cost of living

[neuroJ]

I need help figuring out cost of living expenses and comparing stipends directly! I am used to dealing with cost of living in a sort of abstract way- I know the midwest is cheaper than say california, but how do I actually sit down and compare offers? Does anyone have any tricks or tips (or even better, formulas) for comparing stipend amounts in different areas?

[jenali]

I need help figuring out cost of living expenses and comparing stipends directly! I am used to dealing with cost of living in a sort of abstract way- I know the midwest is cheaper than say california, but how do I actually sit down and compare offers? Does anyone have any tricks or tips (or even better, formulas) for comparing stipend amounts in different areas?

Look up cost-of-living calculators on google. Here's a few to get you started:

http://www.bestplaces.net/COL/default.aspx

http://www.bankrate.com/calculators/savings/moving-cost-of-living-calculator.aspx

more comprehensive but slightly confusing

They only let you put in one salary so you'll have to play with it a bit, but these and any others you find will give you a much better idea of what your money really looks like.

For example, I was choosing between $21k in Los Angeles and $14k in Austin. These amount to almost exactly the same amount of money! (Although I ended up in Los Angeles for other reasons...)

[neuroJ]

fantastic thanks!

Also, I hope you're enjoying/will enjoy LA

[red_crayons]

The second one was MUCH more realistic for my overpriced, upstate NY college town when I compared it to Chicago and Brooklyn. I also liked it better because it broke down some of the differences - you could see differences in doctor visits, clothes and repair costs, and certain food items.

If I bought a house, maybe the split would be as wide as the first one predicted. But for a renter, and given the town I'm in currently, the second one seemed more realistic.

[Genomic Repairman]

Go to rent.com and look up apartment rates between the two, ask grad students about utility costs (sometimes this can be a huge gap between the two), think about commute distance or public transit cost). Also think about what there is to do around each place and the cost of going out and entertainment. That is what I did.