[gmm_24]

I was in NY last week and drove up to CT, I have been wanting to get out of CO for a couple of years now and I like CT. It was good being back on the Coast seeing friends and family but I have no desire to live in NY again. CT is a good choice for me, I have been looking on the other side of the CT river since I still plan on having my livestock and etc.

I priced things while I was there and I am not sure where or how CT gets you COS of living wise. Your prices are pretty much the same as here. Actually clothes are cheaper there, gas is the same, beef a bit higher, produce lower etc. Hay which does not matter to most of you is a heck of a lot cheaper in CT. Your housing prices at least where I am looking are the same or less then here.

I know your housing taxes are more then here, but how else is CT considered more expensive? Is it utilites? Employment tax?
My average electric bill for a 2800 sq foot house was $90 per month on budget billing. We were on propane and that was $240 per month. Cable $85 per month, internet $60, trash $45, water I am on a well so no bill.

I forgot to check my receipt and see what your sales tax is, here it is 8.75, 9.75% if there is a PIF slapped on to it.

I have to say that everyone I met was nice and friendly. It was great to see trees and water again too.... and Dunkin Donuts! lol

[LRPct]

Wow.. 90$ a month for electricity!! I think Ive pulled that off once or twice in my pool house! Lol.. 900 sq ft cabin runs about 150$ a month and 3,000 sq ft house is closer to 200$ but I almost never use AC.
The rest that most people complain about are property taxes, income taxes, auto property tax. Property taxes have huge swings here depending on town mill rates. You need to look at that. For example, my 3k sqft cost me about 2,300 $ in property taxes.. if the same house was 1,000 feet east, in the next town my taxes would be closer to 7k$. And theres abutting towns that have mill rates that would make it almost 9k$.
Im sure others will chime in with other ideas of where to expect COL adjustments.

[ctwhitechin]

Gas is one of the most expensive in the country, auto tax yearly is absurd, I drive a 10 year old pickup truck and the bill I just paid ( it is due august 1st annually) was $300 or so. Definitelly a thought in buying something new, it is based on the value of the vehicle. I wanted to buy a new f150 and went to tax assessors office, for the first couple years the tax bill would be well over $1000.00.

Job market isn't the greatest either, we are moving south very soon. It is a nice place as far as environment, things to do, etc. Just expensive.

[gmm_24]

We have that same stupid tax on cars. Yours seems higher, here on a mid size SUV you pay about $800 for the year. No state car inspections just emissions every two years. I don't buy new anymore since I'm hard on my cars. Cars out there are also cheaper.

Your gas costs about the same as here, it was higher on long island. I was stupid and should have filled the rental in queens but wanted to do it closer to JFK and paid 4.34 a gallon!

Our jobs are nationwide so we can put in for a transfer, if that fails I can work for family till I find something else.
Not what I want to do but at least it would be something.

So I'll get hammered on electric, but I will save money on hay. It's triple here what it costs there and due to our climate I have to buy tons during the brown season which lasts 6-8 months. I know that is not important too most of you but my other job is livestock and hay prices hurt. Our growing season sucks and water is gold here. I'm so glad to have a well, water taps are 40k plus if you can even get one. You aren't even allowed to collect water in barrels here. They have started giving permits to some but you are not allowed to disrupt the flow of water, plus you pay for every square foot of your house, deck etc that stops water from reaching the ground. That is in your permit and maybe house taxes.

So electric, house taxes and maybe employment taxes are the big ones that I have to worry about?

I'm on my phone so sorry for any typos and lack of caps where needed

[jjcan]

It depends where are you going to live in CT. house price is very expensive for those area commutable to NYC, 2800 sf house could easily run you over $1M or even much more. North or east side of CT would be less costly.

[kidyankee764]

I don't think you understand just how expensive it is here. And factually, a lot of the stuff you're saying is just plain incorrect.

Gas: CO has among the cheapest gas prices in the country. CT has the second most expensive gas prices in the continental US.

CT: $4.01
CO: $3.50

Heck, when I was in Stamford yesterday, I passed a Shell that was selling regular at $4.78!

Housing is almost 25% higher in one of the most affordable metros in CT than it is in Denver.

Taxes are huge in CT. We pay among the highest percentage of property taxes compared to home value in the country, behind NY and NJ. We rank 3, while CO ranks 30. As far as overall tax burden goes, CT is at 12.3% of overall income and CO is at 9.1%, below the national average of 9.9%.

Utilities - As of April, CT had the highest electric rates in the continental USA at 15.5 cents per kilowatthour. CO ranked under the national average at 9.37 cents.

With all due respect, you really need to do more in depth research. CT is one of the priciest states to live in and, unless you're living in the most affluent section of CO and are looking to move to the cheapest part of CT, it makes little sense to make the move.

[JayCT]

Compare income taxes. Your vehicles will be taxed by the town here in Connecticut also. Jay

[Stratford, Ct. Resident]

Originally Posted by kidyankee764

I don't think you understand just how expensive it is here. And factually, a lot of the stuff you're saying is just plain incorrect.

Gas: CO has among the cheapest gas prices in the country. CT has the second most expensive gas prices in the continental US.

CT: $4.01
CO: $3.50

With all due respect, you really need to do more in depth research. CT is one of the priciest states to live in and, unless you're living in the most affluent section of CO and are looking to move to the cheapest part of CT, it makes little sense to make the move.

The OP could be in the vicinity of Aspen.

[kidyankee764]

Originally Posted by Stratford, Ct. Resident

The OP could be in the vicinity of Aspen.

It's possible, which is why I noted unless they are comparing the most affluent part of CO to the most affordable part of CT, then CT will be far more expensive in general.

[Stratford, Ct. Resident]

Originally Posted by kidyankee764

Heck, when I was in Stamford yesterday, I passed a Shell that was selling regular at $4.78!

Yeah, i don't get it. That Shell on West Broad, and a Mobil on Rt.1 in Westport are always way above everybody elses price, yet they stay in business.