We live in a country today that bases everything on how much we make vs. how much its costs? Why do some people flock more to one city or another? How much are you really making based on where you live? Why are you still there? I’ll answer these questions and then you can decide whether where you live is cost effective based on your lifestyle.

I will use one profession to help put all this into perspective: software developer. Use this article for reference. Now I know this does not apply to all jobs, but the cost of living still does not change based on what you do.

So we as humans flock to one place more than another based on comfort-ability and easy access. Cities like New York offers us public transportation and entertainment and a closeness like no other city in the world can provide. But living there keeps its millions of people on a short leash. Why because we let the businesses and corporations around us to hike up the price of out living expenses. Why? Well because we have everything we need whenever we want it, 24hrs a day 7 days a week. And since we are kept com-placed we don’t complain when they hike up the price of everything ever so slightly every year.

New York has a cost of living of 177% based on the average being 100%. If your a software developer in New York, the $90,000 a yr your supposed to be making is actually $50,000 when you factor in cost of living. People don’t take that into consideration anymore, and its a shame, you really should, especially if you want to start a family. Now where would you make the most money based on the cost of living. Well for a software developer that would be Texas. But other professions would still be better off as well, because the cost of living in Texas is below the 100% average. The top five cities for a software developer in fact are all in Texas.

But Texas does not have the same comfort-ability level as New York does, it does not provide all the same things that people in the North East are used too getting anytime of the day. Its a shame that we live and work this way when we can be doing so much better for ourselves. Any twenty to thirty year olds living in New York now is the times our lives are beginning. I implore you take a stand and make a move, make your lives better move to where the cost of living is lower. You will actually be able to buy a house and make something of a life for yourselves.