Cost of Living in Rehoboth Beach (Lewes: apartment, lease, health insurance)

[saturnine43110]

How far does 30,000 a year get you in the Rehoboth Beach area (and surrounding towns)? I currently make 40,000 in a large city but am considering relocating and would like to know if cost of living there is really as affordable as it seems to be? Please help! I am very worried I am going to have to drastically change my life with the pay difference.

Thank you in advance.

[ictulips]

I think you will need to provide a little more information for anyone to answer your question constuctively. In a VERY general sense, I think that the COL in RB is not drastically cheaper given that it is a beach town driven by the tourist $. That said, I think that there are ways of living more modestly here at the beach. Many retirees are on a fixed income and they seem to manage.
Where are you coming from?
What are your major expenses now?

[saturnine43110]

I'm coming from San Diego. Only rent but would like to sometime soon buy a mobile or single family house. Have car payment, student loans, etc.

[nuts2uiam]

As Ictulips suggests you can make it here in Rehoboth Beach but that depends upon a lot of factors. Employment is predominantly seasonal and that will certainly not set you up at all for the future. Exactly how much of your current expenses dollar wise move with you? If you have school loans they are not dismissable in bankruptcy court should it come to that. Depending upon just those two alone, you could exceed what you would make during the summer and then what? I am not trying to scare you just open your eyes. What is your profession? Health insurance?

The cost of living in De. will no doubt be cheaper than the San Diego that I know, but if you don't have gainful employment it could be very chancy.

[DelawareLiz]

I agree with ictulips and nuts....sure, you can make it on 30K a year and live at the beach. I actually made less than that 13-14 years ago (worked part-time as a waitress) and lived a decent life in a very small Lewes apartment--just me and my young son. However, I didn't have the beast of burden (my student loans) back then either. Those loans are like ghosts; they'll haunt you for life, I sadly know.

You mentioned living in a mobile home earlier--you can do this comfortably on 30K a year. Just make sure the job you land is stable and I could see living a happy life on 30K a year if you're good with money.

[longnecker]

Originally Posted by saturnine43110

I'm coming from San Diego. Only rent but would like to sometime soon buy a mobile or single family house. Have car payment, student loans, etc.

There are some mobiles on their own land and others on leased land. I do not recommend having your mobile sit on leased land. The ground rent will go up and the park owner gets to make all the rules.

[saturnine43110]

Originally Posted by beachliz

I agree with ictulips and nuts....sure, you can make it on 30K a year and live at the beach. I actually made less than that 13-14 years ago (worked part-time as a waitress) and lived a decent life in a very small Lewes apartment--just me and my young son. However, I didn't have the beast of burden (my student loans) back then either. Those loans are like ghosts; they'll haunt you for life, I sadly know.

You mentioned living in a mobile home earlier--you can do this comfortably on 30K a year. Just make sure the job you land is stable and I could see living a happy life on 30K a year if you're good with money.

That is great to hear. I am looking at a year-round 30k a year stable job. Just hesitant if I could have a good life making that much, since it is a decrease in what I make now in San Diego.

[nuts2uiam]

You should be able to live on that here. The job market would be the only problem and you have that so, start packing!!!