Cost of living calculators (insurance, mortgage, how much)

[Weis02]

We all have used one or another to see the cost of living difference between where we are now and NC -

but if you look at these calcuators, they assume everything being equal (same type of house, etc - it's all relative) so they only tell you if you earn x $$ where you are, you only need to earn X$$ in NC, but you are in no better financial situation and that is what I think many of us look at these for, but a cost of living calcualtor can't know your lifestyle, spending habits, etc so essentially if you only need to make a certain amount in NC compared to where you are, you will be in the exact same financial situation, maybe with a bigger house in a nice area.

[mm34b]

It's only a comparison of how far a Dollar will go from one region to another. Think of it as a domestic monetary exchange rate.

[li23]

Originally Posted by Weis02

We all have used one or another to see the cost of living difference between where we are now and NC -

but if you look at these calcuators, they assume everything being equal (same type of house, etc - it's all relative) so they only tell you if you earn x $$ where you are, you only need to earn X$$ in NC, but you are in no better financial situation and that is what I think many of us look at these for, but a cost of living calcualtor can't know your lifestyle, spending habits, etc so essentially if you only need to make a certain amount in NC compared to where you are, you will be in the exact same financial situation, maybe with a bigger house in a nice area.

I know what you mean. What do you think about the idea that you can actually take equity out of a home in the NE to buy a house in NC without a mortgage or a small mortgage and consider it an investment. How else would I be able to invest the equity that I have in my home? I can't trade up here, and chances of the market here going up at the same percentage is probably slim.

[erick]

bankrate.com/brm/movecalc.asp

[Weis02]

Again, all these calc and things are tools, they are too general -

allthough it does show med care higher in nc -

they have a lot of interesting little things on the bank rate one but some of the numbers are way out of wack for me, I do not pay $35 a mo for a newspaper and $17 for boys jeans,

these calculators use Nassau COunty as their basis Nass is a big o****y up just like if you compare to Char or Ral, their are outlying areas and there will be cost differences ....that can vary to a great degree, insurance being one of them, even food and clothes in some areas vary by the demographics of these areas.

All I am really saying, for me personally, when I compared the costs there to here using my own numbers, salary est, house sale/house costs, the bottom line was less in NC but not to such a huge degree as many think -


I just wanted to caution everyone that these are tools to help you but really cannot tell you how much you will save my moving, it is indivdual and all of us here

[asafdar34]

I am moving to Wichita, KS. Any thoughts.

[RAV Industries]

Cost of living, for us, is just one consideration. I'm fortunate enough to work in the car industry where the compensation is roughly the same no matter where in the country we live. Yes, housing is 1/2 compared to where we are in Rhode Island. So if I can make within $10K-$20K per year of what I'm making now we'll be ahead of the game.