How much is cost of living in your area?

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Replies

  • elcyclista
    elcyclista Posts: 393
    In southern Cali? A leg and an arm.
  • robinpickles
    robinpickles Posts: 78 Member
    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
    taranj21 Posts: 83 Member
    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
    Perswaysion Posts: 69 Member
    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
    carolann_22 Posts: 364 Member
    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
    MotorCityFemmeFatale Posts: 222 Member
    Detroit area, it's inexpensive. Of course the police, fire, ambulance, roads and schools in the city reflect that.
  • catshark209
    catshark209 Posts: 1,133 Member
    I'm in Northern California....and its $$$$ but I wouldn't leave. Cali born and raised.
  • MikeM53082
    MikeM53082 Posts: 1,199 Member
    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
    messyinthekitchen Posts: 662 Member
    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.
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