Cost-of-living in downtown Austin just as much as Chicago?? (Howe: apartment complexes, renting)

[cBach]

Originally Posted by centralaustinite

Rent is probably comparable but I'd guess that groceries are lower than Chicago, Then Texas has no state income tax, no personal property tax, and lower gasoline taxes. Not sure how sales tax compares.

Then most services in Austin are probably lower too (everything from manicures to housecleaning, dog walking, attorneys, accountants, editors, personal coaches etc.) Quality day care is definitely less in Austin (even right downtown) than Chicago.

It all depends on your personal mix of expenditures.

Everything you said is correct.

If the OP wants to save money, live a little south (SoCo) of town and your costs go down quite a bit. There are still some trendy condos south of the river which to me are more "Austin flavor" than the Miami style condos, and are closer to Zilker Park/Barton Springs and all that SoCo has to offer.

Utilities probably even out. In Chicago you have tremendous winter heating bills and here you have tremendous summer cooling bills, so that's a toss up.

Since you need a car anyway, why don't you open up your search options, then you can really save $$$ and still get the Austin lifestyle.

[Trainwreck20]

You rent now encompasses your income tax, essentially - you no longer will pay income tax, but you will pay property tax via your rent check to the landlord. Depending on your personal situation, that may be an increase or a decrease in the cost of living.

[chicagorunner]

Originally Posted by Trainwreck20

You rent now encompasses your income tax, essentially - you no longer will pay income tax, but you will pay property tax via your rent check to the landlord. Depending on your personal situation, that may be an increase or a decrease in the cost of living.

Ah ok.... I checked to see how much IL state tax I'm paying (I had no idea), I'm paying over $400 per month.

So if that deduction will completely go away, that does make a big difference. Coincidentally (or not), it just happens to be about the amount that it originally looked like my fixed expenses were going to increase.

Thanks for the info, that makes me feel better about it. Still a little surprised that Austin isn't cheaper than downtown Chicago (at least for my living situation), but at least now I feel better that it's not MORE expensive...

[ScoPro]

Lots of good feedback on this thread.

And as folks have advised others before, rent for a while until you have a better idea & feel for your long term options.

Where will your workplace be located? If downtown, then definitely live in 01....the commute from the 'burbs will suck.

[chicagorunner]

Originally Posted by ScoPro

Lots of good feedback on this thread.

And as folks have advised others before, rent for a while until you have a better idea & feel for your long term options.

Where will your workplace be located? If downtown, then definitely live in 01....the commute from the 'burbs will suck.

Yeah, I'm definitely going to rent, in fact it looks like some of the nice high-rises downtown are willing to do leases as short as 3-6 months, albeit at a slightly higher monthly rate.

I might go for just a 6-month lease initially, which will let me explore and see what else is out there without being locked-in for a whole year.

My company is based between Austin and Round Rock, about 2/3 of the way to Round Rock. I've actually never been to my own companies office in Austin, in the past I've always been there for a client, at their office.

The traffic didn't seem too bad (keep in mind I'm using Chicago as a reference); I think I was able to drive from downtown Austin to Round Rock in about 30 minutes or less, and that was in rush hour.

Also, I can work from home, and usually will at least three days a week, sometimes more.

[atxcio]

If you are willing to look at something other than the new highrise buildings (of which there are only a few, and they've all been built in the last 3-4 years), then $1450 for a 1 bedroom is NOT the norm in downtown. It will be significantly less. With the new buildings, you are paying for the newness, style, and high rise factor -- which is higher than just the "location premium" of living downtown.

And the main difference in cost for "downtown living", the way I see it -- if you are willing to accept a low-rise, older apartment building, you can get something in or near downtown for more like $900 in Austin. And it would be a decent, safe location. I'm guessing that for $800-900 in DT Chicago, you'd be looking at a location that involves burglar bars, gunfire every night, and careful routes in/out to avoid a wrong turn into a dangerous area. Am I right?

[kbchitown]

Originally Posted by centralaustinite

Rent is probably comparable but I'd guess that groceries are lower than Chicago, Then Texas has no state income tax, no personal property tax, and lower gasoline taxes. Not sure how sales tax compares.

Then most services in Austin are probably lower too (everything from manicures to housecleaning, dog walking, attorneys, accountants, editors, personal coaches etc.) Quality day care is definitely less in Austin (even right downtown) than Chicago.

It all depends on your personal mix of expenditures.

That's quite a few "probably-s".

I just moved from Chicago. If you consider the scale of Austin....you would think the cost of living cheaper than Chicago. Not true.Yes, the "no personal income tax"(for now) is the mantra of Texans (and it gets mentioned alot). But and if you ever consider to purchase you'll be shocked with the property taxes. It comes down to this....it's pretty much a wash. Don't expect rolling in dough just because you move to Austin. Actually, be prepared to lower your expectations.

[verybadgnome]

The difference in price per square foot is pretty dramatic between the older condos and those built during the boom of the last 5 years.

[mark311]

Originally Posted by chicagorunner

My company is based between Austin and Round Rock, about 2/3 of the way to Round Rock. I've actually never been to my own companies office in Austin, in the past I've always been there for a client, at their office.

Are you set on downtown? There are luxury apartments in the Domain and even places like Riata in NW Austin might be a good option to consider. Your 30 minute commute experience from Round Rock to downtown was accurate for some days. It could also be 55 minutes depending on what events are going on, if it's raining, or if there's an accident (which is pretty often).

As an aside, it doesn't surprise me that apartment rentals in downtown Austin are about the same price as downtown Chicago. Chicago wasn't even on the radar as a possible city to relocate to from those of that have been fleeing California. It snows there on a regular basis. For those of us that have never lived in an area where it really snows, it's hard to imagine how you could get through a day let alone a week when it's actively snowing. I think Colorado is ahead of it for most West Coast transplants who are alright with snow due to its proximity to the West Coast and its ski resorts.

[centralaustinite]

Most of the Chicagolanders seems pretty unhappy here too! They don't realize all the things that are unique to their city, they think that they are somehow generic and will re-appear here! Ha!

I briefly lived in Chicago and still have many many friends there but I'd never relocate there, great place to visit . . .