Compared to other Canadian cities rent is affordable but it's unfortunately such a depressive place to live, due to the harsh and long winters. You get about 2-3 months of fantastic weather, and between 5-8 months of absolutely oppressive cold. It has some decent local culture for its size, but a distinct lack of fun nightlife. Public transit is absolutely horrendous. People can be a bit close-minded. Quality of life is otherwise comparable to other big NA cities. Taxes are on the low side. It's very out of the way - there's no real reason to come here as a tourist because Calgary is closer to everything interesting.
Pros and Cons of Living in Groningen Netherlands
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Pros of Living in Groningen
Very safe
Fast internet
Good air quality on average
Nomad List members liked going here a lot
Spacious and not crowded
Very easy to do business
High quality of education
Great hospitals
Roads are very safe
Great freedom of speech
Democratic
Everyone speaks English
Very safe for women
Very family friendly
Very friendly to LGBTQ+
Cons of Living in Groningen
Too expensive
Not much to do
Cold now
Gets cold in the winter
Very damp now
Not many Nomad List members go here
Very difficult to make friends
Many people smoke tobacco
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Great place to live. Not sure why 'Fun' and 'Nightlife' are classified as 'Okay' - it's actually great better than Amsterdam in my opinion. 60k students on a population of 200k. Dozens of bars and clubs in the same area, drinks are cheap, bars don't close until 4-6am. Expenses are lower than listed too.
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Groningen is easy going but very international. Due to it's kind of "remote" location (well Amsterdam is only 2 hrs. away) it's an island one its own with lots to do here: culture, nightlife (véry late!) but also a lot of beautiful quiet nature in the surroundings, You take a bike and you are in the middle of nowhere in just 15 minutes: lakes, woods in the south, or at the northside of the city: beautiful endless tyoical dutch landscapes with lots of famous black and white frisian cows, mills, canals, and even a real river, Reitdiep.
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