How much is cost of living in your area?

elcyclista

In southern Cali? A leg and an arm.

robinpickles

Orange County here.. I moved here from Michigan..(where you can buy a 3 bedroom house for a lot less than my BF and I pay for our 1 bedroom 801 sq foot apartment in Orange County - 1300 a month and we do have a nice pool and hot tub and gym included in the rent). I love the weather, the ocean, and the great fruit and veggies year round. We spend about 100 bucks a week on groceries.

I graduated from college at 43 with a 3.71 GPA Magna Cum Laude and I am unemployed. Steve is the breadwinner coming in at about 50,000 a year (before taxes!) He has work in Mortgage Refinancing (back at work after 3 years laid off, and 2 years as a temp at the same company...) We usually have about 250 dollars a paycheck ( twice a month) after expenses...(not including food or anything like that)... we have one car, that's paid off... and I have a zillion insurmountable dollars in Student loans which are half deferred (gathering interest) while I look for work...its VERY tight, and while we have a great deal (phones, cable, food on the table) its so hard... I have not bought clothing in over 3 years!!! (I always get clothing as gifts!)

Once I find work, we should be just fine (oh PLEASE LORD!)...

anyone looking for someone in Graphics Communications or Marketing?!

RobinPickles

taranj21

jersey shore---toms river
outrageous expensive here
$250k 1200 sq ft 3 bedroom/1 bath home ($2200 mortgage payment)
$560 month nursery school for 3 year old
$550 car payment
$300 month car/life ins
$350 gas/elec/water
$300 cable/phone/cell bill
gas is about $3.40 gallon here
$215 daughters dance & gymnastics classes monthly

income just under $100k for the both of us, its TIGHT!!!

Perswaysion

That's something else that just floors me about some places. I have a friend in the Boston area paying 1k a month for preschool. We pay 180 a month for a very highly rated private preschool. When he starts K next year it goes to 364 a month. Still a long ways from 500-1000.

carolann_22

It's high. We live in the DC/Baltimore Metro area. We make a combined of $100K and bought the absolutely CHEAPEST house available after looking for 6 months. We have no debt except mortgage and we still struggle, as in I had to pull my son out of private pre-K because it just wasn't working out budget-wise. It doesn't help that we pay $650 a month in JUST in GAS, either - I commute 120 miles a day, my husband does 75 miles a day. But that's where the jobs are.

MotorCityFemmeFatale

Detroit area, it's inexpensive. Of course the police, fire, ambulance, roads and schools in the city reflect that.

catshark209

I'm in Northern California....and its $$$$ but I wouldn't leave. Cali born and raised.

MikeM53082

Keep in mind, that those high cost metros (NYC and SF) are also where A LOT of very high paying jobs are. High cost areas also have pretty brutal commutes. Some people like the rat race, some don't.

messyinthekitchen

When I was living in Toronto my rent was $1950 for a 3 bedroom town home +bills. The average family income there is $92,453. I moved to Niagara Falls and my mortgage now is is just under $1800. Almost the same but this is a 5 bedroom in a relatively new home and at least it's mine. I'm not sure the average cost of living here. Probably slightly higher as there is a lot of tourism here. But when I look at the price of groceries, I can guess some people have a hard time getting by. A loaf of bread if almost $4. My mom said when I was a child it was under $1. Also here in Canada car insurance is mandatory. And again just another expense that sucks people dry.