Series 1: The Difference Between Small and Big Cities: Personal Experience on Living in Brantford vs. Toronto
As someone that has lived in Hamilton for most of her life, moving to a small city like Brantford for their undergraduate studies and living on their own wasn’t much of a big change as hoped. Although I love my parents dearly, when I was 18 and about to start university, I was so excited to make a fresh start in a new city. Looking back, there were certain things that I didn’t appreciate at the start and it wasn’t until the end of my undergraduate studies when I realized the great experiences I had from living in a small town before moving to the big city, “the 6”, Toronto. Although I believe both small and big cities have a lot to offer, the vast differences in terms of housing affordability, transportation, employment etc. is what makes it difficult to choose one over the other.
Housing
In Brantford, I lived in the downtown core, right across from my university, close to cheap grocery stores, coffee shops and restaurants so I never had to pay for transportation to get what I needed. I was able to pay a little over $500 for my share of a 2 bedroom apartment with my roommate, which included utilities and internet. It certainly wasn’t a struggle to find affordable housing.
In the big city, it’s always incredibly expensive and much more difficult to find affordable and safe housing. In Toronto, you get lucky to find rentals for less than $1000 (most of the time doesn’t even include utilities). It took me months to find an affordable apartment when I first moved, which ended up being filled with cockroaches (didn’t even know until after I moved) and pretty far from school. It then took me 4 months to find the current apartment that I live in now. It was honestly a big struggle to find affordable housing, with the lowest standards of not having anymore cockroaches and being at least closer to my school so I could save on transportation rides.
Transportation
To be honest, it was very much more difficult to get by in Brantford due to limited transportation options and availability. Although GO to Aldershot launched in Brantford after a few years of living there, it only operated on a limited time schedule. If for instance, I wanted to go to the movies, I had to take a taxi because there was no bus route that went that way. Having a car is very much in need and demand in a small city like Brantford.
In Toronto, there is almost no need for having a car, as there are a number of transportation options that are always available, and depending on where you live, you can even just walk. It does however, become a financial burden when you are dependent on GO or TTC, as it really does add up in monthly expenses.
Financially, living in a small city really does make you better off. The ability to have a vast number of transportation options in big cities makes it easier to get by, see new places and try new things outside of your usual setting. Although I’ve always enjoyed the idea of living in big cities, it really does require the financial ability to do so, hence why it is always difficult to say big cities are better than small cities or vice versa. Each have their own unique qualities! Stay tuned for the next chapter on employment opportunities!
-Petek
