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Cost Of Living - Your Country

Humans tend to live a lifestyle that is beyond their means. How much money would I need to make per month in US dollars in order to live comfortably in your country. To define 'comfortably' I must have the following:

1. My own home (include costs for mortgage) home would be three bedroom in upper class area.
2. My own car, not necessarily a luxury car, but above average
3. Food for three meals a day
4. Electricity, Phone (including Cel) and water rates
5. Insurance - home, car and self
6. Internet and Cable
7. Medical expenses - maybe a checkup or dental visit
8. Entertainment on weekends
9. Clothes and other personal necessities
10. Factor in cost for school, books, etc.

So, what is the cost of living in your country per month?

Country - Living Cost

1. 3-bedroom home in upper-class neighborhood in Southern California, including mortgage plus insurance: $ 1500 to $2000
2. Above-average car payment, plus insurance: $400 to $600
3. Food for a family of 4, including snacks and dining out: $600 to $800
4. Utilities vary widely, but probably average $150 to $250 (without phone)
5. I included insurance for car and home in their cost, but life insurance can run anywhere from $25 a month to $100 depending on type and carrier.
6. Internet, cable, and phone/cell phone $75 to $200 depending on phone usage
7. Medical expenses -- if you have no insurance coverage paid by your employer, you will pay big money for office visits, average $80 just to walk in the door. Procedures and prescriptions are extra. Prescriptions $25 to $300, procedures like x-rays can be $45 to many thousands. Dental exams may be less expensive at first, but procedures are expensive -- root canals are $1500. Medical insurance premiums can run anywhere from $25 to $400 a month depending on the size of your family.
8. Entertainment - the cost of a movie theater excursion for a family of 4: $25 for tickets, $20 to $40 for popcorn and sodas for everyone. Disneyland you can figure $100 per person for one day, including food and one souvenir.
9. Clothes! Oh my gosh, the cost of clothes for growing kids! Figure $50 to $100 a month for a family of four (purchases made quarterly)
10. School costs for year-books, pictures, field trips, PTA dues and fund raisers run about $50 to $300 a year, and if your kid is in band, cheerleading, or sports expect another $300 to $800

Now, this is for an upper-middle class family. People in *my* situation can cut most of those costs by two-thirds, and I choose to do without a lot of those things (like a cell phone).

So a low figure is $3500 a month, a high figure $7000. But, a large majority of people here make only the minimum wage - $6.75 an hour. So in a 40 hour week, after taxes, they are bringing home only about $1000 a month. Even at a "higher paying" job at $10 an hour, $1500 is about all the take home pay they get. And they still have to pay rent, buy food, pay for daycare (which we didn't count in the example). Which is why in a lot of marriages, both work full time.

Cost Of Living - Your Country History & Civil Business Politics

1. My own home (include costs for mortgage) home would be three bedroom in upper class area. - $1000-$1200
2. My own car, not necessarily a luxury car, but above average - $350/month
3. Food for three meals a day - $30/day
4. Electricity, Phone (including Cel) and water rates $200/month
5. Insurance - home, car and self - $100/month
6. Internet and Cable - $100/month
7. Medical expenses - maybe a checkup or dental visit - $150/month
8. Entertainment on weekends - $100/wknd
9. Clothes and other personal necessities - $100/month
10. Factor in cost for school, books, etc. - $50/month

I live in Minnesota. This adds up to about $3300/month, which is not out of the realm of possibility. Of course, the cost of living here is significantly lower than many other places, and very much lower than most of California (sorry FarSeer)

Country - Living Cost

In the US the cost of living varies greatly depending upon where you live. We are like several different countries sharing a currency and perhaps a language, but it costs significantly more to live in California or the Northeast than it does to live in the South, Mid-West.

I live in Massachusetts. My own home in a very modest neighborhood costs me $1,500 per month including taxes and real estate insurance. The value of my 44 year old 3 bedroom ranch is approximately $300,000. In my same community, an upper class house sells for more than $500,000 so the mortgage would be even that much more to meet that standard as set forth in item #1. If I wanted to rent a decent two bedroom apartment in my community it would cost me $1,800 not including utilities.

I drive a new vehicle, but with little luxury and it costs me $415 per month for the payment. Insurance is another $120 per month. I pay about $35 per month for water. $80 for electricity. Heating gas is $450 per month for my ten month budget plan. Then the other two months are about $50 until I have to start paying for the budget plan again for the next heating season.

My cable bill including internet is $130 per month and I don't have a lot of pay channels. My phone bill is about $40 per month. My cell phone is paid for by my employer so that isn't included.

For medical insurance just to cover me (not a family plan which is much more) I pay $162 per month plus a $25 co-pay for each doctors visit.

As far as entertainment, etc. I don't spend much and I think I have listed enough of what it costs in the Northeast to live. I listed my expenses because I wanted to show that it isn't inflated by my just thinking what it would cost.

Edited: tenaheff on 20th May, 2004 - 2:26pm

Country - Living Cost

I live on the central Oregon coast. I live in a middle class area. I rent rather than own: $425.00 a month. I pay less because I talked with the landlord and told him that is all I can afford. He opted to lower the rent to insure that he had a good renter. [The other homes on my block all rent for $550.00 to $675.00 ] In the upper part of town, rent is $850.00 to $1,500.00 a month. I don't have home insurance or even renters insurance, nor do I have medical insurance. My car, 1989 Dodge Van is paid for; car insurance is about $60.00 a month for full coverage. My electricity is on equal pay at $67.00 a month, every month. My water/sewer is about $50.00 a month, every month. My DSL is $25.00 a month. I don't have a TV so there is no cost output there. Telephone service for just having a phone is $23.00 a month. My long distant carrier averages about $10.00 a month. Garbage pickup is $14.05 a month. I can no longer give an average on the cost of gas for the car anymore, it keeps going up $0.03 to $0.07 a DAY!

I have been on food stamps, which just ended two months ago. So while I was on them I was spending $140.00 a month on just food. I really stocked up too. The last two months I have spent maybe $40.00 on fresh vegies, eggs, cheese and two large roasts that I ground up into hamburger. Got them on sale for $1.19 a pound!! I have been living off of my food storage and all the chicken and pork chops I bought on sale with my food stamps.

Entertainment, well once in a while I go to the matinee showing and it costs $6.25 instead of $8.75. I also have a friend who is active in the local theater group, and she gives me a free ticket to see any of the plays she is in, or helping in. She is in a lot of them too. So that costs me just the gas to get there and home. Normally the cheapest tickets are $10.00 or $15.00.

Cost Of Living - Your Country

I live in Mesa, Az. It is cheaper to live here than either the east or west coasts, but higher than the midwest or south. A typical 3 bdr home in a nice neighborhood runs $150,000-$200,000. The mortgage payment would depend on the interest rate and how much you put down, but I'd say a typical situation might be $1,200 per month. Our electric bills is about $60 in the winter to over $200 per month in the summer due to cooling costs. Our home is well shaded and faces north, which helps. Otherwise, you might exceed $300 per month for electric in the summer. Water trash and sewer is all paid together and averages about $80 per month. Our phone line is $25, Internet $23, cell phone $30. Both our cars are paid for but only because we refinanced our home and paid them off. We did have a car payment of $440 per month.

Our dental costs have been high due to 3 kids in braces and middle aged mom and Dad getting crowns and root canals. We have both medical and dental insurance with my work but still pay over $2,000 each year for expenses.

I think my wife spends $200 per week at the grocery store and we still have nothing in the fridge. Due to busy schedules, we hit fast food more than we should. I would say food costs are near $1,000 per month.

Our big problem has been expensive repairs for the home and cars. Every time we almost get ahead, something else comes up. Oh, you need a new Q joint and XL rod for your drive shaft, $600. Well, you roof is shot, that will be $3,500.

I thing a family of 2-4 kids needs about 50K per year just to make expenses.

Cost Living - Country

1. My own home would be four bedroom flat in middle class area. - $100/month
2. My own car (Renault Clio) - $50/month
3. Food for three meals a day - $15/day
4. Electricity, Phone (including Cel) and other rates - $200/month
5. Insurance - home, car and self - $150/month
6. Internet and Cable - $20/month
7. Medical expenses - maybe a checkup or dental visit - $50/month
8. Entertainment on weekends - $100/month
9. Clothes and other personal necessities - $100/month
10. Factor in cost for school, books, etc. - $50/month

If I add it I get around 1300$, but this is the max amount. As an average I would say 1000$.
I live in Romania, Europe. You might think that life here is cheap ... but if you take in consideration that the medium wage here is 250$ ... think again. I am lucky enough to earn so I can cover these expenses, but many are less fortunate.

Cost Living - Country Politics Business Civil & History

Well,I am surprised that is that high! Most people think that in ex-communist countries things are cheap! Well,apparently not. Here in America(I live in America,but was born in Moscow),particulary my state is extraodrinary expensive, $3000 a month.