Uh, don't be in such a hurry. I moved from San Diego to Austin, here's what I know now.ssquared87 wrote: ↑Mon Sep 10, 2018 8:39 am+1 curious as well.
I can’t wait to get out of this state. CA is a complete dump and a waste of money. Am considering some smaller cities (Denver, Austin, Charlotte) but haven’t come up with an exit plan yet.
The good
- It's more green out here, plenty of trees and natural grass
- Water is more abundant. It rains, there are rivers and lakes, seasonal creeks
- People are nice and tend to be more polite than in CA
- Food tends to be better and there's more variety
- Gas is much cheaper! Easy to find at $2.50/gal and no messing around with summer/winter blends or special state requirements.
- No state tax
- Utilities cost less
- State politics follow common sense
- Schools are MUCH better
- Housing costs are less
The not so good
- Traffic is bad and it's getting worse. I had a 1-hr commute before, I have a 1-hr commute now.
- There is no infrastructure to support the growth. Freeways are a couple lanes each way, even at merge points. (Compare to 6-12 lanes each way in CA.) Not enough freeways and everyone knows the 'secret back roads' now that mobile mapping is common.
- There is no real Mexican food here, it's virtually all Tex-Mex. Not the same thing, believe me (think cheese out of a can)
- The beer isn't as good
- It can be pretty humid at times, you'll sweat if you move a muscle
- Austin has nice scenery compared to the rest of TX, but nothing compared to CA
- Food prices are actually worse out here
- Pay is much lower
- Housing cost is growing rapidly.
Was it a mistake? Yes, from career point of view and overall "lifestyle."
Was it a win? Yes, for my kids and their future. They are in a great school and have much better opportunity out here.