Is 2500/month enough for 3 of us (Orange: renting, insurance, house)

[gspec]

Hello,
I am from So-Cal and in High-Tech industry. I got a couple offers that are pretty good I think.
We would like to get a 3-bedroom house in a good neighborhood. For that kind of house, we would left with 2500/month for everything else other than the mortgage.
I know 'enough' is a relative term. But I just want to get an idea from people who live in the Bay Area whether that amount is 'enough' for three of us or not...
We don't owe anything, so that amount is for groceries, gasoline, utilities, maintenance (house and 2 cars), insurance deductibles, etc. I heard utilities are very expensive there. Gasoline is about 10-20% more.
Down here we spend about 2200/month to cover those items. I think I should be able to do the same with 10% more up there. What do u guys think?

[Meowen]

I'd say it's pretty much the same as so-cal as far as cost of living except you might use your heater a little more in the winter nights.

[gone down south]

But less a/c, so it balances out.

[IrishWeather]

I think it would be tight enough, to be honest, though I can't see the costs being THAT much higher than SoCal, so if you can survive on 2,200 down there, then you'd probably be ok on 2,500 up here.

[Jess72]

I don't think your cost should be much higher. The only extra expense might be travel. Do you have to pay for any tolls? How far will you live from work and school for gas expense?

[Wintermomma]

Originally Posted by Meowen

I'd say it's pretty much the same as so-cal as far as cost of living except you might use your heater a little more in the winter nights.

Having come from the 'burbs of LA, I disagree. *EVERYTHING* is more here. I realized housing would be more, but anything you do that is from a place that has a building is going to cost more b/c they're paying more in "rent." My bill during the winter last year was over $400, FOR THREE months in a row. And we were freezing walking around in wool socks and layers. The worst mid-summer electric bills in SoCal were in the mid $200's. We were renting a dilapidated 1960s home. If you can afford a newer or rebuilt home with good insulation and windows that will definitely help with the electric bills.

We expected it all to just 'even out,' but it didn't. Without A/C in the summer we suffered horribly for two weeks and having electric fans blowing around the oven-like air had our electric bill for that month at nearly $200. I have to wonder if PG&E doesn't have higher rates than Edison? Gasoline also costs more. Eating out costs more. Any "extra" in your life costs more (classes, hair cuts, etc. etc.) I'm not sure on the groceries as we shop at Trader Joe's and I find them really reasonable still.

Sorry to be a debbie-downer, but I wish we'd have been a little more prepared for the cost of living here.

[mayorhaggar]

I was in Orange County for a week not that long ago and I would say costs there are pretty similar to in the Bay Area--rent was similar, gas was similar, going out to eat was similar, etc.