Don't get me wrong, Toronto is amazing. But living here challenges my American "standards" as a consumer. And I'm not alone - Canadians cross the border frequently to buy clothes, electronics and even food in the U.S.. Even though they have to pay duty when crossing the border, they still find it cheaper to shop Stateside. Here are some examples of sticker shock I've had since moving here:
Organic Eggs: $7.59/doz ($3.99 at the Mustard Seed Market in Akron)
House: $503,094 ($155,681 in NEO, according to this article)
1-bedroom apartment: $905/month ($450-600 in NEO)
Auto insurance: $1231/year
By these figures you can start to see that being middle class in Toronto might not look the same as it does in Akron, Kent or Cleveland. This is especially so considering that the median income for Toronto is lower than in surrounding suburbs like Brampton or Peterboro. Sean and I don't expect to buy a house here for awhile, if ever. Not that I'm complaining. I feel quite happy being with my sweetie in a world-class city. I'm just tripping on all the little differences in standard of living.
This is all pretty tongue-in-cheek though, since I know full well that cheap goods come at a price, ethically. And I recognize that I grew up in a time when interest on credit was at an all-time low. I walked into freshman orientation in 1999 and was literally handed a credit card application. So to me, it's quite normal to be able to have what I want, when I want it. Sean, on the other hand, cringes when he has to "charge it". And for good reason: interest rates in Canada are around 19.9%. Shocking? Perhaps, but Canadians seem to view debt in a healthier way because of it.
The un-availability of media is also surprising. Again, I came of age in a time when digital entertainment was becoming more and more available. Napster, bit torrent, and finally iTunes, allowed cheap or free access to music. I'm used to Hulu, Netflix, Spotify, Amazon instant downloads, the plummeting cost of books and magazine subscriptions - non of which, mind you, is a sign of economic health. But I still feel a little jilted by the disappointing selection on Canadian Netflix, the high cost of greeting cards, and the fact that I can't watch New Girl on demand. If you want media here, you pay.
I guess I was so busy being infuriated by right-wing politics and high-fructose corn syrup, that I failed to appreciate living in the pop culture mecca of the world. The United States has been grinding out intellectual and entertainment product for decades; one only has to listen to a news piece about the Juno Awards to confirm the U.S. is still the gold standard in entertainment. And since the U.S. have the sole right to screw over its own recording artists and print media, sometimes it's free!
On the other hand, my American (read middle-class suburban) standards are being blown away in good ways, too. There's a much higher concentration of everything, including farm markets, good restaurants, and locally-owned businesses. Investigative journalism seems a bit less like a thing of the past. And of course, Canada is known (so far) for having more sensible priorities and a more humanitarian climate than the U.S., which I hope won't be changing too soon.
While I get over the sticker shock of living in Canada, I'm fortunate to have a supportive husband, a few low-budget hobbies like writing and yoga, and a good head for money. But really, there's much more to standard of living than the cheap prices, and that's what makes Toronto worthwhile.
