Pro's and cons of living in Calgary?

Q: I would like to move there from the UK - what is good and bad about it and what kind of salary would I need to keep afloat in Calgary?

A: I emigrated from the Uk 4 years ago and there are so many pro's compared to the UK, not sure where you are from in the UK. There is so much space here, although Calgary is a city it does not feel like a UK city as its spread out. There are so many parks and green spaces within it. Also access to the mountains is so near like the ski resorts of Banff and Lake Louise so summer and winter sports. There is way less crime than the UK and its safer too. There are so many traffic light though (roundabouts are only just being built) that it takes ages to get anywhere on the roads!. Its still a booming city - house prices climbed pretty steeply a few years back and probably average just above 200K (pounds). Climate is dry, get electric shocks from everything!. Summer are way hotter and less rainy than UK, Winters can be cold - very but due to the Chinook winds the cold spells of -40 only last a few weeks then climb back up. Its a dry cold too so sounds colder than it would do in a damp climate. Minimum wage is $8.40 an hr but most jobs start at least $10 (like working in a fast food place). A good liveable wage is probably about $18 an hour, but it all depends on if you've got any money to bring over. Also the immigration process is quite long at the moment i think so get your application in quickly if you meet the requirements and score needed.

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