I would agree it is hard to compare Vancouver to those cities. What i meant to say (I also forgot to identify myself) was that Vancouver is similar in the way that all of those cities are the "beautiful-but-you-make-less-money-than-another-city" kind of place.

However,now that I think about it, Brighton is cheaper than London, Nice cheaper than Paris, Venice cheaper than Milan, etc.

Ironically, Vancouver is more expensive than anywhere else in Canada!

I really don't want to come back, as it is just too expensive. When you consider that if you are a worker with children (as i am), you spend most of your time in an office, commuting and just dealing with your family. Not a lot of spare time for "skiing in the morning and windsurfing in the afternoon."

so it would be easier to bare 6 months of harsh winter just so you don't have to feel so poor on $150k per year.

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I think you forget this place is dark and wet for half the year.

Also, there is no cultural intensity here. More like a cultural vacuum

I've never been to these other cities, but I find it a bit much to compare Vancouver to Brighton, Nice, Berlin, Venice and Geneva.

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With respect to wages and wage growth, Vancouver has the same problem as cities like Brighton, Nice, Berlin, Venice and Geneva.

they're all nice places to live, but they in their respective countries, none of them are the place to go to make money or focus on a career (London,Paris,Frankfurt,Milan,Zurich in those countries). You can go there as a maverick, self-employed, business owner or if you are independently wealthy.

Because the lifestyles there are enjoyable (ocean,lake, cultural intensity) people will accept lower wages just to "enjoy" being there.

however, most people in cities are employees. And most small business in cities need large business for their services.

If these big companies don't exist, then it is difficult for the employee or small business owner to make the same living as in a larger city.

However, due to the "nice" factor, the cost of living is as high or higher than the big city, without the wages.

I am sure half of London workers would ditch the dull grey days to move to Brighton if they could make the same wage.

On my last trip to Vancouver, I realised that, compared to a commercially focused city, it is just a big resort and retirement community, with a disporportionately large services industry.

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Why go through the stress of attracting world class businesses here that pay good wages when we already have world class condo towers with some very fine hotels?

You see, we just import the high wage earnings, if only for three days at a time.

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I once had a boss who gained most of his experience in L.A. and New York. He told me that Vancouver workers lack the drive and commitment to hard work that he's seen in those cities. I think Vancouver has that top talent but because the salary situation is so dire, many throw in the towel and refuse to give it their all. There comes a point where it isn't worth it to put in 100% when the company is only willing to pay you 60%.

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