luxury cars kansas city image
Willow
Trust me I am not moving out there to try to act or anything like that, my husband got a great job offer and I will be back in school, but we were wanting to make some informed descisions about our move and trying to get used to the expenses
Answer
It really depends on where you live and what type of air conditioner you have. If you need to use your air conditioner quite a bit, and you have central air in a small house, it will cost you from about $200 to $500+ a month during the summer. (And later if it's hot like it is now, 112' in downtown LA yesterday!!) If you live in an apartment and don't use your window air conditioner that much, maybe $100 a month during the summer. If you leave it on all the time, it will cost more. I know guys who leave their central air on in a small one bedroom apartment in a hot area (the valley) and end up with $500+ a month electric bills during the summer.
You can usually expect your gas or electric heating bill during the winter to be similar to what your electricity bill was during the summer. Water may be included in apartment rent, or for a small apartment you could expect to pay maybe $20, depending on your water company. For a house, water can run from $50 to $500+ a month depending on water company, on the high side if you have a lot of lawn and plants to water, etc.
Everything is going to cost you quite a bit more, consider an additional 10 - 15+% for your basics, like food. Car insurance is expensive, and because LA is so spread out, you will likely drive more, so gas will cost more than you're used to. Housing will be much more. A small single apartment without many amenities in an OK area will start at $900. In a desirable area that same apartment could run $1100 - $1500+. A one bedroom of the same type might start at $1200, but you could pay $1700+ in a desirable area. A luxury one bedroom will start at $1200. A small condo in an OK area will start at around $350,000, a tiny house will cost you $500,000. But your basic 1500+ sq ft house in a nice neighborhood (but not Beverly HIlls or Santa Monica nice) will start at around $700,000 and can easily cost a million $ in a desirable area like La Canada-Flintridge or South Pasadena. Double that for the most desirable westside of LA areas.
You want to live as close to work or school as you can. Our traffic sucks and it takes much longer than you might think to commute. It's very stressful.
Here are some cost of living calculators to give you an idea.
http://www.bestplaces.net/col/
http://www.bankrate.com/calculators/savings/moving-cost-of-living-calculator.aspx
http://swz.salary.com/costoflivingwizard/layoutscripts/coll_start.asp
LA Safety http://www.lalife.com/ Click on Safety, and Map.
Good luck!
It really depends on where you live and what type of air conditioner you have. If you need to use your air conditioner quite a bit, and you have central air in a small house, it will cost you from about $200 to $500+ a month during the summer. (And later if it's hot like it is now, 112' in downtown LA yesterday!!) If you live in an apartment and don't use your window air conditioner that much, maybe $100 a month during the summer. If you leave it on all the time, it will cost more. I know guys who leave their central air on in a small one bedroom apartment in a hot area (the valley) and end up with $500+ a month electric bills during the summer.
You can usually expect your gas or electric heating bill during the winter to be similar to what your electricity bill was during the summer. Water may be included in apartment rent, or for a small apartment you could expect to pay maybe $20, depending on your water company. For a house, water can run from $50 to $500+ a month depending on water company, on the high side if you have a lot of lawn and plants to water, etc.
Everything is going to cost you quite a bit more, consider an additional 10 - 15+% for your basics, like food. Car insurance is expensive, and because LA is so spread out, you will likely drive more, so gas will cost more than you're used to. Housing will be much more. A small single apartment without many amenities in an OK area will start at $900. In a desirable area that same apartment could run $1100 - $1500+. A one bedroom of the same type might start at $1200, but you could pay $1700+ in a desirable area. A luxury one bedroom will start at $1200. A small condo in an OK area will start at around $350,000, a tiny house will cost you $500,000. But your basic 1500+ sq ft house in a nice neighborhood (but not Beverly HIlls or Santa Monica nice) will start at around $700,000 and can easily cost a million $ in a desirable area like La Canada-Flintridge or South Pasadena. Double that for the most desirable westside of LA areas.
You want to live as close to work or school as you can. Our traffic sucks and it takes much longer than you might think to commute. It's very stressful.
Here are some cost of living calculators to give you an idea.
http://www.bestplaces.net/col/
http://www.bankrate.com/calculators/savings/moving-cost-of-living-calculator.aspx
http://swz.salary.com/costoflivingwizard/layoutscripts/coll_start.asp
LA Safety http://www.lalife.com/ Click on Safety, and Map.
Good luck!
Is it true that Midwestern States are extremely safe?
Ahmed H
I was talking to an American friend of mine who lives in San Marcos, California (near San Diego) when he mentioned that the Midwestern states are known for its friendly people. He also added that the small towns there are very very safe because everyone in these towns is familiar with the rest of his town's people. He added that these places are so safe that people usually sleep without unlocking their doors at night!
Is this true? If so, does anyone know of places such as these? In which states do such towns exist?
Now speaking about big cities and their affluent areas, I think safety would be the greatest luxury someone could enjoy; along with cleanliness and friendliness of course.
Yeah! But what about the small towns? Are they "extremely" safe? Or are they as safe as for eample: Palo Alto and Los Altos, California??
Answer
The Midwestern United States refers to the north-central states of the United States of America, specifically Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota, Ohio, South Dakota, and Wisconsin. Of these states, I feel ALL are safe but Illinois (Chicago BIG crime area!) I have been to all of them (live in one) and always treated as 'one of their own'. Very friendly, caring people...and you mention small towns..they are the BEST! Your friend is right! We leave doors unlocked, keys in car, expensive toys and bikes left out..nothing has ever been vandalized or stolen any place I've lived or visited. Police even stop unfamiliar cars (out of state plates), just to see their purpose for being there..as small towns ARE the safest places to live. Everyone is treated as an individual and not just a number. Traffic is the best too! NO RUSH HOURS! People from the East and West Coast move here just for that! True, when enough do, I imagine things will change, as they will bring their bad habits with them, but for the last 40+ years, they're the best way to go! Schools are small, so students get better attention. Safety, cleanliness, friendliness and cost of living are the best! Try it!! You'll definitely like it!!
The Midwestern United States refers to the north-central states of the United States of America, specifically Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota, Ohio, South Dakota, and Wisconsin. Of these states, I feel ALL are safe but Illinois (Chicago BIG crime area!) I have been to all of them (live in one) and always treated as 'one of their own'. Very friendly, caring people...and you mention small towns..they are the BEST! Your friend is right! We leave doors unlocked, keys in car, expensive toys and bikes left out..nothing has ever been vandalized or stolen any place I've lived or visited. Police even stop unfamiliar cars (out of state plates), just to see their purpose for being there..as small towns ARE the safest places to live. Everyone is treated as an individual and not just a number. Traffic is the best too! NO RUSH HOURS! People from the East and West Coast move here just for that! True, when enough do, I imagine things will change, as they will bring their bad habits with them, but for the last 40+ years, they're the best way to go! Schools are small, so students get better attention. Safety, cleanliness, friendliness and cost of living are the best! Try it!! You'll definitely like it!!
Powered by Yahoo! Answers
No comments:
Post a Comment