It probably no surprise that I’m a huge proponent of city living. I love being able to hop on my bike, the bus, or walk down the street to one of my favorite neighborhood pubs or cafés. There’s a real sense of freedom that comes when not having a car-centric lifestyle. Each and every time I hop on my bike (rain or shine) I fall in love with my city again.

But let’s talk about a different aspect of the suburban vs. urban decision. Let’s talk about money. According to the Canadian organization, Sustainable Prosperity, in a recent report, a city’s public cost for each suburban home is more than double that of each urban home. (See graphic below). That’s public money… our taxes going disproportionately to suburban living, because a sprawling public plan costs more: for policing, transportation, park planning, emergency services and the likes. Sustainable Prosperity has set up a great website debunking the myth that suburban life is cheaper, called The Cost of Sprawl, which demonstrates how denser planning can save billions in public funds, support equity, fairness and local economic growth, and shares innovative ways to support denser communities.  I love city life. And now I feel even better knowing I’m saving public money!