But those aren’t the only options. Why not settle in a city that strikes the perfect balance: the promise of an active social life, without hitting the sky-high COL of, say, New York or San Francisco. Here are the best cities for lowering your cost of living without sacrificing lifestyle. People from the likes of New York and Los Angeles will not be disappointed with Nashville’s nightlife and the bar scenes; the town is home to many creative transplants from far-flung places as well, making dating and finding new friends an exciting possibility. While the city’s culinary scene is most known for epicurean barbecue, Nashville also boasts restaurants such as Graze, Wild Cow, and Vegelicious, with tons of hearty plant-based plates you won’t want to miss. Plus, you can get a mortgage on a four-bedroom in trendy East Nashville along the lines of $1,200 per month—which puts those $2,500 Brooklyn shoebox apartments to shame. Even better, the median income hovers around $55,000—higher than median wages in Los Angeles, Miami, and Chicago. So a move to this college-town-turned-tech hub could be a great career shift with a built-in raise. No wonder the US News & World Report says Austin is the 13th best city to live in from 2022-2023. The surrounding areas have lots of nature on offer, too. From Zilker Park to Barton Springs, tree huggers won’t be disappointed. There’s also ample opportunity to put down the devices and take a dip in Lake Travis, a hometown favorite. Lovers of history and culture will enjoy the Banneker-Douglass Museum, which showcases African-American culture in Maryland, as well as statues of Alex Haley, tributes to his book Roots, and a city map retracing Annapolis’ Black history since the 1500s. Plenty of former Washingtonians have tried to leave D.C. for other Maryland cities, such as Baltimore and Frederick, which offer cheaper costs of living, but Annapolis is a better long-term play; median annual income in Annapolis is higher than in D.C. by about $6,000, and average home prices are nearly $150,000 cheaper. Quite a few neighborhoods have strong public schools, which will allow parents to pocket what they would have spent on costly private education in, say, Baltimore. Only 45 minutes away from the nation’s capital, Annapolis is truly the best of both worlds. The Brew City is both college- and kid-friendly, with three well-reputed universities in its metro area and a downtown that has numerous museums and public parks made for the whole family. The Milwaukee Public Market rivals Seattle’s Pike Place, which means there’s no tradeoff in terms of quality and quantity of fresh food choices. The real benefit to a Milwaukee move is that you can truly save on home prices, which average $123,000. With great value for families of all stages, what’s not to love? Average rent for a two-bedroom apartment is around $1,250/month, with a luxury spot on the strip coming in around $3,000 per month. Investopedia says that a move to Vegas is best with income around $50,000 per year, which would be a perfect hat trick for remote workers coming from higher cost-of-living areas. Moreover, Vegas has over 300 days of sunny weather. And with easy access to 10 Michelin-starred restaurants and world-class shows, you might come for the savings —but you’ll stay for the lavish lifestyle.
