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A Calgarian’s First Impressions of Vancouver

I'm hanging out in Vancouver for a few months, so here are some of my observations from my first stint in the city :).

  • The Skytrain is much more frequent than the C-Train and generally better (cleaner, has station gates, cheaper)
    • No free fare zone downtown like in Calgary though :(
    • Also, no fare capping like in other big transit systems
  • 12% sales tax feels criminal as an Albertan, but at least most of what I'm buying is food (which is exempt from PST)
  • The fact that you need to separate recycling into 3 containers... one of which is a yellow bag
    silly bag
  • Restaurant prices are much better in Vancouver, which was surprising considering the housing prices. The restaurant variety is also amazing!

    House of Dosas is my GOAT
  • UBC is pretty separate from the rest of the city, but it does have more things to explore than UCalgary (including a nudist beach)
Nudists not pictured
  • Many places have a... variety of interesting smells (some more unpleasant than others)
  • Everyone is hiking all the time
  • People seem to love car-sharing services here (which I never see in Calgary)
Can't go a day without seeing one of these
  • It feels strange that there's no Plus 15 network, even though there's not much need for it here
  • Even though I'm not that into Stampede, I'm gonna miss the build up and excitement for it in Calgary - it just doesn't feel like summer without it
  • I really like how nature is integrated within the city in Vancouver, whereas in Calgary, you need to go out of your way to see any impressive trees
Overall, minus the insane cost of living (which is pretty important), Vancouver seems like a nice city to live in.

That said, I don't personally think the city is an especially impressive place to vacation since there's no distinct culture or standout attractions. It just feels like a denser, more youthful version of Calgary.

Let me know your own thoughts and experiences if you've visited Vancouver!

Until next time,

Ana

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Comments

  1. AnonymousMay 27, 2025 at 11:21 AM

    Quiet observant. Both are nice cities which can offer high quality of life. The definition of quality of life encompasses some aspects that everyone agrees on; at the same time the detail can vary a great deal depending on individual's values, priorities, life styles and etc.

    ReplyDelete
  2. AnonymousMay 27, 2025 at 9:33 PM

    Thank you for a nice introduction. It's interesting that the 12% bothers you less as you mostly buy food... unless maybe you forgot to say that food (any?) is not taxed like that?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. AnaMay 30, 2025 at 7:14 PM

      You're right, should have mentioned that any food is PST-exempt including restaurants!

      Delete

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