Vancouver BC is magical and (IMO) one of the most beautiful cities in the world. In July & August, hands down the most beautiful place in the world, but still,

Vancouver BC is magical and (IMO) one of the most beautiful cities in the world. In July & August, hands down the most beautiful place in the world, but still, 8 months of the year it's dark, wet and cold. If you're passionate about getting into the mountains or on the water and you can tolerate the rain, it's a wonderful place. Lots of wealthy people in Vancouver own boats to go sailing in the summer and a condo in Whistler to ski in the winter and their quality of life unbeatable. On the other hand, I know a couple people who moved from Vancouver to Canmore, Alberta because they still got their fill of mountains, but they traded a bit colder of climate for significantly more days of sunshine. It's all a trade-off in the end. Regarding affordability: Vancouver is expensive if you're working for a local company & paid in CAD, but if you're earning a US salary (esp Bay Area), Vancouver feels substantially more affordable than most large US cities (again, IMO, it's very hard to compare cost-of-living between countries).