The city of Halifax is an Atlantic Ocean port situated in eastern Canada and is also the provincial capital of Nova Scotia. Halifax which is known for its history in maritime is a major business and also the largest Canadian city east of Quebec.
The people of Halifax enjoy a great balance of city life and the city offers a lifestyle that is simple and relaxed compared to that of larger and more urban parts of the world.
It is with no doubt that the city of Halifax puts its residents at the liberty of enjoying the best of both worlds and if you are looking to escape the vicious circle of life and start again, Halifax may be just what you are looking for.
Some significant fact about Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada
- Population (Halifax): 431,479 (2019)
- Population (Nova Scotia): 971,395 (2019)
- Unemployment rate in Halifax: 6.6% (February 2020)
- Median Home Price (Halifax): $328,821 (February 2020)
- Median Home Price (Nova Scotia): $267,500 (February 2020)
- Median Household Income: $69,522 (2016 Census)
- Average Commute Time: 24 minutes (Halifax Partnership)
Housing in Halifax
When put into comparison to major urban cities of Vancouver, Montreal, and Toronto, housing is far more economical in Halifax.
In recent times, however, increased demand in housing for apartments in Halifax has driven the cost of housing higher than in some smaller cities and towns in the Atlantic region.
According to Numbeo, renting a one-bedroom apartment within the city Centre of Halifax will cost you an average of CAD$1,403.65 per month, while the cost outside of the city Centre is $982.13.
For a three-bedroom apartment, rental prices increase to about CAD $2,300 within the city centre and CAD $1,624.42 outside the town Centre.
Buying an apartment within the Halifax city Centre costs an average of CAD $4,964.85 (Price per Square Meter) and CAD $3,058.22 outside of the city Centre of Halifax.
Transportation in Halifax
Transportation in Halifax is categorized into four simple parts which are: walk, bike, bus, and car.
Halifax operates a transportation system mostly consisting of busses routed around the city and surrounding area. A one-way ticket (local transport) for an adult cost an average of CAD $2.75 with a monthly pass (Regular Price) costing $82.50.
While Halifax doesn’t have a subway or train system as part of its transportation system, the city’s relatively small size allows for the sufficiency of the bussing system.
Education in Halifax
As it is with all of Canada, Halifax features a publicly-funded education system. Children have the liberty to attend public schools at no cost up until the completion of high school.
There also are private schooling options available in Halifax, for parents and guardians who are willing to make payment for some of the accompanying benefits that come with private education.
In terms of post-secondary education, Halifax has several options for school and university studies. The town hosts several university campuses, including Dalhousie University Sexton Campus, Saint Mary’s University, and the University of King’s College.
For cheaper education options, Halifax offers college-level education at its local campus of the Nova Scotia junior college (NSCC), with several diploma and certificate programs designed to organize students for the workforce.
Pros and Cons of Moving to Halifax, Nova Scotia
As an economical, mid-sized city on the Canadian east coast, Halifax has always been aware of its strength when portraying itself to the rest of Canada and the world.
Halifax is known for being friendly, welcoming residents, balanced scenery on the Atlantic Ocean, and a laidback atmosphere that’s ideal for a balanced lifestyle far from the more berserk pace of larger cities. But the city of Halifax does have its own downsides which will be laid out in this article.
Pros of Moving to Halifax
- Reasonable Housing Prices: As earlier stated in this article, housing in Halifax is far more affordable when compared to other major cities of Canada. However, there has been an increased demand in the need for housing in Halifax and this has caused a slight rise in the cost of renting or buying an apartment in Halifax.
- Friendly Residents: The people of Halifax, who are called Haligonians, are known to be very friendly to their selves and to new persons coming into the city. They are readily willing to help each other and join hands to build a community.
- Low crime rate: the continual decrease of the crime rate in Halifax makes it a very safe place to live in. Compared to other parts of Canada, the crime rate of Halifax is lower.
Cons of Moving to Halifax
- Limited Job opportunities: Due to the relatively small population, Nova Scotia tend to experience a slower economy and this affects the rate at which there are opportunities for jobs. While job opportunities are limited, several fields such as the teaching profession are already saturated. Although, there’s the availability of seasonal works and most long-term works are either in physically demanding industries like construction or in minimum wage sectors like call centres. Regardless of the limitations in securing a job, if you’re moving to Halifax with a retirement pension or a work-from-home job, you have nothing to worry about.
- High Cost of Amenities: The cost of living here in Halifax is comparatively high. However, there are exceptions to the prices for which fresh and delicious seafood are bought.
- Higher Taxes: if you’re moving to Halifax, you should be prepared to pay higher taxes as there are not enough large industries available in Nova Scotia to support the government and its services, so resident taxpayers will have to make up for the shortcomings.
If you are thinking of moving to Canada, Halifax would be a great bet to consider for a place to reside.
