Will this salary be worth moving to Boston? (Cambridge, Quincy: apartment, rental)

[cakecakecake]

I currently live in Schenectady, NY (Capital Region). I work in a small town just west of here with a commute of 20 minutes. I have been looking for a new place to move. Originally thought FL would be good, but I'm having second thoughts. I got offered a job in Boston and I know the COL and all that is much higher there. Is a $55K salary good for a guy who:

- is single with no kids
- doesn't have any expensive habits
- won't have a car while living there (is one even needed in Boston?)
- has no debt
- only wants a 1 bed, 1 bath in a safe area

It seems like the public transportation system in Boston is pretty good just like NYC so I wouldn't mind using that to get around.

[timberline742]

Its fine. I know plenty of people that live fine on that or less. The only caveat is you need to be cool with having roommates. If you try to get a studio and live on your own in a neighborhood where you can live decently without a car you'll be hard pressed as it would take about half of your take home to pull off.

[snatale1]

I just checked a COL calulator and this is what it came up with


For Boston your salary should increase to $61k to equal your COL in NY.
Groceries 18%more
Housing 48%more
Utilities 60%more
Transportation 6%less
Health Care 27%more

I've moved away and back a few times (currently away) The rents / housing costs are never what get's you as their easy to predict and your well aware of it, it's everything else! Also, Boston's transit isn't even half as good as NY's (sadly). With that said you COULD live on that But why? Also it depends on what moving "to Boston" means. Do you actually want to live in the city proper, a city neighborhood, or a surrounding suburb? All that makes a huge difference, especially when it comes to public transit. I've got the traveling move away disease so I know it's fun to pack up and go, but weigh all your options logically.

[cakecakecake]

Originally Posted by timberline742

Its fine. I know plenty of people that live fine on that or less. The only caveat is you need to be cool with having roommates. If you try to get a studio and live on your own in a neighborhood where you can live decently without a car you'll be hard pressed as it would take about half of your take home to pull off.

Man I was hoping this wouldn't be the case. I guess that's something I'll need to take into consideration.

Originally Posted by snatale1

I just checked a COL calulator and this is what it came up with


For Boston your salary should increase to $61k to equal your COL in NY.
Groceries 18%more
Housing 48%more
Utilities 60%more
Transportation 6%less
Health Care 27%more

I've moved away and back a few times (currently away) The rents / housing costs are never what get's you as their easy to predict and your well aware of it, it's everything else! Also, Boston's transit isn't even half as good as NY's (sadly). With that said you COULD live on that But why? Also it depends on what moving "to Boston" means. Do you actually want to live in the city proper, a city neighborhood, or a surrounding suburb? All that makes a huge difference, especially when it comes to public transit. I've got the traveling move away disease so I know it's fun to pack up and go, but weigh all your options logically.

Thanks for the info. I think I would want to live right in the city itself. Suburban areas don't interest me that much. I'm from Hamilton Hill, Schenectady so pretty much anything would be better than here.

[timberline742]

You don't have to live in Boston itself to be in the city, exactly. There are cities, not suburbs, that border Boston: Quincy, Somerville, Cambridge, etc. The metro area here is unlike some. Living in Boston itself, without roommates, will be nearly impossible to do well outside of some of the more run down / sketchy areas. With roommates, you'll be fine. I earn a little more than that (took a big pay cut with a career change) and I do ok, but I have a better than average housing cost situation. I live in East Somerville, and it is three T stops for me (<25 min walking out the door) to be downtown. Even outside Boston itself, I've never felt any need to have a car. I've had one at times, but it usually sat there for a couple of weeks at a time and was often more a pain than not. Things are dense enough that I can walk or bike, or take the T, anywhere I need to go. I have a zip car membership for the once a month or so I really feel like I need one.

[flowbe202]

Public transportation is very good so long as you go where it takes you!

I'd map out the job location and some possible commuting scenarios that you could work with.

Give Craigslist a quick look to see what the apartment rental situation is like for that area.

Come back and ask about certain areas and folks can walk you through the areas.

Your employer may have lower healthcare costs than in NY...so, you might want to look to see what the costs are before assuming a big hike.

Food is expensive. But, there are many opportunities to mooch free food at events or conferences if you have a hankering to dine out or don't have any rich colleagues who will treat you. Maybe your job includes an expense account for client dining?

Boston is not as cold as upstate NY so you would probably save on heat utilities if not included in your place

Always glad to welcome someone considering the move - Boston is great.

[gf2020]

Really depends on what your current salary is and if this is a good career move for you regardless of location.

[bigfatdude]

It's all relative - $55k would be a great salary for someone who started their career in Boston at a lower salary, but it would feel like a huge downgrade for someone coming from a place with lower cost of living assuming their paycheck was already in that range.

[kingeorge]

Unless career-wise you will be making huge leap of some kind, it is not worth it getting stuck in one of the most expensive areas in the US. If your salary was double that or at least in the 70K area, I would say go for it. Otherwise you are running in the risk of getting into a debt to be able to survive MA since everything is quite expensive. I am not sure it is worth it.
My five cents. Good luck.

[flowbe202]

OP said he had no debt, kids or expensive habits.

Unless he takes to shopping at Burberry's, snoozing at the Mandarin and snarfing oysters at B&G, he'll make it at 55k. Plus, have better contacts / work mobility/ job opportunities.

After Schenectady, heck, he may even pay Boston to take him in!