Question for the Europeans: why choose the US over Europe?

[ceisenbruch 53]

Austin's the new Silicon Valley, no? Lots of tech jobs went out there. Had two friends in the video game industry relocate last year.

[USAUAinCZ 38]

I have some buddies who also relocated to Austin to work in IT. They love it but say the rent prices are getting a bit insane due to the abundance of good paying tech jobs. Seems to happen everywhere in the USA that there is a decent tech scene.

[mallafri76 1,012]

I've always heard good things about Austin! I'm shocked that even Walmart follows the bagless rule there!

Good public transit, really? Do they have a light-rail, buses, etc? I'm intrigued since most places in the States have awful public transit.

I know, I was shocked too. But the plastic bags are not allowed per city ordinance so Walmart here in Austin now have to sell paper bags.

And yes, buses run on very good regular schedules and they're free for UT students. There's also light-rail between downtown Austin and some of the suburbs.

[mallafri76 1,012]

Austin's the new Silicon Valley, no? Lots of tech jobs went out there. Had two friends in the video game industry relocate last year.

Oh yeah, we got Apple, Google, Dell, EA Games, IBM.... Tech companies are popping up everywhere.

I have some buddies who also relocated to Austin to work in IT. They love it but say the rent prices are getting a bit insane due to the abundance of good paying tech jobs. Seems to happen everywhere in the USA that there is a decent tech scene.

Yeah, rent is getting pretty high around Austin. At least $1,100 for a decent apartment. Luckily, house prices haven't caught on yet so it's still a pretty good market for buying.

[millefleur 5,047]

Oh yeah, we got Apple, Google, Dell, EA Games, IBM.... Tech companies are popping up everywhere.

Yeah, rent is getting pretty high around Austin. At least $1,100 for a decent apartment. Luckily, house prices haven't caught on yet so it's still a pretty good market for buying.

You know, that isn't even that bad by today's standards for rent in a good city/town in the US. Slightly higher than other places, but it's nowhere near the insanity of NYC or SF.

[ceisenbruch 53]

You know, that isn't even that bad by today's standards for rent in a good city/town in the US. Slightly higher than other places, but it's nowhere near the insanity of NYC or SF.

Hah, yeah, i live about 14 miles north of downtown Los Angeles and my rent is double that. I thought about trying to move, but honestly i love it here.

[millefleur 5,047]

Hah, yeah, i live about 14 miles north of downtown Los Angeles and my rent is double that. I thought about trying to move, but honestly i love it here.

Yeah, some Americans get all judgemental about folks who choose to pay more money to live in a big city, but big cities really do offer things that you don't find in smaller towns. As it was mentioned earlier, there is no 100% perfect utopia, everyone has to take the good with the bad of wherever they are.

And pretty much around the globe, large cities tend to be pricier than their countryside counterparts, so it's not even just a US problem. To each his own!

[TabeaK 517]

You know, that isn't even that bad by today's standards for rent in a good city/town in the US. Slightly higher than other places, but it's nowhere near the insanity of NYC or SF.

All depends on local wages I guess...but yeah, 1100 would be a dream. Pay more than twice that in NJ, an hour outside of NYC - and that is neither a large nor a luxe appartment...

[N-o-l-a 7,168]

Rent here is about probably around $600 for an apartment, but there aren't very many of them. You could rent a house for $1100. Heck, if we had gotten a mortgage on our house instead of outright buying it, the mortgage payment would have been under $350.

[bcking 3,157]

My wife is from the UK and we decided on her moving here mostly as an "Option B". Overall we thought we would be happier in the UK, but around the same time we were making this decision the oil and gas crisis hit last year which is her industry. Her job security was uncertain so we went with her moving here because it financially made the most sense. I'm glad we did because while she met the financial criteria at the time, she doesn't now because she is out of a job. We still plan on going back one day, and hope that are children will get most of their schooling there. We prefer the education system, and prefer the universities to the American universities (generally cheaper, especially when you look at the top places to go. Though there are less options).

Cost of living is incredibly variable in the US as others have been talking about. I moved from NYC to Houston in the summer. In NYC (Manhattan) I was spending about 3,200 dollars a month on a 1 bedroom apartment (I had to live close to my hospital, so I was on the Upper East Side). I moved to Houston, bought a 3,000 square foot house and my mortgage is about 2,500 per month. Food is also much cheaper here than in NYC, both groceries and restaurants. Taxes also insanely high in NYC since you have city and state income tax (compared to Texas with no state income tax).

In terms of comparing cost of living to the UK. NYC was like living in London (though London is probably a little more expensive depending on where you live. I was living in one of the most expensive areas of NYC, and if you compared that to say Hyde Park Gate or something London would be more. But then the transportation system is cleaner/generally safer in my opinion in London so I would feel more comfortable living slightly further out. I hated the NYC subway). She lived in a city called Reading for awhile and that was cheaper than NYC, but nothing like Houston. Of course things are also all a mess right now since the pound has tanked. Consumer products have always cost more (Apple products, TV's etc...) and now it is just getting worse.

[Boiler 45,783]

Reading is not a City

[bcking 3,157]

Reading is not a City

You're right technically it isn't, and I know it has been up for discussion recently. UK has weird laws about cities since Wells is a City because of it's Cathedral, and yet is a tiny village essentially.

From an American's point of view Reading is much closer to a city than a lot of cities in the UK, but yes technically you are right it's not.

[ceisenbruch 53]

man, I always think living in LA is bad but then I remember NYC. how do people survive???

[millefleur 5,047]

man, I always think living in LA is bad but then I remember NYC. how do people survive???

Living in NYC nearly killed me. It's not even just the money, it's the entire mentality and value system of the city. I think for more sensitive people who value things besides work and going to trendy bars/resturants, NYC is a kind of slow suicide. That's why a lot of people get out and never go back.

I still have friends who live there....most of them are workaholics and really into their careers. None of them have a family or value being near their family that much. It's all about your priorities....for some people, the NYC life works. I don't pretend to understand them, all I know is that I'm so much happier not being there anymore!

[N-o-l-a 7,168]

Living in NYC nearly killed me. It's not even just the money, it's the entire mentality and value system of the city. I think for more sensitive people who value things besides work and going to trendy bars/resturants, NYC is a kind of slow suicide. That's why a lot of people get out and never go back.

I still have friends who live there....most of them are workaholics and really into their careers. None of them have a family or value being near their family that much. It's all about your priorities....for some people, the NYC life works. I don't pretend to understand them, all I know is that I'm so much happier not being there anymore!

I lived in the suburbs, but I've never been tempted to move back after I left for college. I don't even go back to visit. I much prefer the Midwest or New England any day.