What is the average cost of living in a small city?

Question

Monthly. Including rent, good food, home cooking because i like to cook and eat, taxes, insurance, and any other expenses i may be forgetting. How much should i plan to have extra per month for emergencies? What hourly wages would i need to live along, realistically, working full time? Any other advice. I'm about to move out and be on my own any help you can get is gladly accepted

Answer 1

You can find answers to your job and cost of living at the United Stated Department of Labor - Bureau of Labor Statistics http://www.bls.gov/home.htm

You need to narrow down this question first and let us know what town your talking about since the cost of living and wages can vary GREATLY across the US.  You also need to separate necessities from luxury items

NECESSITIES:

rent

food

taxes (vary-u may not pay but receive)

insurance (required if for vehicle- varies depending on age, length of owning a drivers license and other factors such as the zip code you live in)

emergencies ($2000 is a good ballpark) - there will ALWAYS be an unplanned "emergency" or cost - that's life

laundry

utility (gas and electric)

water

garbage

phone

bank account service charges (but this can be reduced to nothing if you work it right)

ADDITIONS or LUXURIES:

good food, eating out

insurance (renters, medical-health, travel, etc)

cable TV/internet

Best thing to do is to find out the rates in your town and calculate necessary expenses, ask the companies whats the average for a one bedroom (for example).  Think of how many loads of laundry you have per week and go down to the laundry mat and see how much they charge and what the average drying time is -- basically play it all out w/ numbers.  Look through rentals and see how much they cost in your town.  Add it all up and figure that's how much you have to earn AT THE VERY MINIMUM.  Then add in the luxury items and know the same.  

This will help but nothings guaranteed because it all depends on you, your lifestyle, town expense averages, etc.  Hope that helps.  

Also keep in mind that when you move out for the first time, you'll have to pay for things you may not have thought about which really add up: microwave, broom, mop, cleaning supplies, bucket, towels (for bathing & cleaning), towel racks, couch, chairs, table, eating utensils, plates, cups, napkins, toilet paper, toothpaste, soap, dish rack, pots and pans, oven mitts, possibly medications, dust pan, garbage bin, lights, hangers, dressers, spatulas, aluminum foil, laundry soap, dish washing soap, sponge, etc.