On average what is the cost of living where you live?

[suejai]

We had a conversation with a family from England while we were at Disney last time about the cost of living etc where you live. Things like what is a decent wage - enough to pay the bills, mortgage, have savings, be able to afford to do things that you want etc. The price of an average house - say 3 bdrms, 2 bth, average city sized lot in a decent neighbourhood. Monthly grocery bill. Price of a movie ticket.

So I am asking the same question here.

This is how it is where I live:

I live in Central Alberta, Canada
Wages: Anywhere from $70,000 to about 90,000 would be decent for a family
Average house: $280,000 to $340,000
Groceries: We spend around $1100/month for a family of four
Movies: $10.95 for an adult ticket

these are,of course, in Canadian dollars

 

[flying_babyb]

I live in northern wisconsin, a bigger city
Wages: Anywhere from $1,000 to 90,000 (mine 10.24 a hour)
Average house: (rental) $600 and up Aparment: $450 (average)
Groceries: $100 a month for one person (and occational kids)
Movies: $4.00 matnee 7.00 eveings $2 if you drive up to steveson

 

[daisyduck123]

I live in Maryland, about 1/2 hour from Washington D.C.
In my town:

Wages: $100,000+ for average two-income family
Average house: $400,000 (townhome) -$680,000 (single-family)
Groceries: Sorry I don't pay attention to that. I just blindly hand over my cc
Movies: $8.00-$10.00/adult ticket

 

[rparmfamily]

Honolulu, HI
Wages: I think around $75K
Average house: average...750K for nothing special. $500K for a townhome with a horrible commute to town.
Groceries: I am a thrifty/commissary/military shopper...$500 a month. Out in town I'd say prob almost double.
Movies: I don't go to the movies but I'm sure it's over $10
Gas: $2.60 at least

We love Hawaii but I am not sure how families can afford to live here. We get a hefty cost of living allowance from the military, plus they pay my rent ($2400 a month on a 1200 sq townhome 3b/2.5b)

I'd stay here except with my DH's income, it's just not possible to ever buy a home here. Seriously...the cost of homes are so huge compared to wages.

 

[luvmyboys]

Northern Virginia here (DC suburbs)

Wages-- hard for a family to live here for less than $75,000-$100,000

Avg. house--- townhouse (25 yrs old) $250,000 single family 550,000 to 650,000

Groceries-- we spend about $600 for a family of 4, and another $200 on eating out. (we need to cut that down)

Movies-- 7 for matinee, 10 for regular showing

Gas-- $2.60, and you use A LOT of it sitting in traffic. Our monthly gas bill is between $400 and $500.

 

[rn4val]

Hi I live in Oklahoma city, Ok
Average income $50,000 to $ 125.000`
Houses single family small one for $75,000 to a really nice one for 250,000
Groceries for 2 about $400 month
Movies $7 matinee to $9 prime time.
I think pretty resonable to live here
Debbie

 

[tink_n_pooh]

I live in Northwestern NJ (Sussex County)
Average income $75,000 - $150,000
Houses - at least $275,000 for the basics easily up to $500,000 - $750,000 for a larger home
Groceries for the two of us is about $250 a month but we eat out a lot
Movies - we don't really have any that are local but if you go to the mall (about 45 minutes away) I think tickets are about $9.75
Gas - averaging $2.25 right now and we all use plenty of it because its so hilly around here

 

[MOMTOMOOTOO]

We are in central NJ

Average income I would guess to be 150k & up
Average home in our town is 450k up to 2million ish
Groceries for my family of 5 1200
Gas is 2.31 gallon
Movies are 7.50

 

[scrapquilter]

We had a conversation with a family from England while we were at Disney last time about the cost of living etc where you live. Things like what is a decent wage - enough to pay the bills, mortgage, have savings, be able to afford to do things that you want etc. The price of an average house - say 3 bdrms, 2 bth, average city sized lot in a decent neighbourhood. Monthly grocery bill. Price of a movie ticket.

Here in my little town in CT:
decent wage: $100,000 - $150,000.
average house: $250,000-$350,000.
our grocery bill (2 ad, 2 kids) $1000.
movie ticket $9.75 (except we go to the local theater on Tuesday night where it is $5. all day!)

 

[ecuagoddess]

Honolulu, HI
Wages: I think around $75K
Average house: average...750K for nothing special. $500K for a townhome with a horrible commute to town.
Groceries: I am a thrifty/commissary/military shopper...$500 a month. Out in town I'd say prob almost double.
Movies: I don't go to the movies but I'm sure it's over $10
Gas: $2.60 at least

We are not military, but we do live in Faculty Housing, so housing costs a little less for us.

Wages: 100K+ (ours)
Average house: average...750K for nothing special. $500K for a townhome with a horrible commute to town. (agreed)
Groceries: also about $500, maybe $600.
Movies: about $10
Gas: $2.60 at least

 

[CindyKansas]

I live in a very small town in Kansas where there isn't really anything to do so the cost of living is relatively low.

Wages: $50,000 and up (that's 2 people working)
Average house: $87,000
Groceries: We spend around $400 for a family of 3 (but I do not buy meat at the grocery store, we buy a 1/2 of a steer every year in the fall)
Movies: $8 for an adult ticket

 

[Disney Doll]

We're an hour north of NYC in Fairfield County so it's expensive.

 

[Kimberly]

Bedford, NY (Westchester County)

Typical Income: 100k-500k, some people making far more.
"Typical" home: 400-800k for a pretty nice old farmhouse in one of the village areas, or 10 million and up for a 50+ acre estate. Really depends on what you're looking for.
Groceries: I spend about 400-600 a month on groceries, mostly because I have a lot of company.
Gas: Neglible for me. It is still under 3 bucks a gallon for premium gas last time I got it (a week ago) as I only drive about 20-50 miles a week now.

It's the New York City area so many people can imagine what it's like to live up here. While people tend to think Westchester as overly wealthy, it actually is cheaper to live up here than where I grew up, in northern NJ. Nearby Fairfield County is probably pricier to live in as well... Kind of funny how that works out, right? Just an hour north on the Metro-North line from Grand Central Station.

 

[MoniqueU]

So cal here so the prices of houses has plummted, unfortunatly our mortgage hasn't
We spend a ton on food probably over 150 a week.
I have no clue what gas costs but if it is 2.60 a gallon elsewhere I am sure it is that much or higher here.
For out neighborhood and with a family I would say over 100k just to make ends meet, not even saving.Hell my electric bill is over a thousand in the summer. (yes I am still whining about that and sweltering right now)
No clue what price a movie is, just asked mom and son and they said 7.50 to 9.50

Our share of health insurance is 700 a month for our family There really isnt all that much left over. We have very high income taxes and sales taxes here, I think we just surpassed NYC for the highest in the nation. You may make what everyone else thinks is alot but you don't keep it very long.

 

[Tinker'n'Fun]

I live in WNY and these figures are different from street to street..

In my area

Income: 30,000 - 40,000

Housing 50,000 - 80,000

Groceries family of 4 monthly $500.00

Gas is $2.54 a gallon as of this evening

Matinee ticket $5.00, evening $8.75

 

[aprilgail2]

Long Island NY
Average income $75,000 - $150,000

Houses - at least $275,000 for a starter home easily up to $500,000 - $750,000 for a larger home. You can get a small one bedroom apartment for about 1200.00 a month. My friend rents a nice 3 bedroom apartment for 1650.00 a month.

Groceries about $400 a month but we eat out a lot

Movies - We just went to see Night At the Museum in the new IMAX therater and it was 29.50 for one child and one adult ticket. The regular theater is between 10.50 and 12.50 a ticket.

Gas - 2.69 right now

 

[Mouse House Mama]

Long Island NY
Average income $75,000 - $150,000

Houses - at least $275,000 for a starter home easily up to $500,000 - $750,000 for a larger home. You can get a small one bedroom apartment for about 1200.00 a month. My friend rents a nice 3 bedroom apartment for 1650.00 a month.

Groceries about $400 a month but we eat out a lot

Movies - We just went to see Night At the Museum in the new IMAX therater and it was 29.50 for one child and one adult ticket. The regular theater is between 10.50 and 12.50 a ticket.

Gas - 2.69 right now

See now the average income and house prices vary so much here on LI. Some neighborhoods you won't even be able to get a blade of grass for $275,000 or a one bedroom apartment for less than $2000 a month. The COL here is so insane. Wouldn't you agree?

 

[frisco]

Average house: $400,000 (townhome) -$680,000 (single-family)

 

[powellrj]

I had to look it up because I had no idea.

Wow, ours is really low

Median Household Income $48,439

Median Housing Value $82,900

Groceries for my family of 4 runs around $150

Movies $8

I looked it up according to our zip code. I guess we are a depressed area, I really had no idea our median income was so low. I guess I assumed everyone made around the same amount as we do.

Interesting thread

 

[a1tinkfans]

See now the average income and house prices vary so much here on LI. Some neighborhoods you won't even be able to get a blade of grass for $275,000 or a one bedroom apartment for less than $2000 a month. The COL here is so insane. Wouldn't you agree?

I agree, very different across the island........in our immediate area....
There is nothing here for rent under 2500
Houses are about 550K and up (though some are on the market a long time, as apparently they won't be reduced) Several are on the market at over 1Mil.
Just paid 2.60 for gas
Food is (expensive) at waldbaums, Less at Stop and Shop and even LESS at Guintas meat market...so that really depends
Food Out is just like Disney , which is why it feels more "normal" where many think it is so overpriced....has less of an impact on us....
Movie tix vary day/eve/Imax, but just paid 10.50 adult last weekend
Wages also vary, but in my area, the vast majority are 2 income households with 200k and above, but keep in mind the taxes here are also AWFUL (SCHOOLS) are the biggest reason for that....ours are over 12K, which is actually typical......my relative a mile away is over 20K...we have under an acre each........
To live here comfortably you need $$$$