avlm24

Hi all,
Back after sometime with more questions...

Here are 2 salaries

A) $124,000 in Fort Lauderdale, Florida

B) $122,000 in San Diego, California.


Q1) What would be take home pay per month for following salaries/cities.
I don't know what deductions/withholdings would be, but assume a 10-15% of base as medi care cost, and 5% for 401k. Also assume married with 1 kid, spouse not working.

Not looking for accuracy, but comparison of the disposable income in the above scenarios. Some calculators tell me A) could potentially give me $700 or more in disposable income !!! True ?

Q2) http://money.cnn.com/calculator/pf/cost-of-living/
The above tells me that, to match A) life style in San Diego, salary should be ~145,000.
Is this correct ? Does that mean A) is a much better offer comapred to B) ?
I am not sure there are many employers who affer $145k in San Diego !
Am I missing something ?

Q3) Assuming A) is the better offer, would there be anything one would consider that might make B) worthwhile. Apart from weather I mean.

Thanks in advance,
AL

Bob

FL doesn't have a income tax, so that's probably what you're seeing.

Property tax tends to be how states make up for it though.

CA is an expensive state though, but it really depends exactly where in the state you will be. Decent schools tend to be in much more expensive areas, which is probably what you're seeing.

So things to consider....what's the bounce effect? Not much point moving to a job if there is no hub for you to bounce to if you get laid off over the other location.

Quality of schooling in either potential locations. I don't know how they compare, but generally FL doesn't get a good reputation over all, but that's not to say the specific location follows that trend, I've no idea.

Consider cost of flights home, tend to be more expensive on the west coast, but that might not be a consideration depending on friends/family, but it might be.

SanDiegogirl

California came out as in the top ten for taxes in a current survey.

Based on your salary state tax will be 9.3% and currently sales tax is 8%.

Can't be sure that properties are more expensive in SD than Fort Lauderdale (as both are pretty nice places to live), but I think the homes in the SOCAL area are considered somewhat pricey and property taxes are 1% PLUS all those pesky bonds each city/municipality raises for schools and just about everything else.

Medicare and Social security deductions will be the same no matter where you live.

The State is still struggling to balance the budget and the way the Governor is getting more revenue is to raise taxes on those earning anything like a decent salary.

Michael

California is much more expensive than Florida. This COL calculator will show you the cost difference of different things.

http://www.bankrate.com/calculators/...alculator.aspx

avlm24

Thanks folks.
I like the 'bounce effect'. For me that would be good in San Diego.
I might rent initially so property tax might not figure(?).

So what I am hearing is that A) is a better option financially. And it is better by a big margin looking at those cost of living numbers.

I was hoping I missed something and I can choose B) as I really preferred California. But I am not sure it is worth $700-$800 per month ....

Ho Hum....

decisions decisions......

vikingsail

Well your decision making gives me some diversion from my own at the moment. I have lived in both states and on balance would choose CA over Fl, but it really is a personal thing, depending on what you like to do. The infamous you can ski in the morning and be surfing or sailing in the afternoon is very true in SD but you pay the price. Really depends on what lifestyle you are looking for?

FinnDiego

I also have the impression that California (and San Diego specifically) is more expensive. However... I also know a few people who have moved to SD from Florida, but nobody who has gone in the other direction. A few people have even moved to Portland, OR! My circle of friends is a bit unusual however...

Really depends on what you're looking for. While SoCal has sun and beaches, it isn't stupidly hot by the coast, but as a downside the water is never really warm either. Works just fine for me! Property prices go down as you head inland but summer temperatures go up and there isn't necessarily much going on.

Steve_

Having significant experience of both, San Diego is more upmarket than Fort Lauderdale and the cost of living reflects it. With the homestead exemption in Florida (if you qualify for it, you must be a US citizen or LPR) then the property taxes won't be a problem. If you don't qualify for it, I'd strongly suggest you check if you're thinking of living in Florida.

There's no State income tax in Florida, whereas California has one of the highest (if not the highest, although NYC is higher). This is reflected in the qualify of govt. services.

It rains a lot in Fort Lauderdale during the summer, San Diego has better weather. Both are very crowded with heavy traffic on the freeway, I think Californians are slightly better drivers though.

There are swanky places around San Diego, like La Jolla and Del Mar, Broward county on the other hand is never-ending urban sprawl. Weston is the best place in Broward, imo, but if you want somewhere upmarket you have to live in Palm Beach (e.g. Boca Raton) or Miami-Dade (which is also full of urban sprawl but some of it isn't too bad).

Broward went downhill rapidly after Hurricane Andrew, so many people moved there, Davie used to be rural.

Given the choice I think I'd live in Palm Beach and commute around old people, but check the schools out first because there are some really rum ones in Florida.

San Diego does have better shops though, I will say that for it, especially when it comes to food. Publix is good but Fresh & Easy is better.

Also if politics bothers you, Broward is very left-leaning and San Diego is right-leaning. Which in either case gets on your nerves because Florida is a fairly right-leaning State so everyone moans about that and California is a left-leaning State so everyone moans about that. Cue: "those d--kheads up State don't know anything about blah blah blah"