Could Atlanta be in the running for second Amazon headquarters? (Dallas: estimated, vehicles)

[Forhall]

Originally Posted by Otakumaster

Let’s be realistic here. If it was all the same everyone would just live California or The upper east coast.

Prices of foods and things can vary but housing is typically the biggest cost to an individual and so that is typically what is referenced in cost of living with taxes being second. Yeah, you can live in the NYC metro paying the same for something you can get in ATL but chances are it won’t be the same quality (size, schools etc) or be much further from the urban center.

That was my question. Is it mainly housing. Seems the answer is yes?

[-thomass]

Originally Posted by Forhall

What exactly is cost of living? What specific item cost more in DC or NYC over Atlanta? I've lived all over and not sure how cost of living changes other than housing, and that's all dependent on where you choose to live within a city, i.e. one city may let you live in a nicer part of town for the same cost, but that doesn't increase or decrease COL.

Housing / rent and property tax. Property tax in suburban nyc, for example, can easily be triple or quadruple (and even more) what it is here. Of course there are also other taxes such as state and local taxes, car tags, etc that you have to factor. Housing and taxes will always be the two biggest expense items. College is also way more expensive in the NE.

[Otakumaster]

Originally Posted by Forhall

That was my question. Is it mainly housing. Seems the answer is yes?

Housing is the biggest factor, yes. Taxes is usually second.

[samiwas1]

Originally Posted by Forhall

What exactly is cost of living? What specific item cost more in DC or NYC over Atlanta? I've lived all over and not sure how cost of living changes other than housing, and that's all dependent on where you choose to live within a city, i.e. one city may let you live in a nicer part of town for the same cost, but that doesn't increase or decrease COL.

Originally Posted by Forhall

That was my question. Is it mainly housing. Seems the answer is yes?

Housing is certainly a major part of the cost, but there are plenty of other things to consider. Going out to eat in San Francisco or NYC is considerably more expensive than it is in Atlanta. Gas is more expensive in a lot of areas. Taxes are higher. The cost of parking is far higher in NYC and Chicago and many others.

NerdWallet has a chart simply showing the price of a Quarter Pounder with Cheese in cities around the US. In Alaska and much of the northeast, a quarter pounder goes for well over $4. In many cities, one goes for the middle $2 and low $3 range. That's 50-75% higher cost. One would assume that the cost of most food tracks fairly similarly. That's a pretty staggering difference as well.

So, yeah...there are lots of costs to determine when figuring out cost of living, and the cost can vary dramatically.

[jhtrico1850]

https://www.nerdwallet.com/cost-of-l...-vs-washington

Using a 4.5% 30 year mortgage

Median home price (3BR/2BA)
Atlanta: $266,836 ($1.4k mortgage, 16% of $100k salary)
DC: $786,415 ($4k mortgage, 48% of $100k salary)

Obviously these are very generalized numbers...

[Forhall]

Originally Posted by samiwas1

Housing is certainly a major part of the cost, but there are plenty of other things to consider. Going out to eat in San Francisco or NYC is considerably more expensive than it is in Atlanta. Gas is more expensive in a lot of areas. Taxes are higher. The cost of parking is far higher in NYC and Chicago and many others.

NerdWallet has a chart simply showing the price of a Quarter Pounder with Cheese in cities around the US. In Alaska and much of the northeast, a quarter pounder goes for well over $4. In many cities, one goes for the middle $2 and low $3 range. That's 50-75% higher cost. One would assume that the cost of most food tracks fairly similarly. That's a pretty staggering difference as well.

So, yeah...there are lots of costs to determine when figuring out cost of living, and the cost can vary dramatically.

I have lived on the west coast and in NYC suburbs. I found my grocery bill similar if not cheaper than here. High end restaraunts cost more, but there were also more midrange and even cheap options. Parking and taxes, you are correct.

[samiwas1]

Originally Posted by Forhall

I have lived on the west coast and in NYC suburbs. I found my grocery bill similar if not cheaper than here. High end restaraunts cost more, but there were also more midrange and even cheap options. Parking and taxes, you are correct.

I haven't lived in either, but I have spent plenty of time in both. My experience is the polar opposite of yours, and the data seems to support that. But, not worth arguing about.

[primaltech]

When is this whole stupid saga gonna be over? Just pick a dang city.

[bu2]

Originally Posted by primaltech

When is this whole stupid saga gonna be over? Just pick a dang city.

When they've squeezed every last dollar they can out of the city they want to win.

[Born 2 Roll]

Originally Posted by bu2

When they've squeezed every last dollar they can out of the city they want to win.

This... And when Amazon thinks that they have squeezed every last bit of self-promotion and increased profit that they can out of this apparent competition for their second headquarters.