Mid 60K salary in Austin. How comfortable can I be? (Late 20s)

[txgolfer130]

Originally Posted by Novacek

Not if you compare apples to apples. Sure, if you go from buying everything at HEB to buying everything at whole foods, Austin will cost you more. The cost of living comparisons I found online put groceries either the same or _slightly_ (~5%) cheaper in SA.
Cost of Living Index for Selected U.S. Cities | Infoplease.com

As for gas, you do realize 4-5 cents is about 1% ? You can make that up just by easing off the accelerator or filling up your tires.

Austin-Round Rock, TX vs San Antonio, TX Metro Area in Cost of Living

Apples to apples...was already mentioned. Is it a lot? No, but given the parameters it's more than enough to make a difference. Gas difference of 1%? Is not made up in Austin by "easing off the pedal" or inflating your tires (especially as most people are not at the proper inflation size to begin with. More than 1% difference is burned just sitting in traffic.

It's not a huge insurmountable difference per month, but enough to add up to a measurable chunk over the 12 mo's. And that's all before you add in entertainment, and other "amenities".

[janejanejanejanejane]

As someone who moved from SA and heard that everything was more expensive here and reacted to it back then with a "no way, that's a joke", I'd like to say that yes, it's more expensive here on every front.
Even a hair cut at a salon is $10-20 more. It all adds up to a big difference.

SAVE FOR RETIREMENT!!!!! Make sure you save for retirement on top of social security (cause we will be getting pennies when we retire from it) and don't move here if you aren't saving 15% of your gross income for retirement.

[beaste]

Originally Posted by janejanejanejanejane

As someone who moved from SA and heard that everything was more expensive here and reacted to it back then with a "no way, that's a joke", I'd like to say that yes, it's more expensive here on every front.
Even a hair cut at a salon is $10-20 more. It all adds up to a big difference.

SAVE FOR RETIREMENT!!!!! Make sure you save for retirement on top of social security (cause we will be getting pennies when we retire from it) and don't move here if you aren't saving 15% of your gross income for retirement.

Point taken!

[lollygagger428]

Originally Posted by thenewtexan

This is precisely why I chose San Antonio. Kyle? LOL. That was a great analogy.

You fit in really well here in SA, the dumping ground of America.

[TXEX06]

Originally Posted by lollygagger428

You fit in really well here in SA, the dumping ground of America.

lol! You are trolling over in the Austin forum now grandpa?

[winkosmosis]

Do people just lack common sense and ability to do really simple math? $65k is more than enough for almost every city.