The Good and Bad About Living in Edmonton, Alberta
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In recent years many people have made the move to Edmonton, and some left it just as quickly as they came. Edmonton can be a hit or miss, and the majority of people who move here do so without knowing what they’re getting themselves into. Having lived in Edmonton for over 10 years, I’ve seen this happen over and over again. So if you too consider moving, let me tell you what’s good and bad about living in Edmonton.
To make it easier for you to decide whether Edmonton is right for you, I organized this article into point form pros and cons for each of the following categories: weather, dining, transportation, money, lifestyle, housing, education, employment, and other.
WEATHER
Pros
Cons
amazing summers with few rainy days
pleasant autumns with colorful foliage, fairly warm temperatures and little rain
temperatures in summer range from 20 to 30°C
long daylight in summer from around 5 am until around 11 pm
due to cold temperatures, snow is dry and won’t soak your shoes and clothes
life does not stop no matter how cold it gets or how much it snows
very dry climate which can be good for your car
many people seem to improve their pollen-related allergies in Edmonton
there is always snow for Christmas
most days are sunny, even in winter
incredibly long and cold winters
autumns only last 2-3 weeks at most; sometimes weather switches from summer straight to winter
spring does not exist; as soon as snow melts it’s suddenly summer
temperatures in winter can fall below -50°C
short daylight in winter from around 8 am until around 4 pm
sometimes it snows frequently and you constantly have to shovel/ clean your car
difficult to dress nicely for a night out during winter
the dry weather can take a toll on your skin and hair
there is a lot of dust which could cause allergies or hay fever
in the summer, the wind brings smoke from nearby wildfires which can make breathing difficult
DINING
Pros
Cons
there are a lot of amazing local coffee shops (check out the best ones here)
there are plenty dining options, including international cuisines
wherever you live, you are never too far from a restaurant
most restaurants offer delivery so you don’t have to go outside when the weather is very cold
some of the most expensive coffee in all of Canada
there are mostly restaurant chains; very few are family-owned businesses
almost no fine dining options
no molecular gastronomy
there are no Michelin Star restaurants and I wouldn’t hold my breath for that to happen anytime soon
TRANSPORTATION
Pros
Cons
the light rail transit system is currently expanding which should make it faster to get around Edmonton
roads are wide and fairly well maintained
since Edmonton is a car-centric city, there are plenty of parking spaces (including in downtown)
the international airport is well connected to other cities in Canada, USA, and abroad
it is very difficult to live in Edmonton without a car
terrible public transit infrastructure (many times I have waited up to 1 HOUR for buses that were supposed to come every 15 minutes)
the city is spread out and it takes a long time to get from place to place
congested traffic during rush hour in the morning and evening
MONEY
Pros
Cons
housing is significantly more affordable than in other parts of Canada
lower income taxes
no provincial sales tax
some utilities like water and electricity are cheaper compared to other parts of Canada
everything costs money; not much to do for fun without spending money
you need a lot of winter gear which can get very expensive
groceries cost more compared to other large cities like Toronto or Montreal
expensive internet, TV, and phone services
LIFESTYLE
Pros
Cons
perfect for those who wish to live in a detached home
Edmonton is a great place for outdoor activities, there are numerous walking, hiking and cycling trails, tennis and basketball courts, ice rinks, and green spaces throughout the city
there are many festivals, especially in the summer months
very few tourists come to Edmonton and thus museums and other attractions are never overcrowded
people are kind and helpful; if you need some assistance they will likely help you
not many things to do for fun
most people tend to stay at home, not many go out and about walking or into downtown
some neighborhoods don’t have sidewalks, which makes it impossible to go for walks
aside from basic gyms, there limited options for alternative forms of exercise like reformer pilates or spin classes
not the best place for partying or dating
Edmonton can be very lonely if you don’t have an established group of friends
making friends can be difficult; most people are superficial and not interested in making deep connections
HOUSING
Pros
Cons
lots of housing inventory so it’s fairly easy to buy a house if you have the money
in some areas homes can be quite large and you can have a lot of space and a big back yard
rentals are getting more and more expensive
terrible neighbors (at least in my experience); many come here to live and work temporarily so they don’t respect the buildings they live in or the neighbors who live there
EDUCATION
Pros
Cons
Edmonton has very good public schools
there are multiple options for post-secondary education
few private schools and the quality of education isn’t as good as that of public schools
post-secondary education can be expensive and the institutions seem more focused on the money they’re making than the education they provide
EMPLOYMENT
Pros
Cons
lots of entry-level jobs in the service industry or manual labour
there are also some jobs in government, healthcare, and education
can be very difficult to get a well-paying job without connections
the cyclical economy makes it likely you will lose your job in a recession
OTHER
Pros
Cons
fairly safe society
clean air and drinking water
diverse population from all over the world
the universities offer very high salaries for certain jobs (mainly teaching positions)
Edmontonians are less concerned with appearance compared to other places, thus you can dress more casually even when you work in an office environment
lots of coyotes in the winter
Edmonton is too far away from the mountains to have day trips
poor healthcare, it is very difficult to find a doctor
you can feel very tired in the winter season due to limited daylight
road construction is incredibly disruptive and takes a very long time to complete
These have been the good and bad things about living in Edmonton. As with all places, Edmonton isn’t all good nor all bad, but somewhere in between. It certainly suits some lifestyles more than other. I hope that by organizing the list into pros and cons for each life category it helps you make an informed decision on whether moving to Edmonton is the right decision for you.
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