STRUGGLING! Moving to an expensive location and feeling loss (relocating, more expensive, colleges)

[Group Hug]

We are moving from a rurally located smallish city to a large metro area and I am having major sticker shock! Has anybody successfully made that transition who can tell me their stories? We are moving to Atlanta area, which is known for being such an affordable place to live, but it doesn't feel that way to us. Our current home is large, beautiful and has a three-car garage. To find a similar home in my new city, it would cost us double (or else it would land us a 1.5 hour commute each way). We did find a nice home in our new city, but it isn't what we are leaving behind and I find myself having mini-meltdowns about our "demotion" in standard of living.

I keep telling myself "at least we're not relocating to SoCal because we'd have to live in an apartment there," but it isn't working. I still feel loss and panic at giving up my dream home and a nicer lifestyle.

Anybody walked down this road?

[veuvegirl]

We moved from arizona to New Jersey and it was insane. We were young with no kids, so were able to rent for a few years before we bought.

[lae60]

I have moved both ways, and with the higher COL areas, I generally also had more outside the home activities so in the end it balanced out. Smaller house, more concerts, museums, beaches, parks, colleges, libraries, etc. types of activities. Try to find some non-house positive activities in your new areas. In the end you are likely to spend less time in the house in the bigger/more expensive areas.

[Group Hug]

Great idea, lae60. There seem to be a ton of fun activities in my new area that I am excited about.