Hello Steemians,
I recently moved to one of the most expensive cities in the United States, Washington DC. Before I moved I questioned if it was even possible. I had never lived in a major city before and was concerned about my future financial situation. I had hoped to find someone else online documenting their experience living in Washington DC but it isn't any surprise no one wants to share their personal finances online. So to answer the age old question "can I afford it?" here's a breakdown of my monthly expenses living in the District.
Rent (Utilities included) - $1450.00
Food/Grocery - $500.00
Transit - $120.00
Health Insurance - $259.99
Cell Phone - $89.00
Gym Membership - $29.99
Internet - $25.00
Misc - $200.00
TOTAL - $2673.99
Rent
I currently rent a "1 & Den" which is basically a 2 Bedroom 2 Bathroom apartment. The only thing that separates the den from the bedroom is that the den does not have any windows. My roommate and I pay $2,900 a month when you include all of the utilities. Located in the Navy Yard the location is great being less than a mile from Capital Hill, 0.2 miles from Nationals Stadium and just one metro stop from my work.
Is it possible to find places to rent for less? Yes but you will have to sacrifice one of two things, amenities or having to get multiple roommates. If you're not interested in having roommates you can find a place for $900-$1200 a month by yourself but it is likely it will meet one or several of the following criteria; a bad area, no in-unit washer/dryer, no dishwasher, 600 sq feet or less. Most likely it will be not one of these but all of the above. DC is one of those places where you can be in a great location cross the street and be in the ghetto so it is important that you research what areas you're considering. I would recommend places like The Navy Yard, Dupont Circle, Adams Morgan, and would avoid Anacostia, Stadium-Armory and Brentwood.
Food/Grocery
If you're like most people, it can be difficult at times not to eat out. I've seen grocery bills range from $200-$1000 a month! If you budget right, your grocery bill can make or break you. Fortunately there are a lot of great low cost options when it comes to food shopping in the city. Aside from the usual grocery stores like Whole Foods, Harris Teeter, Walmart, etc. we have a Costco in Pentagon City which can be accessed via the Metro, a year round farmers market called Broad Branch Farmers' Market located at 5701 Broad Branch Rd NW Washington, D.C. 20015 and several mom and pop grocery stores that generally offer better prices than national chains. We also have Ubereats, DoorDash & Grubhub that deliver throughout the city but these services can increase your monthly cost.
Transit
One of the perks of living in a city where everything is in walking distance is you don't need a car. Between a car payment, gas, vehicle maintenance, insurance and paying for a parking space, I estimate I am saving $450 a month. My current apartment complex charges $200 a month to use their parking garage alone, this is not unusual. In the event I am traveling somewhere that isn't walking distance I use public transportation. There is a metro stop almost every quarter mile and the rates are very reasonable ranging from $1.85 to $3.85 dependent upon where you need to go and the time of day.
If public transportation and ride sharing apps aren't your thing electric scooters are available for anyone over the age of 18. Generally most scooter companies charge $1 to unlock the scooter and then 15 cents every minute after. At a top speed of 15 MPH and the convenience of picking them up and dropping them off anywhere, these are a popular choice among Washingtonians.
All other expenses listed while not essential, most people will occur in some form or another. The miscellaneous category for me is generally alcohol/going out to dinner. I'm sure everyone will have their own expenses unique to them but I wanted to give everyone a basic idea. Washington DC is a unique place and I definitely enjoy living here.
TOP TEN most expensive cities to live in the United States.
https://www.inc.com/minda-zetlin/cost-of-living-san-francisco-new-york-boston-most-expensive-cities.html
TOP TEN worst neighborhoods in Washington DC
https://www.roadsnacks.net/worst-neighborhoods-in-washington-dc/
STEEMIT - @MIKEMEZZ
Get to know me ^
Heck, the rent's not that bad for your share of the 2BR/2BA. Thanks for sharing the numbers. When we lived downtown Oklahoma, the rent was 1200 USD for 1000 sqft 1BR/1BA. It had utility room and nice kitchen. Noisy and lots of irresponsibile pet owners.
Rent does not include utilities and far from the groceries. It's close to downtown restos but then you'll spend too much on GMO food.
We've been seeing those electric scooters in town now. We see people activating them with their phones and zipping by. They also have bicycles parked around town.
Overall, those aren't bad prices. Just watch out for "expensive" habits :D Make your own coffee and eat in most of the time. The farmers market is a great thing.
We have a friend that just moved to Jersey City and he pays more than 2000 a month for a 1 BR, paid 7k to move in. Whew! You got a good deal.
Wow I cant believe it costs this much to live there
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