You may have noticed, whether from what I mentioned in previous blog posts or through social media, that I’ve recently moved back to interior BC from Toronto, ON. Boy, has it been a change! I wasn’t expecting as big of a lifestyle change when moving back as I’ve experienced over the past couple of months. Today, we’ll dive in to some of these changes and major differences I’ve noticed living in each place. Read more for a lifestyle comparison between the interior BC calm and the Toronto, ON hustle.

Biggest Change: Active Lifestyle

The first big difference that I noticed immediately once I arrived back in BC was how active people are in nature. I am sure that Toronto folks do this to some degree. But for me, being active in nature was not an everyday occurrence in Toronto. It definitely was in BC, though. Within my first weekend back, I went for a hike, then snowshoeing, and then regular walks.

Obviously, I am not fit enough because my body was in SHOCK at this level of exercise outdoors. It’s not a bad thing, as I do enjoy nature and moving my body and think I should be doing it more often. But it sure was a shock to my system right out the gate. In my opinion, people are definitely more active in nature here in interior BC rather than the city-centre of Toronto. This difference makes a lot of sense given the location of each place.

A Shocking Comparison: Cuisine Options

The next obvious difference was in terms of cuisine. In Toronto, there are literally thousands of restaurants to choose from. You can eat any kind of cuisine you’d like, at any time. You can order food to be delivered to you anywhere via Uber Eats or Doordash. There is truly an overwhelming amount of options. Going from that to a very small town that has limited options was…. humbling, to say the least.

There is no Uber Eats or Doordash here. The restaurant options are very little as well, meaning cuisine isn’t as diverse as Toronto. Basically if you haven’t gone grocery shopping to prepare your own meals at home, and it’s late in the evening, you may be out of luck for food. This is a stark contrast to Toronto, where you can get anything at anytime. Plus, the food in Toronto is good – as evidenced by these photos! It’s definitely something I miss, but it’s safe to say my wallet is looking fatter for sure, since I’m not spending as much out on food.

Overall Pace of Living Differences

The next few things I’ve noticed haven’t been quite so obvious, and have come up more over time. I feel that the lifestyle overall in interior BC is more calm and slower than Toronto. Toronto felt very fast-paced, in the hustle of the city centre, with a lot going on all the time. I actually began to notice that I felt quite anxious living in the city. Interior BC isn’t like that at all. Perhaps it is due to the abundance of nature around, but I have noticed I feel substantially less anxious and more calm. The lifestyle overall is slower and not so fast-paced, which I don’t mind either.

The Popular Question: Weather

Weather is always a popular question that comes to mind too. It’s difficult to say right now where the weather is “better,” as we are still in the midst of winter. It seems that the cold front spread all across Canada, with interior BC and Toronto both being hit pretty hard this winter. I don’t think I will be able to notice any major differences in the seasons until we head into spring and summer. From my past experience living in each place, I’d have to say interior BC is far nicer in the spring and summer than Toronto. However, Toronto is a strong contender for fall – definitely it’s most beautiful season.

What’s My Preference?

I am sure the big question is, given all of this information, where do I prefer? I’ve lived in BC for most of my life, but have now lived in Toronto on two separate occasions. Briefly for about 4 months in 2017, and for the past nearly two years, from 2022 until now. It has certainly given me a lot to think about in terms of which lifestyle is best suited for me. Some of my conclusions are as follows:

• Interior BC has more nature, typically better weather, but less options in terms of cuisine and going out. The lifestyle overall is slower, very active outdoors, and more calm.
• Toronto is a true big city, meaning they have endless options for cuisine and going out, but limited options for getting out in nature. The weather is generally impacted by the cityscape and not as agreeable. The lifestyle overall is fast-paced, hustle culture, with plenty of opportunities to explore.

My answer to the question of preference is that it depends on what you are looking for. Right now, for me personally, I’m happy to take a bit of a step back from the hustle and enjoy a bit more calm and stability in BC. I’m taking this time to re-connect with family and nature. It’s been going well so far, though every now and then I do miss the wide range of options that Toronto provides. We will have to see what the future brings – but for now, I’m content where I’m at.

Let me know in the comments: are you a city person or a nature person? Do you prefer the hustle and bustle, or the calm of being in a smaller town? Drop your thoughts below!