Are you considering moving to Nova Scotia, and worried you’ll someday say, “I regret moving to Nova Scotia”? Fear not! With careful consideration and lots of advance planning, you can reduce the odds that you’ll regret moving to Nova Scotia.
Things to think about before you start looking for property in Nova Scotia
Many city dwellers dream of moving to the country to raise chickens and live off the land, or just finding a place where they can afford to buy, not rent.
If you’re used to living in a big city, you might want to continue living somewhere you can easily drive to the best restaurants or enjoy the nightlife. Think twice about buying in Digby if you’re looking for wild Saturday nights or high-end shopping options! On the other hand, immersing yourself in rural living might be just what you’re looking for.
A local REALTOR® can help you understand exactly what the community you’re considering is like. While I specialize in the Annapolis Valley and South Shore region, I can refer you to Realtors in the Halifax region or other areas of Nova Scotia to find exactly the right property for you.
Rural living realities
If you’re wanting to make a change and live somewhere rural, it’s important to understand the realities of rural living. If you make a life-changing move without understanding what life is really like in your new province, you might regret it. Here are a few challenges unique to Nova Scotia:
- Locally owned stores that close at 5pm on the dot (or earlier if the owner has an appointment or something more pressing). More prevalent in the rural areas.
- Limited services, such as shopping or extracurricular activities for kids, in the rural areas. Rural schools might not have certain clubs or teams, while community clubs like cheer, gymnastics, or climbing could be a 90-minute drive away. Even in Halifax, specialty schools are few and far between.
- Health care is challenging—more than 1 in 10 Nova Scotians don’t have a family doctor, most communities do not have walk-in clinics, and most rural hospitals aren’t open overnight. (If you’ve moved already, be sure to get on the Need a Family Practice Registry asap.)
- Friends will be far-flung—you’ll spend a lot of time driving! It can be difficult to make new friends (but I have a whole blog post with tips on how to build community.)
- Nova Scotia has some incredible restaurants, but in the rural areas, you might not have access to the kind of restaurants your family enjoys. And forget Uber Eats or even basic pizza delivery in many rural areas.
- Do you work remotely, stream music or videos, or download quite a bit? Some areas of Nova Scotia have poor Internet, and some rural areas have no Internet at all. While Develop Nova Scotia’s Internet for Nova Scotia Initiative is working to bring high-speed Internet to 95%+ of the province, some areas are lagging. Your Realtor can help you ensure the property you’re considering has the Internet access you need.
- While housing on average is less expensive than in many other provinces, there are a number of things in Nova Scotia that are much more expensive than in other provinces. Nova Scotia has high income tax rates, high property taxes, a high sales tax, and high service fees for things like registering your vehicle. Groceries are typically higher overall and even higher in rural areas than in Halifax.
People are still moving to Nova Scotia
Despite the many reasons NOT to move to Nova Scotia—there are so many great reasons to move to our gorgeous province! In fact, people are flocking to Nova Scotia because they believe the many benefits outweigh the downsides. Here are just a few reasons the locals love it here, and you might too.
- Wouldn’t you love to be near the ocean, or live lakeside? Affectionately nicknamed “Canada’s ocean playground,” Nova Scotia’s coastline stretches 13,300 kilometres and the province boasts more than 1,000 lakes.
- If you’re currently living somewhere like Vancouver, Toronto, or Montreal, you’ll find your dollar goes much further for housing, specifically.
- If you love food and entertainment, Halifax has a vibrant nightlife and bustling arts scene.
- Prefer the quiet? A rural area or quaint rural town might be the best bet for you. You can create a large garden, raise backyard chickens or goats, or just enjoy the peace and quiet of fewer neighbours, further away.
- While you might face a little resistance if you complain about rural living and tell your new neighbours, “Back in Ontario, we did it this way,” generally East Coasters have a reputation for being friendly and welcoming.
- If you like local food, you’ll love the easily accessible farmers’ markets and side of the road fresh fruit and vegetable stalls with their honour payment system.
- While there’s traffic in the city and surrounding area, if you move further out you’ll find traffic is nearly non-existent. Quiet country roads are the norm.
- The job market is better than it’s ever been, and remote work is a dream from such a gorgeous place.
- Some services and activities are less expensive than in larger centres, such as sports or athletic fees, tradespeople, and entertainment.
Not convinced? Check out Should I move to Nova Scotia? for more reasons why we love it here.
