Salary needed to move from DC metro to ATL (Atlanta: real estate, rent)

[vacollins]

Hello I'm a divorced 32 year old AA Mom of a 6 year old boy. Currently live in Northern VA making in the mid 60's with decent wage growth. I was recently offered a position in Atlanta with a salary of $45,500 due to the lower cost of living. Wage growth would be a bit more stagnant in ATL. I'm attracted to Atlanta due to its proximity to Florida (my mother retired there about a year ago), the fact that Atlanta has more southern culture, appears to have nice dating options (want to remarry and prefer AA male), better weather and a progressive African American culture like DC.

However I'm concerned that the salary might be too low for the area, especially when I consider the fact that my salary would gradually increase in the next few years if I remain in the DC metro area. I do not have debt other than a fairly low student loan. While money is not everything I do want to live a comfortable lifestyle. Your thoughts are greatly appreciated, esp. if you used to live in DC and faced the same predicament. Thanks

[Bishwhat]

If I had a kid I wouldn't want to move to ATL for less than $50K at the very least but I know people get by on much less.

[Tryska]

According to this link 45,500 is right on target.....


Cost of Living Calculator: Compare the Cost of Living in Two Cities - CNNMoney

[flyonpa]

To have a similar COL / Lifestyle you would need to have income in the mid to upper 50's.

Things are not that much cheaper here.

The COL Index Calculator say 47K/ATL = 65K/DC-NOVA But 20K cut sound much to large of a cut. Just to reflect the COL changes.

[afdinatl]

That's about right. I took a 20k decrease In salary when I moved here from DC but all balanced out. Put it into this link to see for yourself


Cost of Living Calculator: Compare the Cost of Living in Two Cities - CNNMoney


45k here goes a lot further than 65k in Norva.

What part of Atlanta will your office be in?

How much are you paying in rent now?

[jero23]

This one isn't for you. Especially, if you are desiring a comfortable lifestyle.

[Tarzanman]

AA married male here. I spent 5 years in Springfield/Burke as a kid. I recently spent a week in Franconia (now called 'Kingstown' or something) and D.C.

A lot depends on what you do for a living, but my emphatic recommendation is to:
1. Not take a relocation for a lower wage (45k - 60k is a 33+% raise. Nobody is going to give that to you unless you switch companies and jobs)
2. NOT move here making $45k if you have a kid.

The cost of living is lower, but it isn't that much lower except for housing. Either way, your rent here will not be $15,000 a year cheaper.

There are more AA men here, but the dating scene for women is rough as the women outnumber the men. Your situation may be different.

Yes, rent and real estate in northern virginia can suck, and the pace of life can be hectic, but if you currently have stable housing and a stable job that gives you raises then you're in good shape. The school system in VA is miles and miles better than the public school systems around metro Atlanta.

I wouldn't give up on the idea of moving, but only do it once you have secured the right job... and 15k/yr less is not the right job.

P.S. Southern culture is not all its cracked up to be.

[testa50]

$5-10k might be plausible, but you generally don't want to relocate to have just the same standard of living. And $45k a year is probably not worth relocating for unless you just graduated college.

Not sure what your bargaining power is, but I would counter $55-60k if you really want to make the move. Definitely do not accept $45k.

[afdinatl]

harzanman;38477827]AA married male here. I spent 5 years in Springfield/Burke as a kid. I recently spent a week in Franconia (now called 'Kingstown' or something) and D.C.

A lot depends on what you do for a living, but my emphatic recommendation is to:
1. Not take a relocation for a lower wage (45k - 60k is a 33+% raise. Nobody is going to give that to you unless you switch companies and jobs)
2. NOT move here making $45k if you have a kid.

The cost of living is lower, but it isn't that much lower except for housing. Either way, your rent here will not be $15,000 a year cheaper.

There are more AA men here, but the dating scene for women is rough as the women outnumber the men. Your situation may be different.

Yes, rent and real estate in northern virginia can suck, and the pace of life can be hectic, but if you currently have stable housing and a stable job that gives you raises then you're in good shape. The school system in VA is miles and miles better than the public school systems around metro Atlanta.

I wouldn't give up on the idea of moving, but only do it once you have secured the right job... and 15k/yr less is not the right job.

P.S. Southern culture is not all its cracked up to be.

This might be the worst information posted here in the past year.

45k here is the same as 65k there. Do you understand what COL is?


The marriage rate is higher here than in DC

School systems in Cobb, Gwinnett, N Fulton are just as good as Norva schools.

Telling someone that makes 65k there not to move here to make 45k makes absolutely no sense at all.


The southern culture was nice before "other" people started moving here

[Ant131531]

If your growth potential is higher in D.C, no point in moving here. D.C. is where careers take off. Atlanta is more of a place to start a career, then move when you get the experience.

You have to think about the long-term, not just the short-term. 45k with little growth potential isn't better than 65k with high growth potential.