<p>Can a young person making 40K with no deductions live on 40K in San Diego, with the high California taxes, etc.</p>
<p>Expenses will be rent, public transportation, food, phone, entertainment.</p>
<p>How expensive is it out there? It is for one year.</p>
<p>Thanks for sharing.</p>
<p>It can be done, but I would not describe it as easy.</p>
<p>the only significant difference between COLA on the left coast and elsewhere is housing. (Of course, housing is expensive in all big cities, including Seattle, Chicago, NY/NY, Wash DC.) Food can be a little less expensive since its grown locally. Entertainment $ is how you spend your time: DVDs at home, or clubbing every night.</p>
<p>Thank you razorsharp. If you are familiar with San Diego, do you feel it is a city one can get around without a car? Is there frequent and regular public transportation?</p>
<p>Yes, you can get around without a car, but it limits your destinations. If you wish to maximize your public transportation use, you might want to consider locating near a transportation hub such as the Old Town Transit Station (if you can afford it) or other hub. San Diego is no New York when it comes to public transportation, but it is a big enough city that you can find your small space to enjoy it.</p>
<p>Thanks again, razorsharp. I really appreciate your responses.</p>
<p>So I can compare what child is saying based on your thoughts, are you an adult or student? </p>
<p>Child is insisting one has to have a car to survive in San Diego. It is also my thought you don’t need a car.</p>
<p>Depends on what you mean by “need.” By carefully selecting the apartment location and work address, it’s possible to get around by transit or bicycle (a much more practical solution in SoCal than in most of the rest of the country). Things are not close together like they are in New York or Chicago, though, and transit isn’t as dense. There are a lot of things that will be difficult or impossible to get to in a reasonable amount of time, and the person we are discussing (yourself? son? daughter?) will find not having a car will be a hassle.</p>
<p>As for just living on $40k, that should be a breeze. I just did a quick Google on “San Diego studio apartment” and found lots in the $600/month range. On a monthly income of $3,400, that’s easy. Compared to a cold or hot climate, utilities would be cheap, and everything else is up to the taste of the person.</p>
<p>If I were doing it, I’d either lease a car (look for lease deals on entry-level cars, my next-door neighbor is leasing a Mazda3 for $139/month), or buy an older used car ($5k). Remember, old used cars in California are not rusted out. It’s not like buying a cheap car in Detroit or Buffalo.</p>
<p>Good luck to you (or whoever)! I miss SoCal a lot at this time of year…</p>
<p>I would agree with Razorsharp. </p>
<p>Be cautious about the area in which you find an apt/condo. Keep in mind rents are going up since many people have been priced out of the housing market. Check with local police to ask about which areas are safe. </p>
<p>Watch the spending…eat in, take a bag lunch, rent movies from the library of Netflix. I would attempt to go the public transit route. Cost of car insurance especially for a young person can be very high (keep in mind that a lot of cars that are stolen head to chop shops or south to Mexico, and San Diego is right next to the border). </p>
<p>To live here and get ahead you need to be conservative on your spending. If you get caught up with trying to "keep up with the Jones’ "you will sink your ship and never get ahead. I hope your son can enjoy his year in San Diego, good luck!</p>
<p>I second WashDad’s opinion about needing a car. Frankly, I don’t think I’ve ever known a single employed person (in the college-educated socio-economic strata that I’m guessing your son is in) in California who did not have a car. I think it would be quite frustrating for him to be in California without one, but then again I’ve never tried it so I could be wrong.</p>
<p>Being without a car in San Diego is doable… but awful. I’m not IN San Diego (La Jolla), but even if I go downtown I’m not exactly enamored with the trains/buses. It makes me miss NYC and DC.</p>
<p>If you live in La Jolla and miss DC there is just something wrong with you…</p>
<p>WashDad,</p>
<p>La Jolla is not really that fun. Plus, I live on the UCSD side of town, which consists of a Ralph’s, Trader Joe’s, and a single AMC theater. </p>
<p>Or I can go to the mall.</p>
<p>Yippee! :rolleyes:</p>
<p>Don’t know about the need for a car in San Diego. However, in assessing the cost of living as compared to the East Coast, rmeber that California has high state income taxes, probably more than anywhere in the east except New York City.</p>
<p>Not having a car would make you pretty much a social outcast. Does he plan on dating or anything? SD is really spread out.</p>
<p>for a single individual, standard deduction, income taxes will run ~4%, or $1600 for the year, but would be less if you invest in a 401(k) and/or deductible IRA. Of course, that assumes a calendar year. If you are in-sate 6 months in '08, and six months in '09, the taxes are cut in half ($400/yr).</p>
<p>Many thanks for all the great ideas. I am so appreciative. Everyone who has responded has given my new and valuable information.</p>
<p>For the record, I live pretty well on less than $40K a year. I don’t have any money to save, but I’m still doin’ okay otherwise.</p>
<p>Live far out towards the desert and you can cut down on housing cost… but you’ll need a car and have to pay for gas, insurance, etc and the commute will be very time consuming. The COLA is about 50% more than the midwest… so $30000 salary in the midwest = $45000 in California…but most of the difference is probably housing cost. Gasoline costs a lot more too since it includes higher taxes.</p>
<p>mrego,</p>
<p>Also add in the money value of your time. That’s a significant amount of time you spend wasted on the 805 or 5…</p>
<p>As others have said, depending on where the housing and job are located, one could survive without a car but life would be much better with a car. It’d also give him more options on where to live. I’d side with your S on this one. Washdad gives some good advice about getting a car.</p>
<p>mrego: I don’t know what you mean by far out towards the desert but too far out any housing savings could easily be eaten up by gas cost and the commute would be frustrating. There are plenty of relativeley reasonable options much closer in - ex: Mira Mesa rather than La Jolla, San Marcos/Escondido/Vista, La Mesa, Chula Vista, and many others. Keyword is ‘relatively’.</p>
<p>UCLARi: I think you need a surfboard or boogie board to give you options besides hanging out at Ralphs or Chipotle!</p>