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Old 12-26-2010, 12:06 PM
 
1,296 posts, read 2,218,945 times
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I've been applying for jobs in the Boston area. What kind of a minimum yearly salary would a single person need, to have a middle-class standard of living in Boston? When I say middle-class, I mean being able to have a one bedroom apt. that is decent, in a reasonably safe area, being able to afford to shop at Trader Joes for groceries, pay my utilities with no problem, enjoy entertainment occasionally, afford other necessities with no problem, and still be able to save a sum of money every month, to cover emergencies. Any advice is appreciated.
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Old 12-27-2010, 01:33 AM
 
Location: Ohio
2,310 posts, read 6,789,502 times
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Depends what neighborhood/town you live in since rent is probably your highest expense.

Let's say you find an apt for $1000K + Utilities. Assuming you have no student loans and debts, I wouldn't take a job for less than 65K. That would be my minimum and it'd take a job at this salary only if there is prospect for the salary to go up in the future.

BTW, If you have loans & debt (car payment, student loan, cc bills, etc) and have expensive habits then obviously you'd go higher.
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Old 12-29-2010, 01:46 PM
 
Location: Quincy, MA
385 posts, read 1,449,586 times
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It all depends on what you consider "decent," what is a reasonable commute to you, what you like to do for fun, etc. The general rule is not to spend more than 28-30% of your gross income on housing costs, with some leeway if you don't have debt or other large monthly expenses. There are cities like Cambridge or Brookline where you'd be spending at least $1300 or $1400 for a one-bedroom apartment, and other cities like Quincy or Malden where it would be more like $1000 or even less.

The previous poster recommeded 65K as a minimum salary, but that's around the average household income for this area. Personally, I don't think a single person needs that much just to survive, but YMMV. I will say that I earn much less than that and have enough to rent a one bedroom apartment, pay my bills, maintain an emergency fund and retirement fund, and go out once or twice a month. It helps if you're willing to live in a less fashionable, but still safe, locale.
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