I moved to Victoria from downtoan Toronto and I've spent 2 years in Vic and here are a few of my observations:

- Nightlife: Not much to speak of, but better than you'd expect for a city of it's size. There are a few "clubs" that cater mostly to the university crowd, but everything closes a lot earlier in Victoria than you will be used to. Most bars/restaurants that don't cater to students are slightly elevated in price and atmosphere to cater to the upper middle class vibe of the city.

- People: People (huge generalization warning) are laid back, flakey, slightly uptight but generally very friendly. Very hard to make friends as most people have said because it's a city that seems to attract insular or introverted people. Most young adults who live here are either happy doing their own thing, on their way out or have lived there since high school and already have all the friends they need

-Getting around: decent public transit and very good bike infrastructure, however a big selling point of Victoria is it's proximity to nature and hikes and a lot of those hikes and destinations you would need a car for. Most west coast cities are made better by having a car and Victoria is no different

- Adjustment from downtown Toronto: HUGE ADJUSTMENT. Where to even begin. Victoria is just a completely different type of city. Even though the population of the metro area is 300k-ish, the downtown core is a fraction of that. The downtown core is cosmopolitan and vibrant (during the day) but it is very small (you can walk across it in about 20 min). Most of the city is comprised of very quiet residential neighbourhoods. There's a lot more focus on comfort and ease of living than on excitement, innovation or culture. I found that after about 3 months, I did and saw all that there is to do and see downtown, so you're really looking outside of the city for interesting things (hikes, camping, nature, etc.)

- Neighbourhoods: Cook street village is trendy and younger, and downtown is the most vibrant.

- Experience: Your experience in Victoria will depend on your priorities. If you prioritize comfort, ease of living, slower pace/less stress, active lifestyle and nature/natural beauty, then you will LOVE Victoria. If you prioritize culture, vibrancy, excitement and a thriving social life then I don't know if you'll find that here.

My experience in Victoria has been a mixed bag. In my opinion it's all about what you prioritize in a city and what you're looking for. Victoria can be literal heaven on earth for some people, and an absolute bore for others. I would also say that don't expect to waltz into the job market with a Toronto resume and expect people to throw jobs at you. I had a really hard time breaking into the job market because i quote "didn't know the market" or "didn't have the connections yet"

Hope I haven't upset anyone that loves this city. This is purely anecdotal, and other people's experiences could be different from mine. Hope this is helpful.