San Diego vs. New York City Area (NY/NJ/CT) (living, best)

[NoTimeToTalk]

Hello. I'm trying to decide between moving to San Diego or somewhere in the New York City area (NY/NJ/CT). Career opportunities are okay in either of the two areas, and the income will be roughly the same (around $115,000). I'm currently in NJ, but not in the NYC region. Please tell me what you think is best given my situation.

- Single male, late twenties
- Want reasonable access to the city without living in it (I like peace and quiet in a suburban home)
- Like warm and sunny weather, but also like experiencing the four seasons
- Like relaxed and laid-back attitudes, but also appreciate sophistication and ambition
- Eventually want kids and do not want to have to move to a new metropolitan area
- Enjoy a healthy, active lifestyle with outdoor activities
- Like beach views and the beach environment, but also like being able to go to a busy downtown area
- Whole family is in the NYC area
- Don't want to be in the rat race and prefer a lower-stress day-to-day living experience
- Don't want to spend all day in the office and commuting to the office
- Like having a car
- Want to own a single family detached home with a garage in the near future

Thanks in advance.

[ChikidII]

Haha. Are you serious? Based on everything you said San Diego is what you want. Both great cities and the only two places outside of Chicago I would live in.

[lammius]

Reading you requirements, I have to say San Diego looks like the better pick. It seems that you love/appreciate NY, but it's not the place you're going to be happy living.

The suburbs might be a good option for the house and car, but make sure your job is in the 'burbs too. Marathon commuting to Midtown kills the whole "laid-back," non-rat-racey thing.

[NoTimeToTalk]

Thanks for the replies so far. Can you explain why you think San Diego would be better?

Also, can anyone help me with these questions?

- Would I feel bored, trapped, or isolated in San Diego? I'm not big on going to clubs or bars, but I would like to meet people and go out for a drink every now and then.
- Would I be in for a shock with respect to San Diego's gangs, crimes, and crowded conditions, as compared to the suburbs in the NYC area?
- Would kids have a better quality of life growing up in San Diego or the NYC suburbs?

I'm thinking that the proper comparison might be North County San Diego vs. NYC suburbs.

[Pedro2000]

This is an old thread, maybe you already moved or not, but a lot of it depends on your finances, your job, your career, etc. You could live in NYC, make a ton of money or have a ton of money, and go visit beaches up in Long Island or NJ. You could go snowboarding or ski in upstate NY, Vermont, PA and so on.
Hell, take a fast train down to DC or Philly in a few hours.

I love San Diego. Love the weather. Love the beaches. But I also love how people always claim "you can do anything in a few hours." Yeah you can go to the beach in the morning and drive 3 hours to go snowboarding in the afternoon. I don't think I've ever met anybody who has ever done that . Of course as some one time bet or challenge for fun, it's possible, but most people aren't waking up at 6am, surf till 10am, then clean up, pack(or pack the night before) and then drive 3 hours to Big Bear and snowboard by 3pm.

The problem people have is not understanding geography. Somebody who lives near NYC can also drive 3 hours up to the catskills to go snowboarding and ski. Big Bear is great, but compared to other real ski resorts, it's kind of lame. It's just the only thing close so that's what people use as a barometer.

Again it depends. NYC has far more jobs and a variety of them. And you don't have to live in NYC.
San Diego is not a cheap place to live and companies don't pay that well and there just aren't that many of them. You have a biotech area in sorrento valley, but it's not like they pay big bucks and with the government cut backs they are in a wait and see mode. Technology? Yeah right. If you are 22 and plan on living with roommates, make sense. If you are 35 and want your own place, San Diego is just not that place. It's very expensive without the high paying jobs or company offices.

You could get a place on the outskirts, but if you live out in El Cajon, how many times are you going to the beach or going downtown? I know people who moved out to Alpine because it's cheaper, slower, nicer and they come back to the beach or downtown maybe once every few months. That's the way it is in many places. People start to stay in their own neighborhoods. And when gas is expensive, nobody likes to travel so far.

San Diego is a place with a lot of old money, trust fund money, or a lot of young kids with a ton of roommates living it up for a few years. Many people tend to move out of California when they get older and want to buy a house. Look at the numbers. San Diego is one of the least affordable places when it comes to owning a home. If you could care less about that and don't mind having a few roommates, getting underpaid compared to what you should be paid, then it is the perfect place. With unlimited money San Diego is the best place I've lived.

[Bos2014]

Originally Posted by Pedro2000

If you could care less about that and don't mind having a few roommates, getting underpaid compared to what you should be paid, then it is the perfect place. With unlimited money San Diego is the best place I've lived.

What places have you lived? It's interesting that you mention the "unlimited money" qualifier; many people use that same qualifier when saying that NYC is the best (for the super wealthy).