Whole Foods Market specializes in organic produce and meats. They are a little pricey....I shop for fresh deli and a few specialty things there. Central Market has a bit more "international" choices....lots of imported foods and a great deli, wine and cheese section. The produce there is wonderful! Both markets have a "build your own six-pak" of beer for about $7.99. You can mix and match and taste test a huge variety of beer and ale.
RE: your flat....that would be a "condo" here. New construction would cost more per square foot, and not too many 1 br condo's are available in new developments. The few in my area are overly priced in my opinion and NOT worth it. If you want a flat/condo....there are quite a few older apartment complexes (formerly rental properties) that have been converted to "condo units" (you purchase the building but the land it's on is common ownership). Those properties generally have an additional fee that is
on top of your monthly payment. It's called a HOA or Home Owner's Agreement. It covers costs of maintaining the common areas. If you chose to go this way, be on the look out for this! A realtor may initially tell you what your monthly mortgage payment is......but the HOA fee can vary a great deal.....anywhere from $200 to $800 a MONTH! A realtor worth their salt will explain about HOA's up front before you start looking. If they don't, ask them! I eliminated a lot of very affordable properties because the HOA was outrageous.
You might do better with a small house. There are some "garden" homes (smaller with very little garden to upkeep)....or even a duplex or quad. (two or four residences that are attached.) Renting or leasing runs about $1 per square foot.....so a 1bedroom/1bath that is about 600 square feet will run about $600. Most require a deposit equal to one months rent.
If you chose to rent.....come back and ask about that! There are things that you need to know about renting/leasing.
When you look for a place, keep in mind trees and sun exposure. Try to avoid Southwest or Western exposure. Full sun on unprotected windows will cause a great deal of heat gain inside in the summer....and a much larger air conditioning bill!
If you just use a cell phone, there are many cell phone choices and plans, and that depends on your needs. Some people are now doing away with home phones and just using their cell. If you decide to have a home phone, you can combine your home phone (including unlimited long distance in the US) cable TV and DSL highspeed internet service as a package. Average is about $130-$150 a month for all three, but that also depend on your needs.
Gas/petrol.....around town...average use for a car that gets reasonable gas mileage....maybe $35-$50 a month....again, depending on use. I'm out and about a lot and all over town. It takes about $45 to fill up and I have a 4door sedan....decent gas mileage. I fill up every 3-4 weeks.
So much for a cost of living primer in San Antonio! Best of luck to you!
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how does it all cost??
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