The Canadian city of Toronto and it's surrounding areas, known to locals as The GTO, is a vibrant and diverse city to live in. There's the laid back neighborhood of The Beaches right on Lake Ontario where cafes and bars have outdoor seating, sometimes even in the dead of winter; to the ever active University of Toronto student life that is blended into the Italian community on College Avenue. The city also has one of the most multi-cultural atmospheres of any metropolitan area in the world, from the hectic vendors on Dundas Street where the Chinese community trades and sells; to the hippie artist who live right around the corner at Kensington Market.

Toronto's housing market is competitive to any major city. It's not quite as steep as New York nor is it as affordable as parts of Los Angeles that are east of Western Avenue. Renting a place in the city center can cost as much as $2500 for a large loft apartment off Yonge Street or on the lake by Lakeshore Boulevard. Buying in one of the swank neighborhoods like The Kingsway can cost a cool couple of million dollars.