Just finished tech school as an MA, looking to live in SD, need help because i can't get a firm answer (San Diego: apartments)

[xVanillaBearx]

I hope the title is descriptive enough…I am young and single and looking to get a new start somewhere other than my hometown, and this is the third thread I've tried to start, but I've had no success yet in getting help.

I am in the health services field, and I'm just wondering if CA is even the right place to go to be a medical assistant (now I know I'm starting to sound pathetic like I've already given up on life, but I haven't I'm actually pretty optimistic)…I'm just looking for some local/native's opinions on San Diego. I need ideas of the following:
food, gas, good apartments to rent, insurance, car expenses--are they more expensive?, public transit systems, neighborhoods to stay away from..

I don't go out to eat a lot because I like to cook and I don't go out to drink or party so I'm not looking for anything like that, and I know that CA is way more expensive than UT (where I'm residing) but I am trying to make this happen. I've been wanting to leave because I need to know what being on my own is really like. I've been very privileged to have my parents help me this far along, but they are going to cut me off soon when I get a medical assistant job.

This is how I resource, I know it's not the best way but I'm begging for some assistance outside of my family (and possibly some extra encouragement that I can do this? )

Thanks a million to anyone who is willing to help (and not be sarcastic about it, please because I'm trying to just get some info)

[cvlp]

In my opinion, San Diego is a young persons town and there are a lot of transient people and a lot of homeless people and a lot of partyers as well as a lot of families.
Families does not mean in the strictest sense. San Diego is very diverse but also has a very heavy Hispanic population.

I would not recommend anyone moving to San Diego but since you are young and want to try something different and be on your own, you may like it.

San Diego is very expensive when compared to the rest of the country.

There are a lot of pretty areas or pockets of San Diego but you will have to find them.

Have you ever been to San Diego? Maybe you should visit and see if you will like it.

Gas, food, everything is probably more expensive than where you are now.

And you should have a job lined up before moving. Or a lot of money that you are prepared to part with.

We recently moved out of San Diego because of the high col and other reasons.

The only thing I really miss is the Hotel del at Christmas time but I have pictures and memories.
Yeah I miss Coronado but unless I won the lottery I was never going to be able to afford to live there.

Good Luck!
P.S. There are other parts of the country that are very nice and less expensive.

[shmoov_groovzsd]

In a nutshell, some of the costs are comparable to larger metro cities with 2-3x the population of SD.

It really is a place that you can swing probably for a couple of years and have fun, but unless you have the means to truly afford SD for the long term (most notable comparing housing), on paper you may be better off cutting your teeth in other cities for a bit.
It may allow you to earn more money, gain valuable experience, save and then be in a better position to move to SD later on.

Plus it doesnt sound like you may have been here before with the aspiration to actually live here vs vacation.

As earlyretirement says on these boards, which I agree with completely, think about the end game. Living year to year may be ok in the short term, but some realistic goals are something I strongly advise. I just dont think SD, for someone starting their career except in a few niche industries is fertile ground.

For as great as SD is, I have seen too many people "have to" leave for lack of oppts etc. I am not saying its impossible, but I hear that more than folks really being in a great position to enjoy the higher COL out here.

Search the boards a bit, there are tons of threads about this kind of thing.

SD is like a kids playground, but to really be in a great position here for the long run, it takes some strategy.

Good luck

[sdurbanite]

Originally Posted by cvlp

In my opinion, San Diego is a young persons town and there are a lot of transient people and a lot of homeless people and a lot of partyers as well as a lot of families.
Families does not mean in the strictest sense. San Diego is very diverse but also has a very heavy Hispanic population.

This makes no sense to me at all

Lots of families, then you say families not in the strictest sense?

What do you mean by heavily Hispanic? The 2010 census says Latinos make up 32% of the County's population, meaning 68% are NOT Latino.

Over 3 million people live in SD County. How many homeless/transients are you talking about? 1 million? 100,000? 10,000?

Partyers? Again, are you talking about 1 million partyers?

[Clevelandgal]

good advice has been given, however getting a job here in your field is very competitive. In your field, you will be competing with people that have the same education but are also bilingual and can communicate with more patients . In SD in any human service job- where you deal with the public, speaking Spanish gives a HUGE edge. Do some searches on jobs in your field and you will probably find speaking Spanish is "strongly preferred" to "required" in job descriptions. I work in human/health services and feel lucky to have gotten a job. Nearly all of my coworkers speak Spanish...and obviously are much more marketable than I am.

[xVanillaBearx]

Thanks to everyone for your responses. They were very helpful! I'm trying to find time to take a Spanish class so I can learn enough Spanish for work. I don't plan on living in SD for my whole life, I just would like some time to be out on my own in a new state for a couple years for a different experience. I don't want to just vacation because two weeks isn't enough for me for what I'm seeking out. But yes I have plans in the nearest future to visit SD and see if it's something I like. I don't mind Hispanic population, a lot of my friends here are Latin American, and some are from LA, but they don't tell me anything about SD cause they haven't been there. All the same, thanks everyone! I really appreciate it.

[GreyDay]

Ever consider Texas?

[tonyinsd]

For what it's worth, I had someone who took around a year to get a nursing job. She ended up taking a job in Victorville.

It is expensive to live here, and it's a very competitive job market.

That's because people want to live here. You could go to North Dakota. The unemployment rate is lower. The cost of living is lower. And taxes are lower.

But you'd be in North Dakota.

[illusion887]

What city are you coming from? I moved to SD on a whim a few months ago from SLC, UT. The good news is your young and single like me so if you want to live a low key but fun lifestyle in SD it's possible.

The first thing you need to get is a job. The job market is very very competitive...everyone here has degrees and tons of people apply for the same job. So my advice is move here with at least 5-10k in savings..enough to survive for at least 3-6 months. If you can't find a job quickly in your field you may have to fall back on something like serving in a restaurant or whatever to pay the bills until you get established here..if your parents can support you a little even better And I wouldn't recommend moving if your paying off student or car loans.

Anyways bills will run around $1300 a month maybe more depending on your lifestyle. so if you can find at least $12 an hour a job you can get by living here on a budget. Ideally you wanna be making at least $15 an hour to be living here comfortably if your single.

I had never been to SD before moving here and I don't regret. I'd move here if I was you if you wanna get a slice of the California dream