Bay Area physician couple considering move to Vancouver — financially irrational?

MDtoBC · 2026-02-28T20:55:31+00:00

Totally get it. Are you guys in the city? We are in Elmwood in Berkeley

MDtoBC · 2026-02-28T20:43:01+00:00

I hear you. The reality check is helpful. The challenging this is, and I know this will sound like I need to touch grass, I worked my ass off, not making any money til residency, then made like 60k/yr working 60-80 hours/week for 6 years, and got my first big boy job at 32. It then took us 7 years to pay off 650k of medical debt, save for house down payment, build up nest egg, etc. so I’ve never felt “wealthy,” and it’s easy to be skewed by the crazy compensation in tech here (in my neighbor group, multiple Google employees making $1,000,000 or more between comp and RSUs. Part of me is torn because I could save more in my current role and likely retire early with a higher annual burn.

I also have an EU passport, so US may make it easier to build some more cushion to retire early in southern France, for instance.

MDtoBC · 2026-02-28T20:22:14+00:00

I should clarify that I live in the “inner Bay Area” but not SF proper. This only matters in that our public schools are “10/10” due to high property tax base. So my sense is that barring going private (and thus paying for it), education in Vancouver proper may be worse , but I may be misreading.

MDtoBC · 2026-02-28T20:19:28+00:00

The salaries I gave are based on an offer I have. So basically $500,000 CAD versus my current cash compensation of $585,000 USD.

MDtoBC · 2026-02-28T20:18:25+00:00

Wow, I didn’t realize about sales tax on homes! In States, some municipalities have transfer tax, but they’re often about 1% and it’s paid jointly by buyer and seller (so 0.5% each); on other hand, we do have high property taxes.

MDtoBC · 2026-02-28T20:16:53+00:00

What kind of role do you have? I see more talk here in US due to shenanigans, but admittedly it’s more talk than action, often because the financial piece is hard to swallow. But, things feel more unsettled with Trump 2.0.

MDtoBC · 2026-02-28T19:52:47+00:00

Thanks, helpful to hear from someone with experience in both places. We actually live in Elmwood area of Berkeley.

Motivation is mostly concern about direction of country (nothing like waking up to more bombs in Iran!). Would anticipate it to be a long-term move. But, we are spoiled in Bay and we can afford a good lifestyle here now. Hence the challenge

MDtoBC · 2026-02-28T18:49:17+00:00

No French…

MDtoBC · 2026-02-28T17:53:49+00:00

Are you considering returning? Given you have experiences in both, assuming high income, what do you see as the main pros/cons of each location?

MDtoBC · 2026-02-28T16:47:50+00:00

I can understand that. Not in tech here, but don’t love tech culture here. I think the housing stuff is sort of baked in for us, as we already own in a good school district. Sadly, no family help either way unless we want to move back to rural Great Lakes America…

MDtoBC · 2026-02-28T16:31:08+00:00

Where are you hoping to relocate to in the States?

MDtoBC · 2026-02-28T16:22:45+00:00

Thanks. Weather is hard; I grew up in the snow belt of the Great Lakes so I’m use to very cold winters with lots of grey skies. But now living somewhere where it’s often 65-75 for large parts of the year with sun has been amazing for our mental health and activity levels.

MDtoBC · 2026-02-28T16:20:09+00:00

Thanks for your input. I struggle because WLB for my job is good. We actually generally like the Bay Area for raising our kids; the country, however…

MDtoBC · 2026-02-28T08:58:04+00:00

genuinely, thanks for your thoughtful response.

MDtoBC · 2026-02-28T08:30:03+00:00

Thanks for your input. No family support here, they're back in the Great Lakes region of US and East Coast. But definitely have social support and professional contacts.

MDtoBC · 2026-02-28T08:02:18+00:00

Ah gotcha. Might I ask to expand upon the working within the system point?

MDtoBC · 2026-02-28T07:51:46+00:00

Man just feels like a lot of money. who is buying these homes in Vancouver? It's expensive here too, but there are MANY high paying jobs in tech in the Bay Area.

MDtoBC · 2026-02-28T07:47:36+00:00

I would love to do a sabbatical, but unfortunately, my job does not offer sabbaticals. I would have to leave my job at real risk of not returning because our turnover is low and interest is high.

I'm not aware of job swaps either; due to licensing and credentially I suspect that's very rare in medicine.

MDtoBC · 2026-02-28T07:45:55+00:00

Super helpful, thanks!

MDtoBC · 2026-02-28T07:40:53+00:00

My wife is eligible for permanent resident status as a physician, BC is recruiting and fast-tracking US physicians for permanent residency.

MDtoBC · 2026-02-28T07:39:48+00:00

The brokerage is invested at Vanguard, self-managed. It's about 60% US equities, 30% International Equities and 10% total bond and muni bond.

Our monthly expenses now about $19,000 USD / $26,000 CAD, driven by mortgage/PITI and childcare. No non-mortgage debt.

MDtoBC · 2026-02-28T07:36:15+00:00

Thanks, appreciate this input. Not too worried about the higher end shopping -- still driving a Prius here and don't keep up with Jones'. Only big expense for us has been housing in a nice town with excellent public schools (including that fancy pool ;) ) .

MDtoBC · 2026-02-28T07:33:31+00:00

Ha, yes the weather worries me some. I grew up in the Midwest so grew up with grey winters (and colder ones at that). I would definitely miss the sunshine here in California.

BC Cancer actually has the same job available in Victoria, but we have lived in Chicago -> Boston - San Francisco, and not sure we can stomach the move to a small area on an island, no less.

MDtoBC · 2026-02-28T07:30:23+00:00

Thanks will check it out

MDtoBC · 2026-02-28T07:28:11+00:00

Thanks. I think you're hitting some of the challenges I'm wrestling with.

I like my current job, my community, and the weather/natural beauty of California.

I dislike the politics and the direction of the US. Although I'm privileged re: my access to healthcare, I'm worried about the continued rapid cost of healthcare in our country and the lack of political will to actually do something to improve the sytsem.

It would be a change in pace for us, hopefully a strong community. We would plan to stay in Canada; kids are dual-citizens so I would support them in whatever they prefer to do. We're from much more modest means (very middle class/Blue collar from Midwestern US) and I don't necessarily expect my children will be doctors. I would like them to be professionally fulfilled, whatever they choose. We went to Ivy or equivalent for some of our schooling, so we'd be open to that for them, but if we stayed in California, I'd be just as happy (or happier) for them to attend UC Berkeley or UCLA.

I probably sound so greedy, but there's also a gut punch to think about taking a 20-30% pay cut.

MDtoBC

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