do you feel there is highway robbery going on in NOLA? (New Orleans: sales, apartments)

[movingsomewhere]

Here's what I'm trying to say; I read a post about LA in general that if you moved from out of state, you'll end up paying $1K or more for your license plate. Any truth? I moved from Maryland to Chicago and paid only about $140 (yearly) for registering the car in Illinois (thus in turn will get you an Illinois license plate). I heard about a poster from Houma who paid $1K to get the license plate of her/his car. Another one paid $2300. Sounds ridiculous.

I looked up the rentals. The good/safe areas in NOLA are expensive compared to Chicago. This is unusual. I was expecting NOLA to be less expensive. Are its suburbs cheaper or just about the same?

Another thing I looked up are the tuition fees at colleges. In NOLA, Delgado Community College tuition fees: 12 credit cost ($845), Central New Mexico Community College in Albuquerque - 12 credits ($492). Isn't LA schools/colleges sub par compared to anywhere else? Why the high fees? It's not like it's a #1 school, right? Plus, from re-search New Mexico is a prettier state compared to Louisiana. Why the gap? Is it the corruption in NOLA? Isn't living in New Orleans like living in Detroit, but with warmer climate and better food (and people?).

I'm comparing LA and NM since those are two states I am considering of moving to, from Chicago, soon this year so I'm trying to get to the point, it's not meant to bash the city/state.

[WestbankNOLA]

Originally Posted by movingsomewhere

Here's what I'm trying to say; I read a post about LA in general that if you moved from out of state, you'll end up paying $1K or more for your license plate. Any truth? I moved from Maryland to Chicago and paid only about $140 (yearly) for registering the car in Illinois (thus in turn will get you an Illinois license plate). I heard about a poster from Houma who paid $1K to get the license plate of her/his car. Another one paid $2300. Sounds ridiculous.

The sales or usage tax on your car is a one time fee ranging from 4%-9% of the current value of the vehicle. If you buy a new car you pay it then. If you move in from out of state you pay the usage when you get registration. Licence plates in Louisiana are good for two years and only cost $22.

I looked up the rentals. The good/safe areas in NOLA are expensive compared to Chicago. This is unusual. I was expecting NOLA to be less expensive. Are its suburbs cheaper or just about the same?

Nobody here told you that NOLA was cheap. Suburbs are cheaper though.

Another thing I looked up are the tuition fees at colleges. In NOLA, Delgado Community College tuition fees: 12 credit cost ($845), Central New Mexico Community College in Albuquerque - 12 credits ($492). Isn't LA schools/colleges sub par compared to anywhere else? Why the high fees? It's not like it's a #1 school, right? Plus, from re-search New Mexico is a prettier state compared to Louisiana. Why the gap? Is it the corruption in NOLA? Isn't living in New Orleans like living in Detroit, but with warmer climate and better food (and people?).

Do a comparison of the neighboring states and you'll see that higher education is LA is actually not that bad (cost wise and quality wise). New Mexico is just cheap. Isn't education rumored to be bad out there too though? Why would living in New Orleans be like living in Detroit?

I'm comparing LA and NM since those are two states I am considering of moving to, from Chicago, soon this year so I'm trying to get to the point, it's not meant to bash the city/state.

I guess.

[thepointykitty]

I've done the math for my car and my husband's, and it will cost around $500 total to register BOTH of our cars, both of which are 2007 hatchbacks. I don't think that's too bad, considering how cheap the tags are after the initial fees. We're paying around $200 per year (per car) for ad valorem and other fees here in GA.

We've also been looking at apartments and have found them to be very comparable to Atlanta, where we're moving from. We're finding plenty of one bedrooms in the $700 range, in nice areas, too. Contact a a property management company or a realtor who specializes in rental property if you're having trouble finding what you want.

[domino]

Having lived in both NM and New Orleans, I would say the cost differences would be minimal compared to the other differences. You are comparing apples and oranges. Your personal preference for apples or oranges should be the determining factor; the cost differences, in this case, are insignificant.

P.S. "Highway robbery" goes on in NM too!

[movingsomewhere]

wow that's a lot. Here in Chicago it's $140 (i THINK?) to register/get the license plates (per year). Plus you need a City Sticker to place in your car. This is about $80 a year. Do you need a City Sticker in New Orleans? When I was in Maryland, the cost to register/get the license plate for the car from what I remember was $140 for a few years (2 years?). I don't remember. I guess highway robbery is everywhere...

Originally Posted by thepointykitty

I've done the math for my car and my husband's, and it will cost around $500 total to register BOTH of our cars, both of which are 2007 hatchbacks. I don't think that's too bad, considering how cheap the tags are after the initial fees. We're paying around $200 per year (per car) for ad valorem and other fees here in GA.

We've also been looking at apartments and have found them to be very comparable to Atlanta, where we're moving from. We're finding plenty of one bedrooms in the $700 range, in nice areas, too. Contact a a property management company or a realtor who specializes in rental property if you're having trouble finding what you want.

[Prytania]

Orleans Parish has a car inspection sticker for $25 yearly

[movingsomewhere]

the "minimal compared to other differences" I dont get? Explain?

Well as far as the college tuition I mentioned are half less in NM compared to New Orleans.

Are you still in NM or New Orleans?

I think there are different taxes in New Orleans (tourist tax?) to generate income from the tourism industry, much like taxes in "airports" in different cities are higher to generate income from "visitors". Other "touristy" cities have this so it's not new. I just hope New Orleans would be cheaper over all compared to Chicago, but as far as rental goes, it doesn't seem to be that way (New Orleans rentals are expensive) and seem to me like only the rich can ENJOY and LIVE in that city, otherwise, just VISIT.

Is New Orleans as congested as Chicago? Traffic? parking spaces? Etc. I hope not. I hate not having any parking here in Chicago but street, and or the street parking available is usually in a spot the last person in ever gets (i.e. under the EL train tracks, no to minimal lighting, a few blocks away, can't see your own car if it ever got towed or broken into and or car jacked, etc.)

If the jobs I was looking for on my other thread about NOLA is available in NOLA, then it might be worth it to move to NOLA, even nearby suburbs and city would be ok. If not, Albuquerque is the better place (good weather, open space, lots of parking, good food, more affordable rentals and other things).

Originally Posted by domino

Having lived in both NM and New Orleans, I would say the cost differences would be minimal compared to the other differences. You are comparing apples and oranges. Your personal preference for apples or oranges should be the determining factor; the cost differences, in this case, are insignificant.

P.S. "Highway robbery" goes on in NM too!