Tell me about Boston!

catmtl · April 2013

Hi ladies! DH is being laid off at the end of July. He can keep his job if he agrees to be relocated from Montreal Canada to Boston. We are torn!

Please tell me what you love about Boston or the state of MA. Is it expensive to live relative to other metro areas? How much are you gals paying for full time daycare? What's the housing market like are property values doing ok?

I'd most regret giving up the oneyear paid mat leave here in Canada and the free healthcare. Maybe these two reasons are enough... At the same time it does sound like an exciting opportunity. I just don't know...

caramia582 · April 2013

I'm born and raised in the Boston area and I absolutely love living here. There is definitely a renewed sense of pride everyone has in the city since the marathon bombings, but I have always been very proud to live here. Here are some reasons why:

-Mass General and Boston Children's are consistently ranked in the top three hospitals in the country. It's very comforting knowing I'm raising my children near such world class hospitals, should they ever need them.

-Excellent education system, both elementary/secondary and at the college level (great state schools)

-I love the history here. Many events that were crucial to the history of our country occurred in Boston. Being from Canada that may not be a big deal, but because of that there are some really cool museums/historic parks in the area.

-I love the geography. There are both mountains and beaches that are a short drive away.

-I like being in a state that is very progressive in terms of politics (we were the first state in NE to legalize gay marriage).

I could probably go on, but I'll stop there for now! There are some metro areas that are pricey but if you do your research you should be able to find something both affordable and in a nice town with good schools. GL!

Edit to answer your other questions: I love about 25mi north of Boston and in my area DC costs about $80-100/day for a center, less for a home day care. Obviously it gets cheaper the farther you are from the city. In general I think this is a pricier part of the country to live in, but I think it's worth the money for many reasons. Also, the housing market is HOT right now so the property values are on the up and up. Probably a really good time to buy around here as the value of the homes are likely to increase considerably over the next 10-20 years.

catmtl · April 2013

Thanks so much for the response! Very encouraging. Looks like the cost of childcare will be the biggest issue. It's even higher than I thought, wow...

caramia582 · April 2013

catmtl:
Thanks so much for the response! Very encouraging. Looks like the cost of childcare will be the biggest issue. It's even higher than I thought, wow...

Well, don't quote me on those numbers. DS does not go to daycare, but I did call a couple places asking about part time and that was the price they gave me. It could vary a lot. Do your own research just to be sure!

ThatWasAHoot · May 2013

I was born and raised here in the suburbs. I've lived in London and New York City, too, but ultimately, I moved back here. I love Boston! I agree that childcare is more expensive here than most places. So is the cost of living, though. I actually stay home with my kids and babysit while my partner works. We're saving $500 a week at the least by doing that. It's unfortunate, but it's definitely true. That is the cheapest childcare we've found in the area, $50/day/child and that was in-home [which we prefer.]
But other than that, is a great area! We strive for equality and there is so much to see and do here. It's not big and unwelcoming like NYC, either. It's a great place and I love living around here!

Eastie156 · May 2013

Op, I wouldn't give up the free healthcare and paid years leave if I were you. Boston is a good city, but IMO, those two things far outweigh moving here! Childcare is pretty expensive here and rent is a bit high as well. The city is small enough to navigate very easily, much more so then NYC. It's a nice place to live, but really, weigh your options!

catmtl · May 2013

Thanks for the input! So much to think about. My head hurts...

Khaleesi07 · May 2013

It's a lot to consider with the cost of living and childcare, but there are some affordable daycares, like the YMCA, or you could consider a nanny share.

The free healthcare and maternity leave is a huge bonus though. Many employers to offer short-term disability leave for women, in which you can get paid 60% of your normal pay rate while on maternity, so that's definitely helpful, but again, depends on the employer.

You also might want to consider leaving family and friends...do you have a lot of family and friends in Montreal? Especially if they are helping out with the kids that can make a difference.

lilybeth12 · May 2013

unfortunately STD is not available for pregnancies in progress. You usually have to sign up for it with your employer up to a year in advance. FMLA (the family medical leave act) also only protects you if you work for a company with 50+ employees for a year.

honestly, I think the biggest question for you will be will YH be able to find another job where you live now. if yes, then i would stay put. if no, then i would start crunching numbers for the move.

Dont get me wrong, I adore living in Boston. I am currently selling my condo to buy a single family in the city limits, so no plans to head anywhere else. BUT i hate how scary the $$ side of this pregnancy is.

lilybeth12 · May 2013

PS. once you hit 15 months daycare costs go down slightly b/c they move out of the infant room. I know of a few daycares in Boston proper that only accept older children, and range 300-400 per week.

RebeccaY1 · September 2013

I moved to the south shore area from Niagara Falls, Ontario last month. For me this move was very difficult. Moving away from all my family and friends is difficult. Since I'm not working and don't go to university, I have been having a hard time meeting new people.

The weather is very similar to what I had in Ontario. It's a lot busier here than what I'm used to. Since Montreal is a bigger city, you might not have the same experience.

I visited Montreal in June and found it to be a very expensive city to visit. I wouldn't be surprised if you find the cost of living to be pretty equivalent to what you found in Montreal. Also, as you know healthcare isn't actually free since you pay for it in your taxes. You'll find that you'll pay a lot less for a health plan that covers way more than what you get in Canada. The expectations of the healthcare are a lot better, you get way better and faster service at the doctor's office. No waiting months to get a treatment or to wait for a specialist! The only difficulty will be choosing a health plan, which can be really confusing!

Don't be afraid to look at surrounding areas - Braintree, Quincy, Newton, Reading, etc. The 'T' runs between most areas and can get you into Boston pretty quickly.

On the plus side, Boston does have art galleries, an opera house, various sports, a lot of universities/colleges, many parks and hiking trails, close to the ocean, many historical sites to visit, two breweries that you can tour and visit after your pregnancy, Salem, Plymouth.

On the negative side Boston does not have Tim Hortons, Smarties (chocolate candy), Swiss Chalet, Le Chateau, Reitmans, Suzy Shier, R W and Co., the French language on packaging of goods, and Winners (but they do have TJ Maxx and Marshalls).

I wish you luck with your decision making process!

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