The most expensive cab fare in the world: Canada's New York

I'm sitting here in Sean's living room looking over a gorgeous spring day. Toronto can be really pretty, and with the pale colors of the high rises set against the green trees and blue sky, I think I could live here. But there's a lot more to a city than first impressions.

I've spent the morning reading about the high cost of living in Toronto. Apparently, Toronto rivals New York City in terms of basic living expenses. However, as one person complained, "when you're in New York, you get New York." That is, Toronto is no New York, but it costs just as much. However, there's hope that Toronto will become like America's signature city. That's good news, but I'm nervous about what it means financially. I grew up in a place where $40,000 was a respectful salary, groceries cost about $40 a week for a single person, and a one-bedroom apartment rents for $4-500 a month. If I were to stay in northeast Ohio, I could expect to own a home within the next few years, a car by next month, and to be able to eat great locally-grown food on a regular basis without considering the cost. Now that I live in a metropolis, these are things I can't take for granted. But it doesn't bother me too much, and here's why.

"The dream" is condo ownership.

Firstly, I'm actually only 25 in people years (31 in real time). I spent my 20's doing an incredible array of things, including living in three different west-coast states, becoming a yoga instructor, and recording an album of original music. Since 2007 I've been establishing my career, and now that I'm on dry land, I'm figuring out what I want from life. However, my marriage ship has come in, and I've got to hop on, off to another adventure which may not lead exactly where I would've gone if it were just me. As a single person, I probably would have bought a little house in Akron, Ohio, creating a strong alliance with the local economy and a hand-crafted career that allowed plenty of time for play. But the cost of living in Toronto changes all of that. As I'm learning, home ownership here is a luxury, and even apartment living can be costly when you include parking, food, and the high cost of, well, everything. Many middle-class people are turning toward the suburbs, taking a 60-minute commute in exchange for a home of their own. The other option is condo ownership, a way to have something in the city that can be sold for a profit after a few years.
For now, I'm content to enjoy our clean, quiet 1-bedroom apartment while we figure all this out.

Secondly, I am madly in love, and that makes everything else seem a lot more do-able. For a little while, while I'm waiting for my work permit, it might feel like we're pinching pennies. Even after I get a job, we'll probably have to look at creative solution for owning property. That might mean buying a house in the U.S., for visits and eventual retirement. It might mean maximizing my earning potential, something I've never really had the guts for, but which could be a fun adventure and might allow for home ownership in Canada. And while I'm waiting for approval to live and work here, I won't be able to refrain from digging into how it came to be this way and how to live sustainably in an expensive, yet thriving city.

This TorontoLife article sheds light on the high cost of living in Toronto, and how it's helping create the New York of Canada.