The Moving Process From Vancouver to Halifax
How Far is Vancouver from Halifax?
The driving distance between Vancouver and Halifax is just about 5,800 kilometres, which is about a 57 hour drive.
The downside to this drive, however, is that it takes you through the US border. In order to avoid the US border, you have to drive a significant distance out of the way, adding on an additional 2 hours to the drive.
Moving From Vancouver to Halifax Average Cost
What is most important is that you work with a trusted moving company. If you’re working with a reputable company, moving from Vancouver to Halifax will cost $6,250-$10,500+ on average from start to finish.
These are just ballpark numbers, as we can’t offer any hard and fast quotes until we have received some more information about the move. We don’t want to make any promises we can’t keep!
Average Cost to Move a Studio
If you live in a studio, moving from Vancouver to Halifax will cost roughly $6,250.
Average Cost to Move a 2 Bedroom
If you live in a 2 bedroom home, you can expect this move to cost $8,300.
Average Cost to Move a 4 Bedroom
And lastly, a 4 bedroom home will cost $10,500+ on average.
Doesn’t That Seem a Little High? I Just Got a Quote for $1,000
If you are taken aback by these ballparks, I totally understand why you would be. Maybe you recently got a quote for just $1,000?
Don’t fall for one of these classic moving scams. You were likely pretty excited, cheaper than you thought it would be hey?
Be careful with these guys, because come moving day, you could be in for a surprise. That “$1,000 quote” was based on 1,000 pounds.
If you have more than 1,000 pounds, you are now paying per pound.
To put it into perspective, each room in your house is roughly 1,000 pounds worth of stuff. So, very unlikely that you have less than 1,000 pounds worth of stuff to move.
Absolute scumbags, we know!
With our above ballpark quotes, this is what you will pay when all is said and done, and you’re fully moved in to your new place in Halifax.
Is it Smart to Move From Vancouver to Halifax?
Living Costs Compared
You can’t compare two cities and their quality of life, without comparing their cost of living. According to Numbeo, Vancouver’s cost of living is actually 17.4% higher than Halifax’s. So, if you receive a job offer in Halifax, you need to take this discount in your cost of living into effect. You will likely be paid less in Halifax, for the same job.
Crime Rates
Comparing the crime rates of Vancouver and Halifax yields an interesting result. Vancouver’s 63.36 safety scale rating makes it 6.6% safer than Halifax’s rating of 59.44. These numbers are provided from Numbeo’s database of crime statistics.
Although Vancouver is technically a little bit safer, you will likely not be able to tell a whole lot of a difference, as it is only by a small margin. But, still; point Vancouver!
Public Transportation
Vancouver and Halifax both have fantastic public transit systems, but they are extremely different.
Vancouver’s “TransLink” Skytrain system interconnects Vancouver and the surrounding cities very well. It consists of 3 lines, which total 79.6km of Skytrain rail. There are even 53 Skytrain stations all over the lower mainland, which allows you to get to and from your destination very easily.
Halifax, on the other hand, has a vast system of bus routes connecting the city. They do not have any train system, because the population and city size does not demand it.
What they do have, however, is an incredible ferry system that connects Halifax and Dartmouth. Vancouver also has a ferry system, which connects them to the Island; Nanaimo, Victoria, etc.
Overall, both Halifax and Vancouver’s public transportation systems do their job well. The best thing for you to do, if you are going to require public transit, is to see your options depending on where you will be living.
Weather
Vancouver and Halifax have a similar summer climate, so if you lived in Vancouver all your life, your summer months will remain similar. However, winter months are considerably colder in Halifax.
Throughout the summer months, Halifax and Vancouver are almost identical in terms of the temperature. It will range between 11 degrees celsius and 24 degrees celsius on average, throughout the summer.
The only difference is that Halifax receives a little bit more rain in the summer months than Vancouver. Vancouver will average 5 days per month of rainfall in the summer, while Halifax will average about 8 days.
In the winter months, Vancouver is not likely to drop below freezing (0 degrees celsius), but Halifax will drop to -9 degrees celsius in January. Better buy a stronger winter jacket!
The advantage Halifax has in the winter, is less precipitation, with an average of precipitation 10 days per month, while Vancouver gets nearly 15 days of precipitation per month.
Finding Your Property in Halifax
These are some of the top neighbourhoods in Halifax to live in, according to Halifax Real Estate Pros.
Bedford
Bedford is a beautiful neighbourhood filled with parks, pools, restaurants, and all of the amenities you could ask for. It is actually just north of Halifax, so it’s perfect if you don’t want to take a break from the city life You can get a newer home in Bedford starting at about $500k, or get into the market with an older home starting at $300k.
Downtown Halifax
If you enjoy walking to get dinner or pick up groceries, downtown may be for you. And if you’ve been getting used to living in downtown Vancouver, moving to downtown Halifax could be a great transition. Finding your future home downtown will likely cost you upwards of $525,000, but it can be a good investment.
Clayton Park
If you’d like to be near downtown Halifax, but not right in the middle of it, then Clayton Park could be for you. There are tons of parks, recreational centres, and things of that nature, so it is a great place to raise a family. You can get a home in this neighbourhood for around $375,000 on average.
Getting the Most Out of Your Vancouver Property
If you’re making the big move to Halifax, you may want to think about hiring a realtor to sell your property. You should definitely consider Josh Kepkay, of Vancouver Real Estate Today. You can get ahold of him at (604) 313-9805. He can help you with getting the most money for your home, condo, apartment, or even acreage! Working with a realtor, especially Josh, will usually help you sell for your asking price when you put it on the market.
How to Land a Job in Halifax… Maybe Even Before You Get There
One thing that your future self will definitely thank you later for, is if you are able to land some job prospects, or even better, a job in Halifax before you get there. Thanks to the internet, this is entirely possible. Here are some of the best sources to help you out.
Municipality of Halifax Jobs
Although Halifax does not have an up to date list of their jobs open, they do have a website that you can apply to work for the Municipality of Halifax. You can find that here.
Indeed
Do not forget about the biggest job site in Canada, Indeed. As of September 2020, there are more than 2,500 open positions on Indeed. Many companies will be recruiting through Indeed exclusively, so be sure to utilize this website to its full extent!
Word of Mouth
The oldest trick in the book, try to reach out to your current connections. You never know who knows somebody from Halifax who could use exactly what you offer! And besides, it doesn’t hurt to make a quick post on LinkedIn letting everyone know that you’re moving from Vancouver to Halifax.
Moving From Vancouver to Halifax Full Checklist
Make sure that you come up with, and stick to a moving budget. Vancouver to Halifax is quite a distance to move, and if you don’t have a plan, can easily become an expensive move! Search for a reputable moving company, and make sure you read their reviews to make sure that they are a great company.
Of course, you should try to find a great moving company that can help you with your big move. But, if this turns out to be an extremely difficult task, then you can look into cheaper alternatives such as a portable moving container or U-Haul. Although this will be much more work, if your budget will not allow for hiring a moving company, then this will get the job done.
Getting to Halifax, and not having a place to stay right aways would be an absolute nightmare. Make sure that your housing is something that is already solidified before stepping foot in Halifax.
If you need a hand with real estate in Halifax, the best person to reach out to is Mr. Merv Edinger, who is heavily connected in the city of Halifax and can help you find the home of your dreams! You can reach him at (902) 497-1217.
Another important thing to check off of your to-do list is school planning. Call your kids’ current schools and inform them of the big news. And, research public schools in Halifax to find out where your kids will be going.
Alternatively, you can research private schools in Halifax here, if you’d like to send your kids to a private school.
Use this Government of Canada website for your guide to changing your moving address for most of your required address changes. Although this is not the only work to do, in terms of changing your address, it’s a great start. For example, many financial products will also require a manual address change..
Whatever you do, do not forget to say goodbye to your close friends and family here in Vancouver. Leave a positive impression on them, as you begin your new life on the east coast.
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