$235k for family of 4 to live comfortably in top 100 biggest cities!

[carolinar7]

@outofthedesert 150 K is not rich in OK. I live in okc.

 

[mel]

@outofthedesert Depends on when you bought your house and cars.

 

[merleharlin]

@mel The median sold home price in OKC is $245K. At no point do you need $200k for a family of 4.

 

[sj72109]

@mel And whether or not your kids are of daycare age

 

[jimwif]

@outofthedesert yeah doubt that

people greatly exaggerate cost differences across cities. we all pay the same for costco, trader joe’s, whole foods, amazon, vacations/travel, new cars

 

[sj72109]

@jimwif It’s not groceries. It’s housing prices and childcare costs that make the difference.

 

[zeljko]

@jimwif I paid $4.49 for a half gallon of store brand milk today fyi. Los Angeles.

 

[friska]

@zeljko For reference, a half gallon of Horizon organic milk is $5.08 at my local grocery in Austin. I doubt it differs that much by location.

 

[honestscript]

@friska 9 bucks in Manhattan, NY.

 

[jimwif]

@zeljko did you have a point?

do you think if you walked into whole foods in ohio it would be $3 a gallon?

 

[honestscript]

@jimwif No we don't pay the same for food. I'm in NYC and it's worth going to NJ just for food shopping.

 

[feenicks]

@merleharlin Same for Indianapolis (and Fort Wayne, lol). My family of 3 spends $50k-$60k in Indy and we are solidly "upper middle class frugal."

If you use the rule of thumb that you spend 25% on housing, that's like a $450k-$600k house in Indy (with a 7.5% interest rate). So "comfortable" means double the median house of the area?

 

[saskia]

@merleharlin Wife showed me this article and we’re a family of 4 living on 185k. Were fine. Would be better if we didn’t sell our 3% home of 1200 mortgage for a 3900 sqft house at 2600/mo. But we’re comfortable. I don’t believe this article. I think it highly depends on so many factors.

 

[sheron86]

@merleharlin I’d sure as shit be comfortable with those numbers!

 

[leena2016]

@merleharlin Yeah that's pretty absurd. A single person can be pretty comfortable on $60k in OKC. Maybe even less

 

[slingshotandrock]

@leena2016 What does a meal out cost? A beer or cocktail?

 

[blognhadep2017]

@slingshotandrock It really depends on where you’re going. Here in OKC, I’ve paid anywhere from $8 to $22 for a cocktail (non-happy hour prices). For a dinner, I’ve paid $500 for two but also $25 for two.

 

[leena2016]

@slingshotandrock Varies a lot. Like $3-8 for a beer. $5-15 for a cocktail. Maybe $25-50 for an average restaurant meal for 2 people. (There are a few high end neighborhoods that could cost more but I would say this is what most people pay)

The main thing that will save you a lot of money though is housing. The average rent is like $900/m in OKC.

 

[slingshotandrock]

@leena2016 The rent price sounds great indeed.

 

[fangirlinggod]

@chris0699 Sure, I'd be more "comfortable" with a ton more money....