lifestyle with a good entertainment budget (I have season tickets to the symphony and I like to eat out) Most people could never live as cheaply as DB and would not likely want to (he is suggesting $12,000 per year). A basement suite in Vancouver is closer to $600. I have offered my budget numbers to balance the picture.
$33,600 (before taxes) is considered the low income threashold for a family with 2 kids. In BC, average household income is $52,000.
as for long distance...trust me... I have searched every calling card, independant long distance carrier on the planet. France is cheap. I am calling Africa. I am at about .37/minute. I would be grateful for any other suggestions.
[16-08-2005,21:36]
[***.181.198.246]
sharon |
(in reply to: approximate monthly budget for a single person)
Well,
Sharon replied to one of my posts earlier saying i would need $3000 per month to live modestly with a family of 3.
Going by her break-up, it seems to be a realistic estimate. Everyone will have some margin on one account but will have to spend more on some other.
some once can manage a 2BR for 1000 and also save on clothing and entertainment, but might have to spend more on Medical, Car or other stuff.
Going by my US experience, I would say your range could be 2500-3500 depending on your situation.
Also, is there a law in Canada that requires a family with a kid to rent a 2BR?
That would make a lot of difference for a new immigrant, who will not have much furniture or other stuff and so can use the living room as another bedroom for sometime.
[16-08-2005,21:46]
[***.214.40.68]
BigB |
(in reply to: approximate monthly budget for a single person)
living in one of big city in texas, our monthly budget is about $2500. I can pay rent for 2 BR luxury apt, car finance, bills, clothings, vacation twice a year, family hangout, resto dine-out every weekend, health & car ins, plus covering my expenses for photography needs (my hobby and second job). i am thinking of living in suburb or smaller city rather than living in metropolitan such as toronto & vancouver. I would say that living in the heart of those cities like living in NYC. how come the average household income is $52,000?
I was told that canadian gov´t covers medical for PR & citizen. is that true? do the companies cover for their employees & family also?
if we choose toronto as our first place to land, g...how much do we have to spend for the first 2-3 months??? I hope it´s easy to get a job there.
[17-08-2005,00:37]
[**.0.119.43]
truly tx |
(in reply to: approximate monthly budget for a single person)
Toronto is similar in living costs to Vancouver.
How come the average household is $52,000? That is the statistics. Most metro cities require 1.5 incomes to maintain.
Canada does cover most medical. we pay a monthly user fee depending on the size of family. Below a certain income those premiums are subsidized. Each province is different. What we pay for out of pocket (at least in BC) is chiropractors (my guy is $30 a visit), physiotherapy (30-40 a visit), perscriptions (non hospital administered), dentists, and acupuncture.
Things that are covered- surgeries, doctors visits, lab tests, abulance services, MRI´s, CAT scans, cancer treatments, rehabilitation, transplants, cataract surgeries, births etc.
Some companies have extended health plans where employees cost share with the employer premiums for a program to cover the costs I listed. Low income families will often qualify for subsidized perscriptions. Canada lives under different pharmacy laws and people find prescription drugs much less expensive in Canada than the US.
Any medication that does not require a perscription would not be covered under government medical or private extended coverage such a cold remedies, tylenol etc.
Extended coverage depends on the company plan. There is usually a ramp up period where there is a limit to your claims in the first year but generally your immediate family members would be covered under your insurance.
does that help?
[17-08-2005,01:59]
[***.20.170.23]
sharon |
(in reply to: approximate monthly budget for a single person)
dude
I thought living in the US was expensive. I see that barring the big cities like NY, Chicago, LA etc. living in the US is not really as expensive.
[17-08-2005,03:34]
[**.151.173.119]
Anonymous |
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