Cost of Living
 

Hey Everyone,

I've been reading your posts for the last couple of weeks and they are really helping us get a handle on moving over to the US. My husband has accepted a job in Dallas, Texas and we are moving over at some point in Feb.

My question would be, how does the cost of living compare to the UK?

We currently live in Bristol, England and the utility prices my husbands employer is quoting look around double what we are paying in the UK.

I know their petrol is cheaper! We have four children so our cost of living is already pretty high. American friends we have are constantly telling us how much cheaper things are in the States but is it really cheaper to live there?

Thanks.

Re: Cost of Living
 

Hi There,

I am from the UK, living and working in Dallas Texas.
I am currently trying to buy a house and although I do not know ultilite bills just yet, a friend told me a good rule of thumb would be

- if you buy a house thats say 2200 sq ft, knock a zero off and that would be a good guestimation for the summer months in Texas (remmeber it gets to 100 deg+ in the summer so the air con will be on ALOT)... so roughly $220 per month for electric (145 english pounds) I never owned a home in England, so I don't know if that is high price? it will be half that during spring and fall.

- The water bill is different in each city around Dallas, Mesquite and Garland run at $20-$30 per month.

- Petrol goes up and down all the time, but its VERY cheap to regards to the UK, thats why everyone drives around in V8 gas guzzlers. right now its $1.40 per us gallon.

- Our grocerie bill runs at $125.00 per week (4 of us) thats just for basics though, as we every week we have at least 1 take away, and we go to a restaurant friday and saturday.

- I find drinking beer at restaurants etc to be a little more expensive and of course you are expected to tip.

- Traffic fines are outrageous, I have managed to pick up a couple and so that has hiked my car insurance sky high, and believe me certain city's (GARLAND) will pull you over for the smallest of offences.

If you need to know anymore, just let us know.

Just one question for you....I was checking out house prices on the net in and around the southcoast area, are they really asking
150,000 pound for 2 bedroom 1 bath, with hardly any front/backyard.....for that money you can buy a $225,000 house here around Dallas that is VERY nice on a huge lot of land.

Re: Cost of Living
 

[QUOTE]Originally posted by southcoast

<<snip>>
- if you buy a house thats say 2200 sq ft, knock a zero off and that would be a good guestimation for the summer months in Texas (remmeber it gets to 100 deg+ in the summer so the air con will be on ALOT)... so roughly $220 per month for electric (145 english pounds) I never owned a home in England, so I don't know if that is high price? it will be half that during spring and fall.

<<snip>>

Just to clarify. 100 deg + referred to above is in Farenheit which is 38 Centigrade and above.



NC Penguin

Re: Cost of Living
 

It is a good thing you mentioned you have children. The cost of a good education in the US is very high. I don't have children myself but even up to secondary school education, if you don't want to send them to state (government) schools, you'll pay a lot. As for sending your children to university, you pay for everything.

It's not unusual to hear people still paying off loans for their university education ten years after graduating. That's not even for the "Ivy League" universities either.

Hopefully parents with children will respond to your thread to give you more definite pointers.

Best of luck,


NC Penguin

Re: Cost of Living
 

[QUOTE]Originally posted by NC Penguin
Quite right old chap.
(I am now used to working in Farenheit and I forgot that UK works in centigrade).

In laymans terms "ITS BLOODY HOT" so bring plenty of shorts and T-shirts.

Re: Cost of Living
 

My brother-in-law and his wife has already started a "UNI fund" for their daughter and she is only 3 years old. ..No kidding either...

small things
 

Just a few more thoughts

-Cable TV runs at $100 per month
-Dish direct (like SKY) $75-100 per month (that depends on which TV package you would like. I.E if you like sports/movies it gets more expensive)

- I used to pay 4.50 (pound) for a haircut, I now pay $15 plus tip.

so its swings and round-abouts really...

The BIG difference here is Medical and Dental Insurance....it pays to stay healthy here....

Re: small things
 

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I live in North Carolina. Our cable provider is Time Warner and cable service is necessary to get any TV service. We pay $40 a month for "basic" and "standard" channels. This is about 50 channels in total is quite enough for my husband and I.

Back in London, my husband paid L18.00 for a haircut. Now he pays $14 plus tip.

Personally, I think a lot of fresh fruit & veg costs the same or even more than in the UK. I find this particularly odd because most of it is grown and shipped from within the US. e.g. lettuce, apples, green & red peppers.



NC Penguin

Re: small things
 

If they have kids then probably the basic channels will not be enough, if they are young ones they will want to watch cartoon networks, if they are teenagers they will want to watch MTV, MTV2, VH1 etc, then if you want to catch up on English soccer, Rugby, formula one etc, then you pay extra.

If you go to a Local or worldnation fresh fruit and veg stores, yes it might be a little extra, but we go to Walmart (they own ASDA),
their prices are really good.

Wow, $100 pm for cable. We only pay $45 and that is for the basic 100 channels of nothing.

If you do have children it pays for them to be very smart or very athletic to ensure you can get some scholarships.

Re: small things
 

You'd be surprised at what's covered by just basic and standard service cable. We get MTV, VH1, the Cartoon Network, Disney TV (I think that's what it's called). The only channels we notice are missing are the premium movie channels but you can rent these movies. Also, we don't get the sports usually covered by British TV that you mention but that's no great loss.

We were able to see last summer's World Cup football live on three stations (one was in Spanish but the camera shots were better than on the English language stations).

As for groceries, I thought it was only Superwalmarts that sold fresh foods. The nearest SuperWalmart is at least 35 miles away and not worthwhile. We shop at the grocery chains such as Harris Teeter, Kroger and sometimes Food Lion.

At least in Texas I've noticed there are shops/businesses selling mostly British foods imported from the UK. Those kind of shops are few and far between in the South (only one within a 3hr drive).


NC Penguin

Quote....
You'd be surprised at what's covered by just basic and standard service cable. We get MTV, VH1, the Cartoon Network, Disney TV (I think that's what it's called). The only channels we notice are missing are the premium movie channels but you can rent these movies. Also, we don't get the sports usually covered by British TV that you mention but that's no great loss.

I'm shocked....

Your telling me that watching the English Cricket team get beat by the Aussies..."is no great loss"

LOL...

Quote...

As for groceries, I thought it was only Superwalmarts that sold fresh foods. The nearest SuperWalmart is at least 35 miles away and not worthwhile. We shop at the grocery chains such as Harris Teeter, Kroger and sometimes Food Lion.


I have not heard of Harris Teeter or Food lion, I found Kroger to be expensive.

Walmart- pack of Pampers Diapers $9.99
Kroger- pack of Pampers Diapers $14.99

If your from London, you probably shop at the higher end of the market, us low-life country bumpkins, just have to make do.

Just want to make sure that you have gotten into the habit of clipping coupons as it can save you a fortune. I only shop at supermarkets that double the coupons. I put the money aside and in the past 4 months I have saved $225 just by cutting the coupons out of the Sunday papers.

--------------------------------
Kroger supermarket/grocery stores also offer triple coupon days too! Also, there's a 10% discount on Tuesdays for elderly shoppers (those over 55?).


NC Penguin

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As it is I'm a Costco member (you have to pay to be a member) and the savings are tremendous. The quality of the food is higher than at SuperWalmart and the nearest Costco is much closer than the nearest SW.

I'm just particularly picky about food quality so I have views when it comes to food.

To anybody who's moving to the US from the UK:
bring your own teabags if you're a tea drinker
bring your own breakfast cereal (if you dare), if you like British style breakfast cereal


NC Penguin

good idea...
 

Yes we have been doing that,

My wife has a Starbucks every saturday morning, and you can pick up the early sunday edition newspaper (with coupons)
for 50 cents...

one week we saved nearly 15 bucks, x 52 weeks =$780 (that will nearly pay for a short vacation).

You are lucky getting triple coupons. Here in California getting double coupons is a big deal, as it all used to be single coupons only. That has been the one positive to come out the declining economy.

Re breakfast cereals. I have found a couple I love. Try puffed kashi and Cream of Wheat. I think both are yummy. However, if you are into the sugar laden variety you won't like them.

Also I find I buy different things at different supermarkets. Cheese is cheapest at Trader Joe's. Fruit and vegetables is best at Whole Foods or Henry's. Day to day products I buy at Ralph's or Von's. Ralphs = Kroger's I believe.

Re: good idea...
 

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You're not country bumpkins! If you can afford to shell out for a Starbucks every weekend, then you must be "rolling in it" or plain crazy to pay that much for coffee :D



NC Penguin

Re: good idea...
 

My wife buys the starbucks (she is a US citizen),

I on the other hand refuse to "shell" out $4.00 for a cup (sorry venti) of watered down mud...lol

By the way, I have over 360 PG tips sitting in my kitchen cupboard...(my mother brought them over on her last trip)..

Count me in as plain crazy as I've also become a Starbucks addict even though I know their coffee isn't that great. Think it's part of becoming a local.

Wow, how does anyone ever get the idea that it is cheaper to live in the US?

Bristol is a pretty expensive part of the UK but my electricity, gas and water together cost less per month than the electricity prices I've been told of in Dallas.

However Southcoast, you would be lucky to get a house on the southcoast of the UK with two bedrooms and small garden for £150,000. A fairly small three bedroom house here in Bristol in a not so great area is currently priced at £277,000 - that is the only thing so far that seems to be cheaper than the UK. That and the fact that the houses are generally twice the square footage.

My husband is going to be working in Garland so I better read up on those traffic regulations. I am already dreading having to take the driving test.

Thanks for all your help everyone. Looks like I'm going to be an avid coupon clipper!

I think one reason we find it cheaper because we came from an expensive part of the UK. Also we find the tax rates lower here because it is possible to deduct so much.

Please do not get the impression that its all expense here in the U.S, because everything is relevant....i.e You can earn ALOT more here in Dallas than you can in the U.K.

Financially your husband must being paid more to work in the U.S, otherwise why go to all those lengths to come here...

When I left the U.K over 3 years ago, I was a electrician, I couldn't afford a house, so I rented a room with friends etc, I drove a 1998 ford transit complete with designer rust..I had no savings...no career path, basically no future.

My first 2 years here was financially tough, but my wife and I now drive a brand new 2002 car, we have savings, the potential to buy a brand new custom home. Last year I had 10 days vacation in England, 5 days in Aruba. I am also into windsurfing and brought a brand new board and complete rig for half the price it would of cost me in the U.K. I have a great job and work with fantastic people with a career path.

Garland is a HUGE city, if your husband has a job there, then try looking for houses in Rowlett and Rockwall, it would be 10-15 min commute to Garland. Rockwall is beautiful it has a very rich area but also VERY affordable homes, and its right by the lake, its stunning driving across there in the mornings when the sun is rising.

One last thing I know the electricity bill seems high, but that is only during the VERY hot months June,July & August. the rest of the year it will probably be $150 right down to $90-100. Houses generally do not have gas, so its just water and electric.

If you have anymore questions, please feel free to ask.

Thanks for the info, we had already started looking at the rental places in Rowlett. My husbands new boss had recommended both Rowlett and Rockwall and now we are just waiting for the visa process to complete, then my hubby will get over there and find us a house.

It does seem we will be paying a lot less tax so hopefully that will make up the difference in the utility bills and apparently the weather is something to look forward to, being somewhat warmer than good old England!

Re: Cost of Living
 

Re: Cost of Living
 

re: cost of living
 

ARGH dont get me started on the price of fresh produce here !

I've learnt to shop at farmers markets for all my freshables and freeze them for later use. This year i'm going to have a go at growing my own.

walmarts "special" offer of $1 for 2 rather old and sad green peppers is a joke.

Back to the seed catalogues

Jan :)

Re: re: cost of living
 

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Jan_Michigan,

My local farmers markets are closed for the winter so I'll have to wait to get really fresh fruit and veg (and other goodies) in spring.

Also, I don't have greenfingers (have a green thumb = US speak) so I won't be growing my own produce...

BTW, do you live in Michigan? If not, whereabouts in the US do you live?



NC Penguin

cost of living
 

I go to Morrison's and pay 70p+ for 2 sad-looking bell peppers. Compared to that, $1 is quite cheap, but Walmart does try to get away with retail 'murder' when it comes to what they sell sometimes.

I pay £50+ p/m electric, £32 p/m gas and £22 p/ for water. At todays exchange rates thats $80, $51 and $35 respectively. That seems to be right in line with what some are saying for Texas. If you figure that some houses only have elec and water, add the gas + elec together. Its about the same, barring the massive overspend needed for summer A/C. I've never lived anywhere that had A/C before.

I just paid £51.68 to put 69 liters (approx 18 US gal.) of Diesel in my car. That is over $83, and that only gets me 2 weeks of to work-and-back travel :-( . I work 15 miles from home.

Some things are *surprisingly* cheaper here like some Avon stuff. But food wise, the US invented commercial breakfast cereal as its known now. The only 'british' cereal I can see anyone missing is Weetabix and that is available at some Kroger's.

Generally I would say the overall cost of living for necessities (not counting surf boards, boats etc!) is lower in the US. The supermarket prices here (UK) are shocking, although I still think that $2.something is expensive for shake n bake.

Cost of living in America, factor in the kids!
 

I moved here 14 years ago with small kids.

Generally I would say that to the casual visitor the cost of living here looks great, they look around a supermarket and its cheaper, they fill the car up with petrol at under a pound a gallon, and stuff themselves in the restraunt for next to nothing its GREAT... but if you live here then the car insurance is frightening, the medical bills scary and anything that is considered "special" will cost 3 times what it does in the UK. But even so things are fine

Then the kids grow up.

We are British you say, we don't just buy our kids cars at 16 years old, Well I can tell you that by the time the kids are old enough to drive you will be so sick of ferrying them around (because there is no public transport, or even paths at the side of the road!) that you will rush out there to get that first car and hang the cost. Next comes College, put away about $40-$60,000 for that, yes even in-state will cost you that and if they are gifted all that means is they can get in to even MORE expensive Universities and then, even if its just 2 miles away the little tinkers won't live at home even if they do have a car.

This is where I am now, hence the bitterness, But I have just got to get through the next few years and I'll be rich... until they decide to get married, remember the cost of "special" things....

But seriously, if you plan to stay (even if you do not, who knows) start putting something away for College as soon as you get here it will be a big factor in your life later on.
Also I would say that although factoring in the kids brings the overall cost of living here above the UK, you can usually earn a heck of a lot more, so we are doing fine!!

Terry Hunt

I came to the US thinking everything would be so much cheaper and life would be wonderful! Well, houses and cars still need repairs etc and life is expensive on either side of the Atlantic. Here are my thoughts though...

Housing is much cheaper here. I have a three bedroom town house with a finished basement that was $80,000. You would pay four times that amount now for a three bedroom semi-detached in Surrey, where I used to live. My sister and brother-in-law back in the UK want a bigger house but can't even afford one smaller than their current house because prices have increased so much! So I'm glad I was able to get such a nice spacious house here.

Gas/petrol is of course the other biggie. Prices are currently around $1.50 per gallon in this area, compared to approximately $4 per gallon in the UK!

I do find groceries more expensive here although I have no idea why. I was horrified when I saw a small tub of rice pudding for $3.50! I completely agree with the people who have suggested clipping coupons. Super Fresh doubles coupons up $1.00 (most stores only double up to 50c coupons) so getting $2 off an item is great. We save about $20 every week which adds up to a lot of money! Sometimes if there is a good sale the doubled coupon value is more than the price of the item and so there was one time the store actually gave us 25 cents back on an item!

I agree with the last note. You cannot compare the prices with UK, like I said before, just go with the flow.;)

Mostly agree, you have to look at the whole thing you can't compare apples with apples on this one! You get paid more in the US, houses are cheaper, cars are cheaper, gas is cheaper and some household appliances are cheaper

BUT

you pay more for insurance (all), closing costs on buy a house are very expensive, you pay tax on used cars, you have to tip everywhere (this is like a stealth tax), university is cheaper in the UK, utilities are higher seasonly in the US because of severe weather conditions and (the killer) health and medical expenses are free in the UK (and dental is subsided).

On the whole wages are higher in the us aswell. If you did the same things in month in the UK and in the US with your wages you would probably end up with more money in wallet. So if you use that as a guide the cost of living is cheaper in the US

Patrick