“Insurance costs, tax bills and just plain, day-to-day living will dent a household budget differently depending on where that household is. It can be a nerve-wracking fact for families moving across state borders.
As an aid for the budget-aware, Bankrate.com keeps a Cost of Living Comparison Calculator on its website. The calculator asks 3 questions: (1) Where do you live now, (2) To where you are moving, and (3) What is your salary. It then spits out a detailed, 58-item cost comparison list between the two cities.
Some of the key costs compared include:
- Everyday groceries
- Energy bills
- Routine healthcare
- Home ownership
- Clothes
- Sporting goods “
So I went to the site and I entered data for the Oakland – Hayward area (I lived in San Leandro) and the Fresno area (since Merced doesn’t show up). It was interesting. I am well aware that housing costs less, but why does lettuce, tuna, margarine, and milk cost more in Merced than in the San Francisco Bay area?
Why is the San Joaquin Valley so expensive? Merced County is one of the poorest in the nation – so why are we paying more for basic expenses – or are we?
If you check out the prices before you move, you may be surprised at what you find.
You can contact Gary Eno at:
Gary M. Eno
Mason-McDuffie Mortgage Corporation
Senior Mortgage Consultant
209-658-2345 Direct
866-797-0770 Secure Fax
Thank you for this blog, it is very informative and I will be sure to reference it when needed throughout our website once we add our resources section. Keep up the great blogging and thanks again.
By: Modular Homes on March 5, 2010
at 6:51 pm