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> Everything is too expensive. I’m from New York... I take issue with this one. It's entirely possible to live frugally while living IN San Francisco. I moved
by ejcx 11y ago
> Everything is too expensive. I’m from New York...
I take issue with this one. It's entirely possible to live frugally while living IN San Francisco. I moved here about 7 months ago and expected it to be incredibly expensive but it hasn't been the case (beyond rent).
The author mentions $15 crappy local IPAs but I've actually never found a beer for this price. There is no shortage of $7 craft beers you can buy at a brewery or bar, no shortage of Trader Joe's with the same prices as, say, Charlottesville VA.
I've found that other than rent, the prices are comparable to other places. If you get a salad delivered on postmates or uber eats or something then that's what you're paying for. That isn't SF.
I think a lot of people are living a lifestyle where they have no problem paying for stuff like a delivered salad when they can walk next door, or uber instead of taking the bus, but lots of people are walking and grocery shopping and not paying those prices.
- DannyBee 11y agoCompared to NY, he's wrong. Compared to most other places, even other metro areas, he's very right :) Prices in SF are definitely 2x-3x what I have paid anywhere else. In fact, every time i visit, say, chicago, or atlanta, i'm strongly reminded of this fact. Can you find quality places in SF where that's not true? I'm sure. But on average, it's definitely the case that it's significantly more expensive here. You can compare the CPI as well: http://www.numbeo.com/cost-of-living/compare_cities.jsp?country1=United+States&country2=United+States&city1=New+York%2C+NY&city2=San+Francisco%2C+CA http://www.numbeo.com/cost-of-living/compare_cities.jsp?coun... http://www.numbeo.com/cost-of-living/compare_cities.jsp?country1=United+States&country2=United+States&city1=Chicago%2C+IL&city2=San+Francisco%2C+CA http://www.numbeo.com/cost-of-living/compare_cities.jsp?coun... Groceries should not be 40% more expensive in SF :)
- vectorjohn 11y agoCompared to Portland, $7 a beer is actually pretty expensive. Not as crazy as the mythical $15, but for a local craft beer it should be more like $5-6. But that could all just be taxes. (and we do have $7-12 beers, they're just known to be extra fancy or aged)
- Apocryphon 11y agoI've heard that Portland COL prices are climbing sharply due to people moving in. Is that true?
- misuba 11y agoTrue of rent, for sure. The rest is fairly stable.
- ryanSrich 11y agoVocal minority. Overall Portland is still relatively cheap. The only thing getting out of control is rent and house purchasing (because of the serious lack of inventory), but the entire nation is seeing this so it's not specific to Portland.
- vectorjohn 11y agoWhat do people normally count in cost of living? Utilities and services are fine, and groceries are easy to find reasonably priced. Transportation is fine. So I think as others have mentioned, rent and house prices are the things climbing sharply. I know someone paying $900 for a room in a 3 person house, in a really great part of town (Division, for locals). I've heard studios go for well over $1000, and fill up fast. But really, you don't have to look very hard to find something cheap(er). Surrounding areas (with new access to light rail that goes down town) are reasonable. I don't think it's really as bad as some people make it out to be, but it definitely is getting more expensive in town. I mean, that's the nature of the housing market recovery :)
- paupino_masano 11y agoI agree - I'm yet to find a $15 IPA! If anything, I'd say that rightly or wrongly the prices are very comparable to that of New York. I often spend more on food when I visit New York but admittedly I'd be taking the opportunity to go to a popular restaurant or bar rather than trying to find a convenience store etc. I can only anticipate the same thing would happen if I lived in NY and were visiting here.
- rorykoehler 11y ago$7 beer? Frugal? In Berlin a beer costs $1 from the shop and maybe $2-3 from a bar.
- MAGZine 11y agoYou'll pay $7 for a 20oz point of something nice at a bar. You can buy 6 packs of good craft beer for $7/$8 at any grocery store.
- rorykoehler 11y agoGrocery store prices are not adjusted to local rental rates?
- vectorjohn 11y agoI don't see why not, they have to pay rent too.
- rorykoehler 11y agoThat was my question. $7-8 for 6 pack of beer seems exceptionally good value for a city like SF.
- thecopy 11y agoIm thinkning of moving to München, this might be another reason too. A Heiniken 33cl beer in Stockholm costs around 12 USD if you are at a nightclub, otherwise around 10 USD.
- rorykoehler 11y agoMunich is much more expensive across the board.
- longlivedeath 11y ago> otherwise around 10 USD wat? it's 1.5$ actually http://www.systembolaget.se/dryck/ol/heineken-153603 http://www.systembolaget.se/dryck/ol/heineken-153603
- gedy 11y agoDo you have kids? It's expensive for families..
- aplummer 11y agoAgree, I'm visiting from Australia and its maybe 10% to 30% more expensive, and alcohol is cheaper. Nothing like what we paid for stuff in new york.
- ryanSrich 11y ago$7 for craft beer FROM the brewery is madness. $3-$5 is typical here in Portland and we have some of the best beer in the world.
- bribri 11y agoRent is expensive, but I pay 6-8$ for a good craft beer and ~12 for a nice bowl of pho for lunch. I dont even know where you could go to buy 14$ beer? Some hotel sky bar or a nightclub?