cost of living??...I'm confused
-
11/29/2012
I currently live in Boston and am thinking of relocating to PGH. However, I am quite confused about cost of living. I see that there is supposedly a significant difference in cost of living between Boston and PGH so I should be able to survive on a lower salary. Yet when I look on craigslist at apartments to rent in the downtown area (Shadyside, Squirrel Hill), the prices seem to be the same as Boston. Right now, in Boston I live in the inner 'burbs -- downtown and work are 5 miles away -- and I pay $1100 for a 400 sq ft studio in Boston and that rent includes heat, hot water, and trash. Yes, the PGH apartments are larger, but I thought they would be cheaper. Can anyone confirm if the cost of living for PGH is coming out lower because they are factoring in data on the greater metro area?
I live on my salary alone. I work in education so I make a low salary and I have to be careful about budgets. What salary range would allow me to live in or close to downtown PGH and be able to have a social life, like afford to go out at least once a week, go to movies monthly, etc? The jobs in my field seem to have salaries in the mid40s and that seems way to low based on my research so far. Can anyone help?
Rosa | Boston, MA