City sticker shock
These 10 places take the biggest bite out of residents’ wallets
Got an idea for a startup or eager to get in on the startup scene while it’s still red-hot? Your may want to head for one of the country’s well-known startup locations, such as Silicon Valley, San Francisco, New York or Austin. But out-of-control living expenses in some of these places may make it impossible for you to pay your employees — or yourself — a living wage while your startup gets off the ground.
The people at GOBankingRates have examined the cost of living in the 50 largest U.S. cities. They took into account average prices for rent, groceries, utilities, transportation and health care. Then they doubled that number, following the 50-30-20 budgeting rule of 50 percent for necessities, 30 percent for discretionary items and 20 percent for savings. The results make up the minimum income a single person needs to live comfortably in each of these cities per year. Here are the 10 most expensive cities:
1. San Francisco
It shouldn’t surprise anyone that the city by the bay is the least affordable in the nation. But it might surprise you to learn just how jaw-dropping costs such as rent are. GOBankingRates estimates that the cost of living comfortably in San Francisco is $119,570.
2. San Jose, Calif.
At $89,734, the income needed to live comfortably in San Jose may seem like a bargain compared to San Francisco, but it’s still very painful, especially if you’re trying to stretch those startup funds into the longest possible runway.
3. New York
With the financial industry, publishing and the media largely centered in New York, it takes $87,446 in income to live well in the Big Apple. And its growing status as “Silicon Alley” likely will make things worse.
4. Boston
With living expenses of $84,422, Boston is only slightly more affordable than New York. It too is a media and tech center, and also a center for elite higher education, with both Harvard and MIT in the area.
5. Washington
It costs $83,104 to live comfortably in Washington. The obvious reason is the proximity to the federal government and our nation’s hub of power. If you need to be near the government, consider the suburbs in Virginia and Maryland.
6. Miami
Famous as a playground for the wealthy, Miami was ranked as the richest city in the United States in a UBS study. It also has the greatest concentration of international banks in the U.S., and it’s been hailed for its air and water quality, green spaces and clean streets. No wonder it takes $77,057 in income to make a go of it there.
7. Los Angeles
Best known as the world center of movie-making, L.A. is also a center for shipping (its port and adjacent Long Beach make up the fifth busiest port in the world). L.A. is also a manufacturing center, and it hosts a growing startup scene. All this helps explain why L.A. will cost you $74,371 to live comfortably there.
Biggest cities that are most affordable 8. Seattle
Once considered a timber and aviation center that rose and fell on the fortunes of Boeing and the cost of lumber, Seattle has gained a lot of cachet recently and its booming economy, driven by Microsoft and Amazon, hasn’t hurt. There’s a constant influx of new people arriving, so expect to need $72,092 to live comfortably here.
9. San Diego
San Diego is the eighth largest city in the U.S. It’s a tourist destination thanks to its beaches, pleasant weather and attractions. It’s also a natural deep water port and houses the largest naval fleet in the world, and it’s becoming a center for the biotech industry. As such, you will need $69,307 to live the good life there.
10. Chicago
The third most populous city in the U.S., Chicago has stunning architecture, world-class museums and a healthy startup scene. Finance, retail, manufacturing, printing, food processing and transportation add to the diverse economy. The cost to live comfortably is $68,671, much less than New York or L.A., the two biggest cities.