Monthly budget for 2 people in CA.
 

How much does it cost in California, approximately (without apartment rent, and food) for 900sq foot and estimate $1800 PCM:

• Gas,
• Water,
• Electricity
• Phone
• Internet,
• Mobile,
• Contents insurance?

Thank you guys for your answers!!! :starsmile:

Re: Monthly budget for 2 people in CA.
 

Probably makes a big difference if you say where in the state you're looking and if you're looking at condo v house type of thing.

Phone/cable/internet is about the same throughout the country give or take, at $100-150 depending on the bundle deal, but it's closer to the highend after taxes etc.

Mobile phone, about the same money.

Car insurance about $1K per 6 months, per car, if getting decent levels of cover and a new car, obviously cheaper if you get second hand etc and if the rate is less, be happy.

Renters insurance, for about $30K of content is probably around $150 a year.

Water is usually included in the rent.

Electric/gas/rubbish collection, no idea, that's pretty much dependent on location.

Plenty of previous threads on the state that have budgets too and then also city-data.com

Re: Monthly budget for 2 people in CA.
 

It is in California- We are moving there and we would like an overall idea about the expenses. Thank you so much Bob for your answer! :)

Re: Monthly budget for 2 people in CA.
 

Depends on what area.
San Francisco is more expensive than say Fresno.
Where we are is about medium I think. We are two adults and a small child.
Electric runs us in winter about $50 a month and about$170 in summer.
Gas we pay a set amount year round $50 this changes each year when they re asses how much we used.
Groceries including toiletries and cleaning I spend about $150 a week. I cook from scratch just about every meal every day as we can't afford to eat out often.
Car ins $100 a month ours is cheap.
We have pay as you go phones and spend about $10 a month.
No cable TV can't afford it
High speed Internet and land line phone including 500 mins a month $90 a month (we have no choices around here and so it's more)
Gas for the car I use about $150 a month Dh uses $350 as he commutes to work.
Rent in our area, $1000 to $2000 a month depending on the house and amount of land with it.
House insurance for home and contents $70 a month.
you will be on a really tight budget with only $1800 a month coming in, is that after taxes? Most will go on rent, and then car

Re: Monthly budget for 2 people in CA.
 

It's a big bloody state....come on, big difference from wine country, to downtown LA and everywhere in between :/

Re: Monthly budget for 2 people in CA.
 

Yes! we will be in Santa Clara County.

Re: Monthly budget for 2 people in CA.
 

As noted already, prices will vary enormously. Here's ours, in a rented house in the high desert, working from home (no commute) - I worked this out just the other day to see how much we were spending after 5 months here:

• Gas, (as in car fuel) $300; (as in heating/cooking) $30-$100
• Water, (we don't pay)
• Electricity $100 winter / $200 summer, $300 last month after numerous days of 100F+ heat
• Phone (we don't bother with landline)
• Internet, $35 but part of TV bundle
• Mobile, $50 each
• Contents insurance? $18

Re: Monthly budget for 2 people in CA.
 

We're in Santa Clara County, in a house approx 1,900 sq ft.

Gas and Electric, approx $65 pm
Water, approx $150 pm
iPhone, only 1, the other is a company one, $80 pm
Contents, $18 pm
Cable TV and Internet, $145 pm
Phone, we don't have a home phone

Re: Monthly budget for 2 people in CA.
 

Very expensive area Rent is more than your monthly income in a lot of the places

Re: Monthly budget for 2 people in CA.
 

Kisin stated in the first post that this was there budget without rent and food so I think it is a realistic one :) $1,800 for only the things stated will make a decent level of living

Cx

Re: Monthly budget for 2 people in CA.
 

Wow!! The fact that you are paying a lot more per month for water than you do for gas and electricity is weird.

Over in Santa Cruz I end up paying an average of about $65 per month for water - the lowest that gas and electric ever gets is about $100 and it can be over $200 in winter (and yes, I probably could and should save some money on that if I improved the insulation in my home).

Just shows you how much things can vary according to exactly where you are and your lifestyle ...

Re: Monthly budget for 2 people in CA.
 

It is strange, in both houses here our water has been higher than our gas and electric. When you consider that I work full time from home, this is even more surprising.

Re: Monthly budget for 2 people in CA.
 

Seriously - check your water consumption - perhaps you have a leak that you don't know about - it doesn't have to be a very big one to really run up the bills.

Re: Monthly budget for 2 people in CA.
 

Your gas and electricity seem really low though.

Re: Monthly budget for 2 people in CA.
 

Doh!:lol: I read it as with not without!