It probably wouldn’t surprise anyone to find out big city life is expensive. Some gloomy experts even think that megalopolises are the main symptoms of a dying culture and that we are dealing with a decline of Western civilization. Luckily, we don’t intend to go deeper into those theories. But, if you’ve wondered how moving from a city to a small town might affect your financial situation, you’ve come to the right place. We’ll show you how relocating to a small town can save you money.
1. Housing is Cheaper
Moving to the house of your dreams in a small town will probably save you more money than you’d imagine. Firstly, housing costs are much cheaper in Smalltown, USA, while the income statistics don’t show that big of a difference when compared. Also, property taxes are mostly lower outside the big city gates. For instance, if you calculate the cost of living difference between New York City and Rochester, NY ( a small city in North Western New York State), you will find that Rochester is 56% cheaper and housing is actually 80% cheaper. And that is still the city in the same state. If you move to a small college town like Brockport outside Rochester, you will find even cheaper housing and lower costs still.
2. Goods and Services are Cheaper in Small Towns
It’s not hard to imagine prices are much lower in a small town than in Manhattan. Big cities can be pretty pricey, especially if they’re in the center of things like NYC. One doesn’t need to see the statistic to know that people spend less money on the same services (the ones you could find in small and big cities). In years past, living in a small town might have meant that some items would be more difficult to find. But these days, with the advent of online buying, even if things aren’t available locally, you can always order them and have them in a few days.
3. Your Appetite Will Change
Of course, by saying your appetite will change, we don’t mean you’ll suddenly feel the need to consume more food or become an ascetic living on bread and water. We meant to say that you’ll get used to the quiet, small-town life at some point. Your big-city cravings, like the need to go out even if you don’t really want to, will be tamed. Going out on a Friday night in LA is certainly not a good way to save money.
On the contrary, quiet small-town vibes keep the money in your wallet nice and warm. You won’t feel the big city FOMO (fear of missing out).
Let’s say you’ve set your mind on leaving your big-city hometown. You want to get out of there as fast as you can. Any minute more can cost you precious nerves. Being organized is the key to success. If you plan to organize a move on short notice, use your time wisely. Creating a detailed moving schedule should be your top priority. Finding peace is another reason to move to a smaller community. You can start working on that mission even before you move.
4. Business Owners Can Earn More
Moving from a big city to a small town can make small business owners richer. That might seem unlikely, but statistics say otherwise. Business owners earn more in small towns than in big cities. The average yearly income of big-city businesses is about $1.5 million, while the number is tripled for small-city businesses. It may sound confusing, but that’s the way things are. The primary reason is lower expenses. Taxes are lower, expenses like rent and utilities are lower, and opening up a business in a small town is much easier (less red tape). Big cities mean big competition. Everyone wants their piece of the pie. Providing good service in a small town will generate loyal customers.
5. Save Money on Gas
Some research suggests that people in small cities and towns spend less on gas annually than big-city residents. Compare LA (a place where folks spend 128 hours a year seated in their cars) and Princeton, NJ. Notice anything? Fewer hours spent sitting in traffic. If you were to move to another part of the country because of everything we’ve mentioned – go for it. Although, it’s safe to say that
A conclusion to the topic
So, is it cheaper to live in a small city? The answer is: Yes, it really is. Moving from a big city to a small town will save you some money in the long run. But you’ll need to organize your relocation budget. In other words: you’ll need to know how much money you need. Needless to say: you’ll want to make it less pricey. Doing some research won’t hurt.
Big city goods and services are total money-drainers. Compare going out during the weekend in NYC to a pleasant house party in an Oregon small town. Most folks don’t find big-city life appealing anymore. If you want to be a part of the back-to-the-small-town-life trend, you’ve got all the reasons to do it.
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