Moving From Calgary to Victoria

Moving from Calgary to Victoria is a serious move that involves logistical challenges, long distance, and logistical challenges like the Canadian Rocky Mountains and ferries. Because Victoria is located on an island, you must be able to squeeze your load onto a ferry when your drive is nearing the finish line.

Advanced planning is seriously recommended, along with the professional help of a province-to-province moving company.

The challenges of moving from Calgary to Victoria don’t stop at the logistical headaches and a 13+ hours of driving time. The cities are different in a lot of ways despite their relative closeness. To get you and your family prepared for this lifestyle change, we’ve put this article together that highlights key differences to be aware of.

Climate

The climate is one of the main draws to Victoria. Due to its proximity to the Pacific Ocean, Victoria is known to have a mild climate all year round. Calgary definitely experiences more of the extremes – that means colder winters and hotter summers.

In Victoria, wintertime typically does not bring more than a few days of snow per year. Temperatures rarely drop below 0 degrees, and when they do, they don’t go far. In the summertime there are certainly a few weeks of real heat, but it’s rare to see daily temperatures spend much time over 30 degrees.

Thanks to the Pacific Ocean, Victoria’s climate is ideal in a lot of ways. The ocean absorbs heat in the summer, and releases it in the winter, acting as a natural and very effective temperature regulator. With barely any snowfall, you can get away with more time in a T-shirt than almost all Canadian cities.

Housing

Calgary and Victoria are very different when it comes to housing options, which motivates plenty of moves back and forth. This issue is mostly focused on cost of living. Victoria is known to have one of the more expensive real estate markets in the country, flirting with the likes of Vancouver and Toronto.

While Calgary has gotten more expensive recently, the city is still known for having generally lower housing costs. Calgary is also far larger than Victoria, which means there are more affordable housing options and just more options in general. On top of that, the cost of living is less.

As of July 2025, in Calgary, the median price of a single-family home is $730K while the median price for an apartment is $320K. In Victoria, median price for a single-family home is $1.1M while the median price for an apartment is $545K.

The rental market follows the same story. Because of the size of Calgary, there is generally more choice, higher vacancy rates and lower prices. In Victoria, the rental market is competitive and a bit more costly.

While housing in Victoria is certainly more expensive than Calgary, keep in mind that Victoria is quite a different place than Vancouver (despite being located on Vancouver Island). Vancouver is considered the most expensive city in Canada depending on who you ask, which means housing is astronomical compared to Victoria. Housing prices in Victoria are still in the same galaxy as Calgary at least.

Jobs

The job markets are very different between Calgary and Victoria. Generally speaking, the job market in Calgary provides more opportunities given its larger size. But jobs in Calgary tend to lean heavy on the energy sector, which means the job market has fluctuated more dramatically over the years. As of July 2025, the unemployment rate in Calgary sits at 7.4% while Victoria’s is at 5.6%.

Aside from its better employment rate, Victoria’s labour market has demonstrated a little more stability due to the nature of the city’s top job sectors.

• Government

Being the capital of British Columbia, Victoria is home to a significant number of provincial government jobs. The federal government is also a big employer in Victoria.

• Tourism

Tourism in Victoria booming. In 2024, around 32 million visitors flocked to the city to experience the beautiful gardens, world-class dining, classic architecture, and old British charm. In Calgary, an estimated 8 million people visited the city in 2023.

• Tech

While Calgary has also emerged as a fast-growing tech hub, Tech/IT is a major job sector in Victoria focused on software development, clean technology and digital media.

• Navy

While Calgary has more opportunities for Army and Air Force members, there is a large concentration of the Royal Canadian Navy in Victoria. Canadian Forces Base Esquimalt (CFB Esquimalt) is one of Canada’s two major naval bases, home to the Pacific Naval Fleet.

Recreation

Both Calgary and Victoria are excellent places to live if you and your family values spending time outside. The opportunities for adventure are plentiful without having to drive great distances. But the type of recreation opportunities you’ll encounter in these two cities are a little bit different.

In Calgary, outdoor adventure is centred around the proximity to mountains and an abundance of wintertime recreation. The Rocky Mountains are right there, which means there are dozens of great spots to ski, snowboard and snowshoe. Skating, winter hiking and rock-climbing opportunities are numerous in Calgary as well.

Victoria also has an awesome ski resort nearby in Mt. Washington, among others on the mainland, but outdoor adventure in the city is generally more focused around the ocean. Kayaking, paddleboarding, whale watching and boating are favourite activities on the coast. Victoria has also placed a big emphasis on becoming a bike-friendly city. Many use bikes to commute to work, and many more enjoy road cycling and mountain biking for leisure.

Lifestyle

The way of life is noticeably different in quaint Victoria versus bustling Calgary. The city of Calgary is far larger of course, but it’s the business-oriented atmosphere that gives the city a more hustle-and-bustle feel. There’s more jobs and amenities, along with more people and more congestion. The cowboy culture is also prominent in Calgary, due to its history as a cattle-ranching frontier plus the widely-popular Calgary Stampede.

The lifestyle in Victoria is observably slower. Not only are there far fewer people, but life just moves at a slower pace in Victoria. Even in downtown Victoria, the hustle-and-bustle is almost non-existent.

In Victoria, life is centred more around nature, art and relaxation. The arts and culture scene is vibrant, with numerous galleries and small theatres. The city is decorated with stunning gardens and dotted with historic architecture and character homes, giving Victoria some pretty impressive curb appeal. Life moves a little slower on the west coast, and is meant to be felt and enjoyed.

If you’re planning a move from Calgary to Victoria, Hendra Moving and Storage has extensive experience helping families relocate from one province to another. A move like this will be exciting but daunting. It will help to have the professionals in your corner, ensuring the drive goes smoothly, accounting for Rocky Mountains navigation and ferry arrangements.

Contact Hendra Moving and Storage below for your free province-to-province moving estimate.