I'm in Alberta, Canada too along with Big Sis. She's right...cigs are $11.00 a pack - never thought I'd pay that much, but...
As for houses, in the city I'm living in the average price of a 3 BR, pretty standard maybe 1000 square foot house is about $350,000. I sold a condo here 2 years ago for $149,000 - an identical one is on the market right now for $280,000. Alberta is booming in the oil business right now - things have gone crazy for the last couple of years which explains the huge jump.