Q: I'm thinking about moving to the area, but I've heard the cost of living there can be quite expensive so I'm wondering if anyone knew of any places in the area that are not as expensive. Thanks!
A: Depends on whether you are looking to buy or rent. You can still rent some 1-bedroom apartments for less than $600/month right in the city, but they aren't the nicest places. Burnaby, Surrey, Richmond, Delta, etc., are all still reasonably close to Vancouver and you can usually find a decent apartment for $700+ (depending on # of bedrooms and the age/condition of the building). Some basement suites can be cheaper, but you may run into problem landlords. If you want to buy, the average cost for a house in Vancouver is over half a million right now. It is the most expensive in the country. The farther you look outside of the city, the cheaper the houses become, though not by much. The cheapest places you could go, and still be within a somewhat sensible commuting distance from Vancouver (app. an hour by car during rushhour), are Abbotsford or Maple Ridge. If you are willing to go a little further still, you can find some even better prices in Chilliwack or Mission.