Good and Bad About Living in Edmonton, Alberta

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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