Is the cost of living in California expensive in every city?

Botz, the best way to get at this is to go to:

http://money.cnn.com/calculator/pf/cost-of-living/

Enter where you live now (or close to it), then enter a city in CA, then move the salary bar to your salary. You'll get a pretty accurate answer.

That's a neat chart TB. Thanks I compared living here in SoCal to Grand Rapids, MI which is were I lived before and got this chart.

Grand Rapids, MI

Groceries16%less
Housing43%less
Utilities10%less
Transportation5%less
Health Care10%less

The only noticeable difference I've always known is cost of housing. 43% cheaper is quite a difference. I know gas too is a little higher here as well. All & all to my mind, housing IS the biggest (and probably most important) expense in CA.

On the plus side, FWIW, (as far as housing goes) here in CA they have a prop 13 (which was in effect when we moved here), which states your property taxes can't be more than 1% value of your home. I know MI property taxes are quite a bit more.


TIS


Edit: HOWEVER, I know places like San Francisco are way more expensive to live as well as parts of Orange/L.A. County.

Sacramento is affordable, Bakersfield, Ventura County...I live in outside Boston, very expensive...grew up in Youngstown, OH. San Fran very expensive, much more than Boston

TIS, I compared our town here in AZ with LA/Long Beach. Cost of living is 33% higher in those CA cities.

Interesting comparisons. The calculator doesn't give you enough options for New York State or New Jersey. I live in South Jersey. The closest they have is Monmouth County. I would guess there is a $10K difference. If I moved to Manhattan, I would have to double my salary. Housing cost is 192% higher.

Housing is insane, but to visit there it is surprisingly inexpensive. I was in San Francisco a few weeks ago and I was amazed at the reasonable prices for first rate meals and lodging.

dt, mind telling us where you stayed and ate?

My brother stayed at this place in San Francisco, and loved it.

http://www.tripadvisor.com/Hotel_Review-...California.html

When we were there, we stayed at the Westin St. Francis and were NOT impressed. It was very expensive, the room was tiny, didn't even have a dresser for our clothes. The location, however, was amazing, right on Union Square. We also found most of the restaurants to be reasonable.

I was first in San Francisco in the 70's but went again in 2003 (can't believe it's been 11 yrs) and met Saladbar, who was a regular BB poster at the time. She lives in the area. It was a lot of fun.

I know I stayed at Union Square but can't remember name of the hotel. I loved the area tho. Lots of shops, people, restaurants. Went to an outside Italian cafe, and also went to Fisherman's Wharf. Hills are amazing, scenery is beautiful and the weather tho beautiful is cooler than here in SoCal. I'd love to visit again.


TIS

Serrano Hotel. Slanted Door Restaurant, an Italian place in North Beach, the name of which I forget but will post, brunch at Nikko hotel, Kuleto's and a coiuple of noodle places.

The Italian Place on the North beach was Rose Pistola.

Also for the purposes of full disclosure, I shared entrees with another person and I mainly ate appetizers.