Re: [MLUG - DISCUSSION] San Diego cost of living?

[Vern Green <EMAIL:PROTECTED>]

Michael,

 

I live out here, not in San Diego althought my brother in law does live in North San Diego. The price for a home in San Diego compares to what it is here in Ventura where I live. We just looked at renting a 1100 square foot house in a decent neighborhood 3 bedroom two baths with a garage. It is a home built in the fifties so there were somethings about it not perfect. The house was renting for $1795 per month.

 

That is about the average for a house that size out here. Apartments are a little less, but not much, most of them are going in the $1000 - $1200 range.

 

For 120K a year, you are not going to be having any trouble at all maintaining a home out here. You can do it easily on $60,000. I am currently making $50,000 and that is borderline, it is pretty tough to get by on that, but I have two kids and a wife I am feeding as well.

 

Utilities, well our electric bill runs around $200 per month alone. In the summer here in Ventura it gets pretty warm and we have an airconditioner. In the winter time the evenings can get pretty blustery. Of course someone used to Missouri whether will have no issue with it. I am sure a newer home with some insulation (the one we are in now has none) will cut that cost some. I also have two to three computers running and that keeps the electric bills up, as well as the heat.

 

Phone bill is not going to be much different, and honestly the cost of food is not that much greater than other places. Some things cost more, some things are less. Most food stuffs are shipped no matter where you are so the price does not change all that much.

 

Taxes are pretty high out here. If you are making 120K per year, you are going to take it pretty hard. State taxes are not that much, but they will be more than what there is in Nevada, is there even state income tax in Nevada? Sales tax in Ventura is 7.25% I think in San Diego is might be 8.25%, it is in Los Angeles.

 

If you buy a home, get ready for some pretty hefty property taxes. Right now, property costs have pretty much leveled out here. Some people say we are headed for a bust and I can see it happening in some higher priced homes right now. The middle income homes like I am living in are still holding their value strong. Unfortunately you will pay property taxes on what the home is worth today and that can get costly. Consider that a home like I mentioned above that rents for $1795, sells for $650K.

 

San Diego is a very beautiful city though. They work very hard to keep it clean much better than LA is by far.

 

On 11/3/05, Michael <EMAIL:PROTECTED> wrote:

Anyone live or lived recently in the San Diego area? I'm trying to
decide if I should accept a job offer I had there. How much is
comfortable to have a 2 bedroom apartment or house (~1200sqft)? My price
checks seem to say that rent will be about $2000/mo and utilities will
be slightly higher than here in Las Vegas (electric about $200/mo). Any
other things to watch out for? Crazy high taxes?

If I take the job I'll be the chief tech guy for a company that sells
hot tubs and related merchandise. The guy I'm replacing, that was no
where near as skilled as I am, was making about $10k/mo but I'm still in
my Missouri cost of living mindset where that much money a month seems
like a huge amount so I keep feeling like asking for about half of that.
Of course I won't argue if they want to offer me more than my minimum. ;)

--
Michael <EMAIL:PROTECTED>
http://kavlon.org


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Thanks
F Vernon Green 
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