California transplant has forgotten what it's like to live elsewhere (Los Angeles: transplants, rent)

[MuscleCar]

I grew up in the Midwest and took a job in California 15 years ago.

You don't really begin to know what's going on with the world until sometime in your late teen years. By that account I figure I've spent more conscious time in California then in the Midwest.

I know that California is a tough place to live, but I've been doing it so long now I think I have tunnel vision. I tell people I would like to leave but they just tell me I'm going to make less wages in another state and it doesn't make much difference. But I also see some people leave California and they say they love their new home, and never look back.

I know grocery and utility prices are very reasonable in CA, and costs of car ownership are quite high.

I make 70K year in aerospace, and have a $2000 mortgage. So that being said any other discussion about living elsewhere is on the table. Thanks

[jm1982]

It's likely you might make less but then your cost of living .. mostly housing will likely go down .

Have you looked at what wages are out of state for jobs similar to yours .
Sometimes people in CA make it seem like everyone is making peanuts working out of state .


Living in CA it seems people do mostly for lifestyle versus saving the most money .

Since you already own a home here in CA I'd say it makes more sense to stay .
If you were paying all that money in rent without a good hope of owning property I'd say it would make more sense to move .

[LoveMeSomeSFVHouses]

I am assuming there certain areas where Aerospace is more in demand... do any of those markets interest you? If so, Bank Rate has a pretty great Cost of Living calculator. https://www.bankrate.com/calculators...alculator.aspx

[Angelino19]

Originally Posted by MuscleCar

I grew up in the Midwest and took a job in California 15 years ago.

You don't really begin to know what's going on with the world until sometime in your late teen years. By that account I figure I've spent more conscious time in California then in the Midwest.

I know that California is a tough place to live, but I've been doing it so long now I think I have tunnel vision. I tell people I would like to leave but they just tell me I'm going to make less wages in another state and it doesn't make much difference. But I also see some people leave California and they say they love their new home, and never look back.

I know grocery and utility prices are very reasonable in CA, and costs of car ownership are quite high.

I make 70K year in aerospace, and have a $2000 mortgage. So that being said any other discussion about living elsewhere is on the table. Thanks

If your main reason for wanting to move is cost of living, who can argue with you that. Housing is certainly less expensive in such places as Phoenix, Las Vegas, Salt Lake City or Denver. I only mentioned those cities because I've spent a fair amount of time there. Phoenix and Vegas are full of California transplants.

Life is certainly more manageable when you're not struggling to pay your bills, and living from pay check to pay check, with little, if anything left over for those last minute expenditures like car repairs or plumbing problems, etc.


Of course there's always going to be trade-offs. In SoCal we have great weather, the Pacific Ocean at our doorsteps, beautiful mountains, and an abundance of entertainment and cultural venues. If you can live without that, then maybe it's time to move to a more affordable city and start anew. Most transplants I speak to miss certain things about SoCal, but seem very content in their new environment.

[gomason]

There are a lot of cities with higher paying wages like SF, DC, NY, Boston, etc. LA really isnt that high paying — only difference is the costs are just as high as the other cities, so everyone is poorer.

[wilshire]

Homes in Austin TX are a lot cheaper and some aerospace there too. Good luck dude whatever u do.

[expatCA]

Originally Posted by MuscleCar

I grew up in the Midwest and took a job in California 15 years ago.

You don't really begin to know what's going on with the world until sometime in your late teen years. By that account I figure I've spent more conscious time in California then in the Midwest.

I know that California is a tough place to live, but I've been doing it so long now I think I have tunnel vision. I tell people I would like to leave but they just tell me I'm going to make less wages in another state and it doesn't make much difference. But I also see some people leave California and they say they love their new home, and never look back.

I know grocery and utility prices are very reasonable in CA, and costs of car ownership are quite high.

I make 70K year in aerospace, and have a $2000 mortgage. So that being said any other discussion about living elsewhere is on the table. Thanks

FL Space coast. Expanding jobs in that market and definitely a lower cost of living.

[Bert_from_back_East]

Originally Posted by gomason

There are a lot of cities with higher paying wages like SF, DC, NY, Boston, etc. LA really isnt that high paying — only difference is the costs are just as high as the other cities, so everyone is poorer.

It's not just large, expensive coastal cities like Boston, NY, DC and SF that offer higher wages for equivalent work relative to Los Angeles. Employers in cities you would least expect, such as Cleveland, Dallas and Kansas City, for example, often pay higher wages for the same work as employers in Los Angeles.