I don't think there is any truth to the idea that Alberta costs less to live in than any other province. B.C's total income tax rate is about the same, and thanks to inflation in Alberta, our no PST advantage is being wiped out quickly. I found most B.C. goods about the same prices, taxes in. Cars is one place where we do well.
My unusually high property tax burden is thanks to the bedroom community I live in, (no industrial base) but Edmontononians that once laughed at us suburbanites paying more are now facing massive tax increases. And yes, I ahve remained here and fight the municipal council at every turn. But, we do the dumbest stuff. We paid $70 Million for a new rec centre, it sucks, no one uses it, and now it's running a $2M/year deficit. Cripes. We built a $100M road before getting provincial approval for it to be considered a highway (so the province pays) and now we're stuck with the bill. Mismangement? Yes, but those decision we based on plebisites!! Democracy spoke, and said "throw away more than three years annual budgets!!"
Medicare premiums don't exist in most provinces. Alberta should have phased out the regressive tax years ago.