The current timeline is 4 1/2 years, and then I'll pack up and move somewhere cheaper and less crazy. I haven't yet found that Goldilocks location that is perfect in every way, but I think I can rule out these 10 cities worldwide: Copenhagen, Paris, San Francisco, Geneva, Zurich, Los Angeles, Hong Kong, Tel Aviv, New York, and Singapore.
These are the world's most expensive cities to live in 2022
I retired this year after 27 years working in universities and community colleges in So Cal. I bought a home in Arkansas and should be completely moved there in a few months.
ReplyDeleteEveryone else I know who is moving out of CA are moving to Tennessee, Texas, AZ and Idaho. I've met no one moving to AR, which makes it perfect for my wife and me.
I'm surprised that Tokyo isn't in the top 10.
ReplyDeleteI'm considering Florida, Texas, South Dakota, and Nevada right now....
ReplyDeleteSouth Dakota gets mighty, mighty cold in the winter.
ReplyDeleteTexas...is a big state, with a variety of climate. West, north, east, south and even central Texas vary in greenery, heat, and rainfall. I liked the hill country, but I never saw far East Texas.
Just stay away from the people's Democratic Republic of Austin, however.
Having grown up in Minnesota, now living in Texas, I'd argue against ND due to it's winters alone.
ReplyDeleteWhen going to the grocery store is a life threatening event, it's a no for me.
What is your criteria? Based upon cost-of-living, most states would be an improvement.
ReplyDeletePossibly not rational, but I'd rule out some states based upon the ability to survive disasters. Being a peninsula, Florida seems like a trap during hurricanes. Desert states aren't appealing either.
I look at tax rates (income, sales, and property), overall cost of living, weather, natural disasters, and local environment (trees vs grass vs desert).
ReplyDeleteAll the places I'm looking at have a *serious* negative two. Grrrr. Where's the Goldilocks zone?
As far as natural disasters are concerned, NE Ohio has very few, and if you avoid the larger cities, like Cleveland and Columbus, we are fairly conservative and Gov. Dewine did a decent job of Covid.
ReplyDeleteAnna A said...
ReplyDelete"As far as natural disasters are concerned, NE Ohio has very few,..."
My survivability comment may have come from living in NE Ohio. Too far West to worry about hurricanes or tsunamies, too far North for tornadoes, too wet for wild fires or droughts, too hilly for floods and not mountainous enough for mud slides.
The only regional natural disaster that seems likely is a power outage during a vigorous blizzard. A few cords of firewood and a nice wood stove take care of that.
Having a proper winter keeps the insects manageable. The natural pests most people deal with are mice getting in the house and deer eating the landscaping. Nothing outside wants to kill me.
State and local government are moderate, cost of living is low and taxes aren't onerous. My only real complaint is that we have nothing like the grandeur of the West. It takes a couple of days of driving to get my camper to the big national parks.