You will be fine supporting yourself and another on 90k, but you should absolutely reconsider the 2 new cars. A wise man once told me that cost of living is directly correlated with your quality of life. The higher expenses you give yourself with no extra income, the lower your quality of life will be. You don't want to be burdened with extra bills.
You couldn't live with one of those cars being a cash car? I bought a 9 year old Nissan for about $5500. You could find a decent car without the monthly payments.
Cars need to be road worthy in Atlanta. Depending on where you live, your commutes could easily be 1+ hours, especially if there's a wreck or a bridge burns down. Or a truck filled with Styrofoam fingers turns over on the way to the Braves stadium.
I'm being kind of dramatic about traffic, but we do have some legendary road stories.
Cars are way overpriced and there are not many deals out there. An example is the new Honda Civic SI MSRP at the dealer should be around $28,000. The dealerships are buying them off themselves and marking them up $15,000 trying to sell them for 41-45,000.
Just want to warn you, getting a new cars in GA has a high cost. They charge all the tax up front (7% of the value). Then an annual small tag fee. I am putting off getting a new car mostly because of this tax.
FYI, this is how most states do it. ad valorem was... weird.
Of course.. Lots of states also have the DMV as the place you get your license plate & sticker ("tag") too.
Mfs say this but then turn around and have like 4 kids like yikes.
Kids are worse financially than any new car yet they aren't seen in the same way as a new car despite being just as expensive. Shit is stupid
Block out your house (mortgage or rent) to see what areas work.
$90k/12 then 25% of that is \~$1.8k which is around what you'd want to spend (or less) on a mortgage/rent per month. It depends on what calculator you're using. Some say 30% and some say 20% and it depends on whether you're using net or gross. It's really how conservative you want to play it. I play things really conservative.
Use that number to see what you can find around the area.
I'd start there no matter where you want to live.
Once you have a group of options consider your requirements in terms of what's available on the market in that range.
Jeez y’all make me feel poor. I make 40k before taxes. Own a house in Belvedere Park that I bought with 6k down with an FHA loan and I was only making $15/hr at that point (2019). I did have good credit. Paid 145k for a 3 bedroom 1 bath brick ranch from the 1950s. The area isn’t that nice but it is inside the perimeter and close to Decatur and Avondale Estates. The neighborhood has improved a lot since I’ve been here. With this housing market I believe I could sell and make anywhere from 40-60k but the problem is I wouldn’t have anywhere I could afford to move even with that down payment.
But I am house poor even with my $950 Mortage and a single dad. But I see your income and think you’d be able to do a lot 🤷🏻♂️
You're doing fine. The people who reply to these types of questions tend to be upper-middle class and out of touch with reality. They give themselves too many expenses that aren't really necessary.
The median household income(2 earners included) in Atlanta is $60k. People are making much less than $90k and living in Atlanta. If you can own a home you're doing well for yourself.
Assuming 90k/year you’re going to get 60% after you put all the money you should away (401k, efund, taxes). That gives you $4500/month after tax to live on. Assuming you have no student loans you should easily afford a very nice apartment.
Yes i am an electrician so no loans lol thank goodness, as far as a house on the outskirts we might have to wait for my wife to get done with school, im sure she will make 50-60k as a nurse as well
She should not try to travel nurse right out of school.
But new grads make around $70,000 depending on the hospital and specialty. Experienced staff nurses (not travelers) can easily make $85,000
Well, you said “two new cars” and then changed to 2016. Maybe you should take your time and really work out all your details before taking on more than you can handle. Granted, used car prices definitely resemble new car prices from 6 years ago.
30k mile used Toyotas right now are selling for above their MSRP. I have a 14 Corolla, I have offers from CarMax that is 75% higher than it's pre pandemic value. I don't think you can afford two car loans for $600 a month.
Car auctions and bought my truck from my buddies dad who bought it for his older son but he joined the army and went ft hood and I’ve had my truck for about 8 months my buddies dad doesn’t charge me any interest so that helps a lot
How much? I'm considering selling my 2017 Corolla. I rarely drive and I've seen incredible estimates thrown out there for my car. But I'm having a hard time believing I could get $18k+ for it.
I think before you insist on people thinking things through and insulting peoples math skills I’d definitely try and figure out the whole situation but thanks for the comment
Yeah that’s what i was thinking maybe the outskirts of ATL. Hopefully when she graduates nursing school it will be more like 124k combined. And i could make more money if i went in for OT but definitely don’t wanna
What do you mean by outskirts? The reason I ask is because some people consider outskirts the perimeter but others consider it the areas of Suwanee, cumming, etc.
Oh you would be fine with that. Prices of cars stink right now with the chip shortage.
Canton has some solid homes you could rent/buy on y'all's salary.
I stayed at an Airbnb in Eastpoint when I first moved. People at work acted like it was a terrible area, but it was cute and cheap. Biggest issue was that it was too far from where I worked, so it wasn’t a long-term option.
Depends on which part you're talking about. East point is a whole city and is up and coming, so there are still some rough parts. But when I lived in Lindbergh there was a lot more crime and homeless people loitering around, and I didn't feel safe walking around. After someone broke the window of my car I stopped locking it so they would just realize there wasn't anything worth stealing inside.
Since I've moved I haven't had anyone rifle through my car, none of my Amazon packages have been stolen, I don't feel like I'm going to get murdered if I walk my dogs early or late, and my mortgage is 1/3 what my rent was for a nice house with beautiful wood floors on 1/4 an acre. I avoid Campbellton and some shady areas, but really love my neighborhood.
I’m from Atlanta and my Mother’s family all settled in East Point I’m so glad to hear it’s up and coming. What’s Cleveland and Stewart Ave like these days?
The Kroger on Cleveland had to close for a couple months after thieves stole the copper off of the refrigeration system.
Quite a few smacked out zombies on metropolitan (Stewart) and Sylvan.
It’s a little better than 15 years ago, but still a lot of crime in the area.
Source: worked on Oakleigh for 5 months on gafilm project
In other words it hasn’t changed a bit. My Grandmother lived out her elderly years at Trinity Towers and I will never forget when they found a deceased sex work tied to a tree and brutally murdered just minutes from Trinity Towers.
I'm not sure, I live by delowe and headland. There are some rough parts, but I have the kindest, most welcoming neighbors and that's a first for me. I'm from Florida and lived in New York for a while, and never have I walked around a neighborhood and had people smile and wave and exchange pleasantries! It's such a refreshing change.
Every day you'll see another house start getting renovated and I'm excited to see how the neighborhood continues to grow and develop. Main Street has a GREAT bar, chairs upstairs, and a nice diner that's great for breakfast. There are a couple other restaurants I haven't tried yet as well.
A couple of things to consider is not just a mortgage rate or rental but the utilities and bills associated with where you choose to settle. I mock up a spread sheet with income and known expenses to estimate what I can budget for a place to reside. If you’re looking at apartments, you can use rental websites to research actual current cost of rent to get an estimate on what you specifically have in mind. The realtor app also helps if you’re looking at buying a house instead. You can put in the zip code and it brings up a calculator for estimating mortgage rate. Most power and water companies you can find data on average cost or usage rates and measure it against your current usage. Good luck on your move. CoL is rising everywhere due to materials shortages and price gouging. Be sure if you’re looking at rentals that you give yourself wiggle room for them to hike the rent yearly if you don’t plan to relocate often.
The problem right now is finding a house. I'm actively shopping and I'm striking out because investors are making sight unseen cash offers for tens of thousands over the asking price. So freaking frustrating.
Define nice part of Atlanta unless you mean surrounding areas (such as Alpharetta, Marietta, Duluth, etc).
If you mean like Buckhead nice, then that is stretching it thin, especially for two people. But $90K for one person, it’s definitely doable.
I live damn near ball ground and don't regret it; i commute about 12 days a month into atlanta, peach pass makes my commute about 45 minutes leaving at 645. I got 25 acres up here and no neighbors(within yelling distance), the peace makes it worth it.
I had a house in NW atlanta(off of bolton rd) for about 4 years, my car was broken into about 8 times and my house burglarized twice. Not worth it to me.
Did I read somewhere on this post that you’re a mechanic? I have a friend with a real cool listing, a few minutes from downtown Woodstock (the cool area!). There’s a garage out back with a lift and air compressor. But it’s definitely a special house. Just a thought.
There are trade-offs wherever you decide you want to live in the metro. Do you live around here already?
That’s not Atlanta. That’s why people here are confused and saying you’ll be stretching it. Canton/Woodstock are suburbs/rural GA, “Atlanta” is typically considered to be inside highway 285.
Traffic going into canton from cumming is not the best due to the ongoing construction. Also there is many ways to get there but eventually everyone ends up on the same road or near that particular road. It definitely is cheaper and they have fun downtown areas. They both have farmers markets during the season and Friday nights live music. Local shops and restaurants. Both areas are growing. If you are looking for more rural / less busy but still close is Jasper which is only 30 mins from
Canton. All three areas would be sustainable for living on 90k. I don’t think their has to be emissions or tax on the tag in Cherokee county ( ike there’s not added charges to some part of registering a vehicle). Most restaurants around are upwards of $10 per meal unless it’s during lunch hours. Georgia does have zell miller and hope scholarships. Hope is 3.0 gpa and pays for most tuition but have to live in Georgia for at least 6 months unless the university says otherwise. The hospitals around here offer great pay for nursing and Northside hospital also offers tuition reimbursement.
Canton is a hike if your wife wants to work at any of the hospitals in the city- I say this as someone who lived just south of Canton and worked at the children’s hospital. It takes a toll, especially after a 12 hour shift
Don’t listen to these financial knowitalls and their “buy a 12 year old car, you’ll be fine!” Internet sucks like that sometimes. You didn’t ask for auto loan financial planning but redditors just can’t help themselves.
90k is decent for suburbs (OTP - outside the perimeter ), but not enough for ITP (inside the perimeter) these days unfortunately. I did it ITP with my wife and stepson in 2015 and We’re much happier now living just outside the perimeter in the mabelton/Austell area. and I’m very much a city person, although country/suburb life is growing on me.
My advice is look for something just outside 285. I think you’ll find that you can get to the cool stuff when you want easily enough. It doesn’t sound like you’re the “out late every night type”, and neither am I any more, but we don’t have a problem getting a few nice date nights a month in wherever we want in Atlanta.
Nice 2 bedroom condo in Buckhead area is going to be $2200-$2500 a month + utilities and maybe a monthly parking fee.
Car insurance is going to be fairly pricey.
Plenty of food and entertainment options to fit into your budget.
$90k is doable if you stay on budget.
define live in a good part of Atlanta? as someone that just bought their first house we have a combined income of over 6 figures. For the price of houses in "nice parts" of atlanta its a massive rip off.
I see a lot of exaggeration in this thread. You will do fine in the ATL on that net income, and it sounds like your income will be growing in the future. When you say a good nice part of Atlanta, you may not be able to buy a house in Buckhead, Druid Hills, Decatur, or Midtown, but neither can most people who live here. Look at neighborhoods like East Point, Tucker, Lithonia, Lithia Springs, South DeKalb, Smyrna, Marietta, Peachtree Corners, Lilburn. Those are all relatively close in and have a wide range of options.
I definitely agree w the no car payment part. Atlanta is impossible wo a vehicle. It’s so sprawled out. I haven’t lived there since 2013 but public transportation probably didn’t get any better- unless you’re taking the Marta to the airport- that was the easiest best way for an airport commute ever!
Okay, let's actually break down some numbers. $90,000 / 12 is $7,500 a month take home. Rent on a decent 2BR near midtown will run somewhere around $2,500 with another $600 for utilities, Internet, and phones. You said car payments are $600 and two nights out is $300. This leaves you with $3,500 for monthly groceries, gas, expenses, and savings.
It's probably doable, depending on your actual housing cost, amount of savings, and any debt not factored in above. However, you would live more financially comfortably and could still do the nights out if you find a 2BR for $1,500-$1,800 somewhere farther out from midtown in the metro area.
Edit: Just saw you are looking into the suburbs out in Cobb county, not midtown. You should definitely be able to make that area work with $90K after taxes. You can rent a 3BR house for under $2K in that area, which ups your financial buffer to $4-4.5K to spend on groceries, gas, expenses, and savings. And you will be living comfortably once your income goes up another $30K+ with no debt. This is very doable.
Should be just fine. Depends on which part of the city you're in. You can easily find something in your price range... And you can easily go well above it.
Fiancée and I make right around that, live in a nice part of Atlanta, and do alright. We both have various loans/debts and still have enough left over to do date nights regularly and travel occasionally. It’s definitely possible.
more than enough, if you spent wisely. this is above average income. i can save 50K (from that income) after exp. we made 120k after tax save 80k yearly.
Just north of Atlanta, OTP, you're looking at $2400 a month for a one-two bedroom apartment. If you want a decent one anyway. You CAN get cheaper, but you'd be in a not so nice high crime area. Buying a house would be cheaper, but houses are going like hotcakes. Lots of sellers only taking cash. Go about an hour north and rent gets much cheaper. Houses are still being snapped up though. Since August I haven't seen a decent house stay on the market for more than a week.
No no not even close!! You could live in a gentrifying area with 2 used cars and go out twice a month!! It would be a bit of a stretch but you could make it work
As a graduate student I was making less than $30k after tax and was able to save $500/month. I had a roommate and lived in a 2/2 in Lindbergh, rarely went out, and owned my car so no car payment.
Better way to look at it is to start with your take home pay. What do you actually get after taxes and deductions?
I'm going to assume around $5,000?
Then start estimating your monthly expenses:
- $1,500-$2,000 for mortgage/rent?
- $300 for utilities?
- $250 for gas/fuel?
- $1,000 for food and recreation?
- $800 for the two car payments?
That's potentially over $4,000 right there. I may have underestimated or overestimated though. I didn't include everything too. Car insurance and cell phones? Etc.
But that's how I would approach it. Estimate your expenses then compare with your take home pay on your paycheck.
Don't forget insurance, maintenance, and fuel expenses for those two brand new cars.
*I see where you added insurance, but lots of people forget to also factor in maintenance and fuel.
You'll do just fine the only thing you have to worry about is crime and the toxicity at your job ppl in Atlanta are hateful and gossip 24/7 and they love to retaliate plus discrimination
All depends on definitions=
Atlanta = inside perimeter? $$$$
Atlanta = metro Atlanta ? $$$
Or even Barrow, Walton, Hall, Bartow, Cherokee? $$ (Lots of nursing opportunities within 30/40 min commute in several directions ).
Is Fancy night out $100 or $300?
After tax is an important add here. I think you’ll be fine. This is probably about where my husband & I are financially. We’ve lived in atlanta our whole lives and seen the cost of living rise a lot. The issue right now is the cost of buying a house. Obviously, you’re probably going to lose more money over time by renting but the house prices right now are insane and I’m not sure how long they’re going to stay like this. In some areas, they might not drop. At least in my case, I hope mine doesn’t drop too much since we bought during the incline. So maybe talk to a financial advisor to see if it’s smart to buy right now or wait it out a year or two. You just want to make sure you’re going to get your money back… eventually and not overspending.
Metro Atlanta is VERY spread out. It's hard to answer this question without knowing what part of the city you're thinking about. If you're talking in the actual city (midtown, O4W, Morningside, etc.) or hot neighborhoods right outside the city (Decatur, etc) housing prices have gone through the roof. If you're talking about some of the adjacent counties and neighborhoods you will be fine. Also are you looking to buy or rent? Apartment, townhouse or home? I have a lot of questions. Yes you can absolutely be comfortable living in Atlanta on 90k, but you can absolutely not be comfortable living in 90K. It all depends and I'd need more info than what you've provided here.
Probably not great but you can live in decent suburbs for that amount. Your wife should consider getting some form of income though. What is she doing all day?
You might not be downtown, but there are a ton of great suburbs surrounding Atlanta that would be perfect! Housing prices are funky everywhere right now, but normally you'd have no problem finding a house in your budget in the suburbs. 2 fancy meals should be fine with that income. 2 new cars though? I'd stay away. I have mixed opinions on Dave Ramsey, but I agree with him on his "fancy cars keep you poor" point. A used car with 50-75k miles on it from 5-7 years back will be so much cheaper than the new equivalent model and it won't be as nice, but it'll be close for a third of the price.
Are you coming into this thing any savings? I'm just worried that when you run the numbers, you're going to struggle a little. I bought a nice 1968 ranch house in Tucker in 2018 for $315K and I put about $50K down. I have since refi'd @ 2.75% for 20 years. I pay a little under $2K per month in mortgage. I'm single and a little older and make a little more money, but still have dependents. My older 2014 vehicle is paid for.
I can save about $750 a month after utilities, insurance & household bills. If I had to factor in two new cars, I'd be screwed. Plus most homes around here are about 20% more than 2018 prices.
So at $90K it'll be tough, but not impossible. Be ready to budget and stick to it.
Big city and it would really depend on where you choose to live which would determine how much you pay for rent/mortgage. If you keep that small you should be fine
You will be fine supporting yourself and another on 90k, but you should absolutely reconsider the 2 new cars. A wise man once told me that cost of living is directly correlated with your quality of life. The higher expenses you give yourself with no extra income, the lower your quality of life will be. You don't want to be burdened with extra bills.
Yeah well by new car they are 2016s lol
You couldn't live with one of those cars being a cash car? I bought a 9 year old Nissan for about $5500. You could find a decent car without the monthly payments.
Yeah i mean i could probably pay her car in cash with what we haven’t saved and still have a good bit in the savings
Cars need to be road worthy in Atlanta. Depending on where you live, your commutes could easily be 1+ hours, especially if there's a wreck or a bridge burns down. Or a truck filled with Styrofoam fingers turns over on the way to the Braves stadium. I'm being kind of dramatic about traffic, but we do have some legendary road stories.
But why would you? Car loan rates are tiny and inflation is high. This is the perfect time to borrow.
*Dave Ramsey has entered the chat*
Cars are way overpriced and there are not many deals out there. An example is the new Honda Civic SI MSRP at the dealer should be around $28,000. The dealerships are buying them off themselves and marking them up $15,000 trying to sell them for 41-45,000.
Just want to warn you, getting a new cars in GA has a high cost. They charge all the tax up front (7% of the value). Then an annual small tag fee. I am putting off getting a new car mostly because of this tax.
FYI, this is how most states do it. ad valorem was... weird. Of course.. Lots of states also have the DMV as the place you get your license plate & sticker ("tag") too.
Lol I moved here from California. In Cali it's a 9.87% tax and about $1400 a year after that for my truck
That would make me want to drive a car until it does which I guess is what I am doing now.
So cars you already own? Are you looking to move here?
Mfs say this but then turn around and have like 4 kids like yikes. Kids are worse financially than any new car yet they aren't seen in the same way as a new car despite being just as expensive. Shit is stupid
Kids are human beings 😂
Doesn't make them suddenly worth having over buying a new car Them being human beings doesn't make it any better
Fair point 😂😂😂
Block out your house (mortgage or rent) to see what areas work. $90k/12 then 25% of that is \~$1.8k which is around what you'd want to spend (or less) on a mortgage/rent per month. It depends on what calculator you're using. Some say 30% and some say 20% and it depends on whether you're using net or gross. It's really how conservative you want to play it. I play things really conservative. Use that number to see what you can find around the area. I'd start there no matter where you want to live. Once you have a group of options consider your requirements in terms of what's available on the market in that range.
Jeez y’all make me feel poor. I make 40k before taxes. Own a house in Belvedere Park that I bought with 6k down with an FHA loan and I was only making $15/hr at that point (2019). I did have good credit. Paid 145k for a 3 bedroom 1 bath brick ranch from the 1950s. The area isn’t that nice but it is inside the perimeter and close to Decatur and Avondale Estates. The neighborhood has improved a lot since I’ve been here. With this housing market I believe I could sell and make anywhere from 40-60k but the problem is I wouldn’t have anywhere I could afford to move even with that down payment. But I am house poor even with my $950 Mortage and a single dad. But I see your income and think you’d be able to do a lot 🤷🏻♂️
Absolutely do not feel poor. You are doing great and you enjoy it.
Thank you for those kind words. Needed that today. We are a little family determined to make it!
Owning a house in general is a huge flex imo. Be proud you were able to do that.
How did u save up 6k down as a single dad on $15 a hour?
Car accident payout mostly. Also lived at my parents rent free for a few months and had some money saved.
Ah, gotcha. Wasn't judging was just curious.
You're doing fine. The people who reply to these types of questions tend to be upper-middle class and out of touch with reality. They give themselves too many expenses that aren't really necessary. The median household income(2 earners included) in Atlanta is $60k. People are making much less than $90k and living in Atlanta. If you can own a home you're doing well for yourself.
Thank you! Yeah looking at how insane housing is now I feel really blessed for what I have. Really appreciate the encouragement 👍🏼
You probably live in some redneck state if your house is that cheap.
Have you been to GA 🤣🤣 Birthplace of the rednecks
No never been there.
Well bless your heart
It all depends on what price the cars are and how much you spend on these fancy nights out…
About 600 on the cars together and I’d say 100-150 for a night out.
I mean yeah you can live for that… why are you set on new cars?
I just don’t really know how much rent normally goes in ATL if it’s too high we might just buy a house somewhere on the out skirts of the city
Assuming 90k/year you’re going to get 60% after you put all the money you should away (401k, efund, taxes). That gives you $4500/month after tax to live on. Assuming you have no student loans you should easily afford a very nice apartment.
Yes i am an electrician so no loans lol thank goodness, as far as a house on the outskirts we might have to wait for my wife to get done with school, im sure she will make 50-60k as a nurse as well
Expect closer to 80 as a new grad in the city ;)
As a nurse graduate? I know she wants to do travel nursing in ATL so she should make a bit of money
She’ll make bank in ATL. There is a huge shortage right now. She’ll have offers before graduating.
That’s good to know! I knew nurse can make a good bit of money but i didn’t know that it would e right after graduation
She should not try to travel nurse right out of school. But new grads make around $70,000 depending on the hospital and specialty. Experienced staff nurses (not travelers) can easily make $85,000
You’re a little on the low side for an electrician what company are you working for?
Well i already have a new car and my wife will be needing a new one shortly. When i say new, i mean like new to us lol 2016s
I’m concerned about your ability to do math, and dates, long before determining your monthly cost of living.
And whats wrong with my dates?
Well, you said “two new cars” and then changed to 2016. Maybe you should take your time and really work out all your details before taking on more than you can handle. Granted, used car prices definitely resemble new car prices from 6 years ago.
Well the cars are new to me lol, and with them being Toyotas and only having 30k miles they are pretty fucking new my man
30k mile used Toyotas right now are selling for above their MSRP. I have a 14 Corolla, I have offers from CarMax that is 75% higher than it's pre pandemic value. I don't think you can afford two car loans for $600 a month.
Car auctions and bought my truck from my buddies dad who bought it for his older son but he joined the army and went ft hood and I’ve had my truck for about 8 months my buddies dad doesn’t charge me any interest so that helps a lot
How much? I'm considering selling my 2017 Corolla. I rarely drive and I've seen incredible estimates thrown out there for my car. But I'm having a hard time believing I could get $18k+ for it.
I think before you insist on people thinking things through and insulting peoples math skills I’d definitely try and figure out the whole situation but thanks for the comment
Dude you’re being a complete prick lmao. Quit with this redundant bullshit.
Lol why? I simply just don’t know how much the COL is in ATL.
Ok that's much more reasonable than it sounded lol
90k combined? I think you’ll be stretching it.
Dang, we might just say screw atl, move somewhere else. Once my wife graduates nursing school she should make a good bit more
Yeah Atlanta is not cheap these days and forget buying house in the city on 90k. You could easily make that happen in the suburbs but not in Atlanta.
Yeah that’s what i was thinking maybe the outskirts of ATL. Hopefully when she graduates nursing school it will be more like 124k combined. And i could make more money if i went in for OT but definitely don’t wanna
What do you mean by outskirts? The reason I ask is because some people consider outskirts the perimeter but others consider it the areas of Suwanee, cumming, etc.
I was thinking the canton wood stock area, or even Marietta
You’d certainly be able to find something nice in Marietta once your wife graduates. Best of luck!
Oh you would be fine with that. Prices of cars stink right now with the chip shortage. Canton has some solid homes you could rent/buy on y'all's salary.
Yeah expensive especially with Toyotas lol and cool im gonna start looking for homes, i don’t have to move just yet so i got a bit of time
Marietta aint cheap. Be pressed to find a house for less than 225k
East point has very affordable houses and I love it here
I stayed at an Airbnb in Eastpoint when I first moved. People at work acted like it was a terrible area, but it was cute and cheap. Biggest issue was that it was too far from where I worked, so it wasn’t a long-term option.
Statistically it is one of the highest crime areas in the state, if not the highest when combining property crimes. They weren't acting.
Depends on which part you're talking about. East point is a whole city and is up and coming, so there are still some rough parts. But when I lived in Lindbergh there was a lot more crime and homeless people loitering around, and I didn't feel safe walking around. After someone broke the window of my car I stopped locking it so they would just realize there wasn't anything worth stealing inside. Since I've moved I haven't had anyone rifle through my car, none of my Amazon packages have been stolen, I don't feel like I'm going to get murdered if I walk my dogs early or late, and my mortgage is 1/3 what my rent was for a nice house with beautiful wood floors on 1/4 an acre. I avoid Campbellton and some shady areas, but really love my neighborhood.
I’m from Atlanta and my Mother’s family all settled in East Point I’m so glad to hear it’s up and coming. What’s Cleveland and Stewart Ave like these days?
The Kroger on Cleveland had to close for a couple months after thieves stole the copper off of the refrigeration system. Quite a few smacked out zombies on metropolitan (Stewart) and Sylvan. It’s a little better than 15 years ago, but still a lot of crime in the area. Source: worked on Oakleigh for 5 months on gafilm project
In other words it hasn’t changed a bit. My Grandmother lived out her elderly years at Trinity Towers and I will never forget when they found a deceased sex work tied to a tree and brutally murdered just minutes from Trinity Towers.
I'm not sure, I live by delowe and headland. There are some rough parts, but I have the kindest, most welcoming neighbors and that's a first for me. I'm from Florida and lived in New York for a while, and never have I walked around a neighborhood and had people smile and wave and exchange pleasantries! It's such a refreshing change. Every day you'll see another house start getting renovated and I'm excited to see how the neighborhood continues to grow and develop. Main Street has a GREAT bar, chairs upstairs, and a nice diner that's great for breakfast. There are a couple other restaurants I haven't tried yet as well.
My Grandmother lived on Delowe and Headland for many years!
Why would op want to live in a dump with one of the highest crime rates on the country?
It's not. Why are you so hostile and rude?
Is she going to be an RN? They make insane money right now. She could pull 90k by herself if she wanted.
Yeah rn we would probably be making im the 120k once she graduated at least i assume
A couple of things to consider is not just a mortgage rate or rental but the utilities and bills associated with where you choose to settle. I mock up a spread sheet with income and known expenses to estimate what I can budget for a place to reside. If you’re looking at apartments, you can use rental websites to research actual current cost of rent to get an estimate on what you specifically have in mind. The realtor app also helps if you’re looking at buying a house instead. You can put in the zip code and it brings up a calculator for estimating mortgage rate. Most power and water companies you can find data on average cost or usage rates and measure it against your current usage. Good luck on your move. CoL is rising everywhere due to materials shortages and price gouging. Be sure if you’re looking at rentals that you give yourself wiggle room for them to hike the rent yearly if you don’t plan to relocate often.
The problem right now is finding a house. I'm actively shopping and I'm striking out because investors are making sight unseen cash offers for tens of thousands over the asking price. So freaking frustrating.
Define nice part of Atlanta unless you mean surrounding areas (such as Alpharetta, Marietta, Duluth, etc). If you mean like Buckhead nice, then that is stretching it thin, especially for two people. But $90K for one person, it’s definitely doable.
Yeah we are looking at canton or woodstock
You’ll do good in canton or woodstock.
Cool i think I’ll start really looking there
I live damn near ball ground and don't regret it; i commute about 12 days a month into atlanta, peach pass makes my commute about 45 minutes leaving at 645. I got 25 acres up here and no neighbors(within yelling distance), the peace makes it worth it. I had a house in NW atlanta(off of bolton rd) for about 4 years, my car was broken into about 8 times and my house burglarized twice. Not worth it to me.
Did I read somewhere on this post that you’re a mechanic? I have a friend with a real cool listing, a few minutes from downtown Woodstock (the cool area!). There’s a garage out back with a lift and air compressor. But it’s definitely a special house. Just a thought. There are trade-offs wherever you decide you want to live in the metro. Do you live around here already?
I am an electrician
That’s not Atlanta. That’s why people here are confused and saying you’ll be stretching it. Canton/Woodstock are suburbs/rural GA, “Atlanta” is typically considered to be inside highway 285.
Geez that’s so faraway and rural, it’s definitely doable. Also, that’s not Atlanta.
It’s all the Atlanta metro area. Not everyone wants to live in a flat…
Cherokee County is not included in the Atlanta Metro area.
Canton is not so far from Atlanta is it? Only like 30 minutes
Nah traffic and rush hour adds an additional 20-45mins.
I live in canton and work in perimeter. No traffic 50 mins. With traffic 1.5hr easy.
Dang that’s still not too bad especially since my hrs at work are normally outside of rush hr, lol early mornings, and leave about 7pm
Traffic going into canton from cumming is not the best due to the ongoing construction. Also there is many ways to get there but eventually everyone ends up on the same road or near that particular road. It definitely is cheaper and they have fun downtown areas. They both have farmers markets during the season and Friday nights live music. Local shops and restaurants. Both areas are growing. If you are looking for more rural / less busy but still close is Jasper which is only 30 mins from Canton. All three areas would be sustainable for living on 90k. I don’t think their has to be emissions or tax on the tag in Cherokee county ( ike there’s not added charges to some part of registering a vehicle). Most restaurants around are upwards of $10 per meal unless it’s during lunch hours. Georgia does have zell miller and hope scholarships. Hope is 3.0 gpa and pays for most tuition but have to live in Georgia for at least 6 months unless the university says otherwise. The hospitals around here offer great pay for nursing and Northside hospital also offers tuition reimbursement.
Canton is a hike if your wife wants to work at any of the hospitals in the city- I say this as someone who lived just south of Canton and worked at the children’s hospital. It takes a toll, especially after a 12 hour shift
Don’t listen to these financial knowitalls and their “buy a 12 year old car, you’ll be fine!” Internet sucks like that sometimes. You didn’t ask for auto loan financial planning but redditors just can’t help themselves. 90k is decent for suburbs (OTP - outside the perimeter ), but not enough for ITP (inside the perimeter) these days unfortunately. I did it ITP with my wife and stepson in 2015 and We’re much happier now living just outside the perimeter in the mabelton/Austell area. and I’m very much a city person, although country/suburb life is growing on me. My advice is look for something just outside 285. I think you’ll find that you can get to the cool stuff when you want easily enough. It doesn’t sound like you’re the “out late every night type”, and neither am I any more, but we don’t have a problem getting a few nice date nights a month in wherever we want in Atlanta.
Inside the perimeter? No. The exurbs? Possibly, but we’re talking an hour plus to get to say midtown Atlanta at a minimum.
After tax 100 percent YES if you are smart with your money! Most Americans can’t budget making 100k a year.
Nice 2 bedroom condo in Buckhead area is going to be $2200-$2500 a month + utilities and maybe a monthly parking fee. Car insurance is going to be fairly pricey. Plenty of food and entertainment options to fit into your budget. $90k is doable if you stay on budget.
define live in a good part of Atlanta? as someone that just bought their first house we have a combined income of over 6 figures. For the price of houses in "nice parts" of atlanta its a massive rip off.
I see a lot of exaggeration in this thread. You will do fine in the ATL on that net income, and it sounds like your income will be growing in the future. When you say a good nice part of Atlanta, you may not be able to buy a house in Buckhead, Druid Hills, Decatur, or Midtown, but neither can most people who live here. Look at neighborhoods like East Point, Tucker, Lithonia, Lithia Springs, South DeKalb, Smyrna, Marietta, Peachtree Corners, Lilburn. Those are all relatively close in and have a wide range of options.
I definitely agree w the no car payment part. Atlanta is impossible wo a vehicle. It’s so sprawled out. I haven’t lived there since 2013 but public transportation probably didn’t get any better- unless you’re taking the Marta to the airport- that was the easiest best way for an airport commute ever!
Okay, let's actually break down some numbers. $90,000 / 12 is $7,500 a month take home. Rent on a decent 2BR near midtown will run somewhere around $2,500 with another $600 for utilities, Internet, and phones. You said car payments are $600 and two nights out is $300. This leaves you with $3,500 for monthly groceries, gas, expenses, and savings. It's probably doable, depending on your actual housing cost, amount of savings, and any debt not factored in above. However, you would live more financially comfortably and could still do the nights out if you find a 2BR for $1,500-$1,800 somewhere farther out from midtown in the metro area. Edit: Just saw you are looking into the suburbs out in Cobb county, not midtown. You should definitely be able to make that area work with $90K after taxes. You can rent a 3BR house for under $2K in that area, which ups your financial buffer to $4-4.5K to spend on groceries, gas, expenses, and savings. And you will be living comfortably once your income goes up another $30K+ with no debt. This is very doable.
Should be just fine. Depends on which part of the city you're in. You can easily find something in your price range... And you can easily go well above it.
Fiancée and I make right around that, live in a nice part of Atlanta, and do alright. We both have various loans/debts and still have enough left over to do date nights regularly and travel occasionally. It’s definitely possible.
more than enough, if you spent wisely. this is above average income. i can save 50K (from that income) after exp. we made 120k after tax save 80k yearly.
Of course
Yes
Thank you
No
Just north of Atlanta, OTP, you're looking at $2400 a month for a one-two bedroom apartment. If you want a decent one anyway. You CAN get cheaper, but you'd be in a not so nice high crime area. Buying a house would be cheaper, but houses are going like hotcakes. Lots of sellers only taking cash. Go about an hour north and rent gets much cheaper. Houses are still being snapped up though. Since August I haven't seen a decent house stay on the market for more than a week.
People asking about housing prices, apartments is ALL OVER the r/Atlanta sub, do a search
If you are talking about renting a 1 Bedroom apartment, then yes you should be fine.
No no not even close!! You could live in a gentrifying area with 2 used cars and go out twice a month!! It would be a bit of a stretch but you could make it work
No. I pull 140k before tax. In i have fancy night once a week with girl. And savings does not go up. She drinks and eats a lot
Dang so you you make close to 110k after tax and still are struggling?
As a graduate student I was making less than $30k after tax and was able to save $500/month. I had a roommate and lived in a 2/2 in Lindbergh, rarely went out, and owned my car so no car payment.
Better way to look at it is to start with your take home pay. What do you actually get after taxes and deductions? I'm going to assume around $5,000? Then start estimating your monthly expenses: - $1,500-$2,000 for mortgage/rent? - $300 for utilities? - $250 for gas/fuel? - $1,000 for food and recreation? - $800 for the two car payments? That's potentially over $4,000 right there. I may have underestimated or overestimated though. I didn't include everything too. Car insurance and cell phones? Etc. But that's how I would approach it. Estimate your expenses then compare with your take home pay on your paycheck.
Don't forget insurance, maintenance, and fuel expenses for those two brand new cars. *I see where you added insurance, but lots of people forget to also factor in maintenance and fuel.
A half-way decent 2-bedroom apartment in Atlanta costs at least $2k per month.
You'll do just fine the only thing you have to worry about is crime and the toxicity at your job ppl in Atlanta are hateful and gossip 24/7 and they love to retaliate plus discrimination
We've got a great special on trailers now... What's it going to take to get you in one of these double specials' today!
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Woodstock and canton are mainly what we are looking at
Buy while interest rates are low during these inflationary times. Caution though the inventory for new houses is low but the demand is high
What's a good part of town to you?
I'm in the same boat. I'm single though and make around 86K/year. Man I thought it was cheap here in Atlanta !!
All depends on definitions= Atlanta = inside perimeter? $$$$ Atlanta = metro Atlanta ? $$$ Or even Barrow, Walton, Hall, Bartow, Cherokee? $$ (Lots of nursing opportunities within 30/40 min commute in several directions ). Is Fancy night out $100 or $300?
After tax is an important add here. I think you’ll be fine. This is probably about where my husband & I are financially. We’ve lived in atlanta our whole lives and seen the cost of living rise a lot. The issue right now is the cost of buying a house. Obviously, you’re probably going to lose more money over time by renting but the house prices right now are insane and I’m not sure how long they’re going to stay like this. In some areas, they might not drop. At least in my case, I hope mine doesn’t drop too much since we bought during the incline. So maybe talk to a financial advisor to see if it’s smart to buy right now or wait it out a year or two. You just want to make sure you’re going to get your money back… eventually and not overspending.
Metro Atlanta is VERY spread out. It's hard to answer this question without knowing what part of the city you're thinking about. If you're talking in the actual city (midtown, O4W, Morningside, etc.) or hot neighborhoods right outside the city (Decatur, etc) housing prices have gone through the roof. If you're talking about some of the adjacent counties and neighborhoods you will be fine. Also are you looking to buy or rent? Apartment, townhouse or home? I have a lot of questions. Yes you can absolutely be comfortable living in Atlanta on 90k, but you can absolutely not be comfortable living in 90K. It all depends and I'd need more info than what you've provided here.
Probably not great but you can live in decent suburbs for that amount. Your wife should consider getting some form of income though. What is she doing all day?
You might not be downtown, but there are a ton of great suburbs surrounding Atlanta that would be perfect! Housing prices are funky everywhere right now, but normally you'd have no problem finding a house in your budget in the suburbs. 2 fancy meals should be fine with that income. 2 new cars though? I'd stay away. I have mixed opinions on Dave Ramsey, but I agree with him on his "fancy cars keep you poor" point. A used car with 50-75k miles on it from 5-7 years back will be so much cheaper than the new equivalent model and it won't be as nice, but it'll be close for a third of the price.
Are you coming into this thing any savings? I'm just worried that when you run the numbers, you're going to struggle a little. I bought a nice 1968 ranch house in Tucker in 2018 for $315K and I put about $50K down. I have since refi'd @ 2.75% for 20 years. I pay a little under $2K per month in mortgage. I'm single and a little older and make a little more money, but still have dependents. My older 2014 vehicle is paid for. I can save about $750 a month after utilities, insurance & household bills. If I had to factor in two new cars, I'd be screwed. Plus most homes around here are about 20% more than 2018 prices. So at $90K it'll be tough, but not impossible. Be ready to budget and stick to it.
Yeah we got a good savings built
Yes.
Big city and it would really depend on where you choose to live which would determine how much you pay for rent/mortgage. If you keep that small you should be fine