If you had to think of a city that was the most like Phoenix, but with milder weather, what city would that be? (Tucson: apartment, how much)

[elcahiz]

I'm a SoCal native, but I live in British Columbia (Lower Mainland - Vancouver area) since after college, since this is where my wife is from. We have a son and another on the way and we can't afford to live here, we're in an overcrowded apartment in a building where most of our neighbors are guest houses for Chinese workers living 7 to a room, my son has to go to a Catholic school (they're state funded here and free) even though we're Muslim because the local primary is mainly children who are still learning English and not only did my son feel totally isolated, he got absolutely no attention and on top of that we will never own a home here.


My mom, my sister and her family live in Phoenix. Every time we visit them we see how much we love the city, only Vancouver is better but unlike Vancouver we can afford to live in Phoenix. The problem is that the summer weather is so horrible that I can't take it. I almost collapsed and I couldn't breathe when we came in for my nephew's Qur'an recitation recital in June, we had only come during the winter in the other years.




What city is most like Phoenix, with the beautiful southwestern landscape and blue skies, the ability to live a suburban lifestyle while being in town, the lack of lawn maintenance and the decent people without the oppressive heat, in your opinion?

I'm scoping out places on my own so that I can find a great neighborhood in a great city and "sell" it to my wife, because she wants us to move to Dallas and I don't want I live in Dallas.


Thank you!

[KurtAZ]

Phoenix is pretty unique...I don't think what you are looking for exists. If you want the Southwest there is Phoenix, Las Vegas or Albuquerque if you are trying to stay affordable. There are more temperate locations in SoCal but...$$$$$$$$$. If you don't mind snow I would say the closest city similar to Phoenix would be Denver...but you are trading the Southwestern views for the Rockies and the heat for snow, hail and tornadoes.

Honestly, you get used to the heat in the summer and develop ways to deal with it.

[JGMotorsport64]

Kurt omitted Tucson. Which is in many ways a great bit prettier than Phoenix with bluer skies and grander mountains. It's also a little bit cooler, but more humid.

Nevertheless, the closest thing to what you're describing is either Phoenix/Tucson or Albuquerque. You could do inland SoCal but that is expensive.

[pbenjamin]

I doubt that the subtleties of the weather differences between Tucson and Phoenix would be noticeable to someone who doesn't live here. Albuquerque is probably the best suggestion.

[Renegade007]

Baghdad, Iraq.


(Yes, I'm kidding. )

[elcahiz]

Originally Posted by JGMotorsport64

Kurt omitted Tucson. Which is in many ways a great bit prettier than Phoenix with bluer skies and grander mountains. It's also a little bit cooler, but more humid.

Nevertheless, the closest thing to what you're describing is either Phoenix/Tucson or Albuquerque. You could do inland SoCal but that is expensive.

Thanks. Albuquerque keeps coming up, I'll have to check it out. What about Santa Fe?


Living in a SoCal neighborhood where my son won't be offered meth at school will mean that we will have to stay in the same cramped living conditions. Not to mention that CA tax law means my business will suffer.

[JGMotorsport64]

Originally Posted by elcahiz

Thanks. Albuquerque keeps coming up, I'll have to check it out. What about Santa Fe?


Living in a SoCal neighborhood where my son won't be offered meth at school will mean that we will have to stay in the same cramped living conditions. Not to mention that CA tax law means my business will suffer.

I like Albuquerque a lot. I lived there for a short period of time. I think the only drawback is the level of isolation. You have a small airport, Santa Fe and then no other large civilization for 8 or so hours in any direction. But the QOL is fantastic and the lifestyle is second to none.

Santa Fe is alright to visit, but Albuquerque is more of a city to actually live in. They're pretty close together as well. Santa Fe is a bit expensive too.

[Pink Jazz]

Albuquerque is really more like Tucson than it is like Phoenix IMO. Like Tucson, it is more University influenced than Phoenix and is more similar in size to Tucson. It is a also a lot more heavily Hispanic than Phoenix.

[elcahiz]

Originally Posted by Pink Jazz

Albuquerque is really more like Tucson than it is like Phoenix IMO. Like Tucson, it is more University influenced than Phoenix and is more similar in size to Tucson. It is a also a lot more heavily Hispanic.

University influenced isn't the greatest for us, it adds an element that isn't really the best for families. I don't care what ethnicity people are, as long as they don't hate Muslims. I have never noticed a problem in Arizona, my mother and sister, my nieces and my wife are all hijabis and haven't been looked at twice in Phoenix..

[goolsbyjazz]

I would suggest Albuquerque as well. There is always Vegas too, but it gets pretty hot there as well. Hood luck.