[OT] living in your area, how much $$ do you need to live OK

[beats me]

What also needs to be taken into consideration here is the average wage in the area. My friend lives in Ohio and pays a $700 a month mortgage on a 2 story, 5 bedroom house with a full basement. But people in the area are lucky to make $11 an hour….and there's jack shit to do.

Also regardless of where you live, a Virus T1 is still going to cost you $3,000.

[nebulae]

For a family of 5, $100K b4 tax ($6k after tax per month) will just scrape you by. Want to take a holiday, bump up the quality of education, stash some $$$ for retirement, maintain your house and property, receive some prompt non emergency medical care, choose food that avoids preservatives and flavors etc, have a hobby or two, you need at least $150K b4 tax ($8k after tax per month) and good budgeting habits.

I think what the answer from our esteemed friend from down under tells us is that when you have children, you can easily double/tripple your minimum requirements, and that's NOT including if you gotto pay for private schools or any of the fancy stuff.

[dave999z]

Washington DC is insanely overpriced. One of the five highest in the country I think, for a reason I cannot figure out (maybe the height restriction on buildings?).

a one bedroom (where you cannot make noise) with a parking space ranges from probably 1400-2400 depending on how far away from the "cool" (which aren't that cool) areas you are. so if you have no debt and no kids, then to live alone with a decent quality of life (and save some for retirement) you probably need $75-100k before tax, depending on your standards.

[nebulae]

Check this survey out:


http://www.citymayors.com/economics/exp ... ties2.html

LOL, Dallas didn't even make that list! hahahahahahaahha

are you sure that's not also a relevance list?

[beats me]

Check this survey out:


http://www.citymayors.com/economics/exp ... ties2.html

LOL, Dallas didn't even make that list! hahahahahahaahha

are you sure that's not also a relevance list?

SF didn't either. I call FAIL on that list.

[pepezabala]

Renting an apartment in Barcelona can be quite expensive. To get something nice you have to pay 1000 EUR a month at least. For a room in a shared flat 400 EUR.
Commution and food are quite cheap. So if you live in a shared flat you can live your life with 1000 EUR monthly already. For some comfort 2000 EUR at least.

[smartass303]

Hamburg
Appartement: 600-1200,- EUR or 200-400,- EUR for a room in a shared flat, this depends on the area you wanna live, *cool* or *schwul*
Food, Phones, iWebz, transportation, etc.: 400-1500,- EUR, depending on your personal standard.
So with 600 EUR you live like a bum, this is what i do... Living okay is like 1600,- in a shared flat and above 2000,- if you wanna live like one of the shiny Reeperbahn pimps....

a month, keep in mind: Hamburg is also insanely overpriced, the highest standards mentioned are those of *normal* people i know,

303

[Khazul]

Wokingham area (nr Reading) UK - 1 bed flat etc will set you back around 650UKP month. Then add that most people will probbaly spend around 100-200UKP on fuel if you fill up once a week or two for getting to/from work etc, then food - lets add another 200, Bils - add another 100.

I have a few friend who can barely afford to go out at all and they are earning around 20Kpa year.

Basically a grand take home is your border line unless you share a place - 1200 if you actually want to get out and have some fun. Its easy to blow a couple of hundred in a night around here for you and other half - food clubbing, taxis drinks etc.

For a reasonable relatively worry free life with a bit of fun regularly in an OK small house - then lets say you want to earn about 40Kpa minimum ($70Kpa for those who cant count ). Double that for central London.

[nebulae]

From http://www.2ontario.com/welcome/coca_701.asp :

[spkey]

To give you an idea, in this suburb area where I work near Wash DC, you can rent a 1 bedroom 1 bath apartment for around $1500-$1600. Utilities on top of that, so to live fairly nicely you probably need to take home $3000 a month = $36000/yr take home = about $70000-75000/yr salary before taxes and other deductions = about 53000 euros.

Strange tax you've got over there.... So if you get $70000-$75000 annual salary in US before TAX you only receive $36000 after tax??

[beats me]

From http://www.2ontario.com/welcome/coca_701.asp :

The relatively cheap cost of living in Canada is completely offset by the insane price of alcohol. So I'm out.

[spkey]

a one bedroom (where you cannot make noise)

So that explains why I've never heard the perfect kick drum in DC...

[mikemc]

To give you an idea, in this suburb area where I work near Wash DC, you can rent a 1 bedroom 1 bath apartment for around $1500-$1600. Utilities on top of that, so to live fairly nicely you probably need to take home $3000 a month = $36000/yr take home = about $70000-75000/yr salary before taxes and other deductions = about 53000 euros.

Strange tax you've got over there.... So if you get $70000-$75000 annual salary in US before TAX you only receive $36000 after tax??

Well "take home" is after tax and other stuff, but that's about right-- there are taxes and other non-optional deductions: federal tax, state tax. medicare tax, 'social security' (BWahHAH). Those you must pay.

Then, other typical stuff: health/dental insurance, other (like life) insurance, pre-tax 'retirement fund' contribution (ha).

If your employer offers health/dental, you do it, the cost can vary.

And the retirement fund and 'other insurance' are completely optional and vary.