Can I afford to live in Austin? (Spring, Converse: sublease, rent)

[C24L]

I dont think you could do that on your income.

[Pretzeltwist]

You already asked this in another post. You're planning to move to another city even though you share custody of a baby in San Antonio. You would have a hard time finding affordable lodging here, yet you still want to come, and you also want to try to talk your baby's mother into moving here, too.

That is not only something that won't work financially. It also just isn't the right thing to do.

[River City Rocky]

I just can't believe Austin is so much more expensive than San Antonio. I'm considering going to barber school to increase my earning potential right now and then I'll look more into it.

On that note does anyone have any insight on how the market is for barbers in Austin?

[Antny12]

It literally takes 5 seconds to do some research and see that not only is austin more expensive it’s INCREDIBLY more expensive then San Antonio. Average home price in Austin is 350k. San Antonio is 150k. Almost every category is more expensive in Austin.

Moderator cut: link removed, competitor site

[ashbeeigh]

Originally Posted by River City Rocky

I just can't believe Austin is so much more expensive than San Antonio. I'm considering going to barber school to increase my earning potential right now and then I'll look more into it.

On that note does anyone have any insight on how the market is for barbers in Austin?

Dude. You need to get a real education. An associates degree, a bachelors degree or masters degree. Dabbling in “trades” unless it’s a union job is not going to get you the appropriate amount of income to live in Austin on your own. Bouncing from jobs like that works in SA (although maybe not for much longer). If you want to make it Austin get connected to some place like rackspace and get some tech experience. I know someone who worked at rackspace for years and then transferred up here to their north Austin location. Since then he’s found other tech jobs. Despite the proximity to SA and the fact that it’s not that big of adjustment culturally, Austin is a different world. I had suggested coming up to visit and check things out. Have you?!

[ashbeeigh]

Originally Posted by Antny12

It literally takes 5 seconds to do some research and see that not only is austin more expensive it’s INCREDIBLY more expensive then San Antonio. Average home price in Austin is 350k. San Antonio is 150k. Almost every category is more expensive in Austin.

Moderator cut: link removed, competitor site

Not so fast on the lower cost of living. It’s increasing a great amount.

The average home price in the county was $261,253, and the median was $221,000

https://www.bizjournals.com/sananton...e-to-rise.html

[Antny12]

The calculator says if you make 100k in San Antonio you’ll need to make 135k in austin to be equavilent. My guess also is that while housing might be increasing in value in San Antonio (really across the entire state in the major metros this is normal) apartments (if that’s the route your going.. and with a 25k income a year that’s a given) most apartments are going for $1000+. So 12k a year not including all the utilities. Then gas. Then food. Then your bills (credit cards, loans, school debt, car loan). On top of everything else. I can’t imagine anywhere within an hour of downtown where you could survive off of that income with 3 people unless your living at home with your parents with almost no debt.

Not trying to be mean but moving to a place like Austin on that income is a really bad idea and probably how the homeless population continues to explode.

[River City Rocky]

Originally Posted by Antny12

It literally takes 5 seconds to do some research and see that not only is austin more expensive it’s INCREDIBLY more expensive then San Antonio. Average home price in Austin is 350k. San Antonio is 150k. Almost every category is more expensive in Austin.

Moderator cut: link removed, competitor site

I get it and I've seen the numbers, I guess it's just hard to really believe and assimilate given that they're so close to each other.

[Trainwreck20]

Originally Posted by River City Rocky

I get it and I've seen the numbers, I guess it's just hard to really believe and assimilate given that they're so close to each other.

Kind of odd, isn't it? The not-so-distant fix will be continued increases in SA, though, so make sure you are prepared for that.....

[River City Rocky]

Originally Posted by ashbeeigh

Dude. You need to get a real education. An associates degree, a bachelors degree or masters degree. Dabbling in “trades” unless it’s a union job is not going to get you the appropriate amount of income to live in Austin on your own. Bouncing from jobs like that works in SA (although maybe not for much longer). If you want to make it Austin get connected to some place like rackspace and get some tech experience. I know someone who worked at rackspace for years and then transferred up here to their north Austin location. Since then he’s found other tech jobs. Despite the proximity to SA and the fact that it’s not that big of adjustment culturally, Austin is a different world. I had suggested coming up to visit and check things out. Have you?!

Oh ok I'd been thinking about becoming a barber because it's what Ive been wanting to do for a long time and I've seen some barbers here that make a pretty good living and I thought it might be similar in Austin but I guess it just is way different.

Yes of course I've been wanting to visit but I work a lot and don't have a lot of free time to really get to visit the way I'd like to. I'm going to take a couple of days off and do it pretty soon though.