Moving to the US. Dallas/Chicago @ circa 100K?
sport car rental chicago
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discasto
My company is offering me a new position in the US (I currently live in England). It seems that the position will either be in Chicago or Dallas. I am a single male that enjoys urban areas with lots of social life and activities. What is the cost of living in both areas? which areas are recommendable to live in both cities? The job in Dallas is located in Irving, is it easy to commute from Dallas? any other options?
Salary level would be around 100K USD, how much tax is applied over that ammount?
Answer
Your money will go much further in Dallas in terms of real estate or rental, but you definitely will need a car. So figure on the cost of a car plus fairly high insurance rates ($1000 to $2000 a year). Public Transportation to Irving is non-existent. In Chicago you might live without one.
Dallas has some great new "uptown" areas where people are living in re-established urban neighborhoods, just as Chicago does. $100K as a single male will serve you quite well in Big D. There is plenty of culture, music, sports, great restaurants and shopping here in Texas.
Irving is very convenient to many areas, as freeways run into the Las Colinas area from downtown and from north dallas. Even folks who live in East Dallas can make it over in about 45 minutes.
There is no income tax in the state of Texas (another bonus). Your Federal Income Tax will depend upon whether you purchase property or rent it. Expect to give up at least 25% to 33% of what you earn to the Feds.
From a climate perspective, Dallas gets very, very hot in the summer but stays fairly moderate in the winter. Dallas is an "air conditioned" city and the natives know to stay inside in the summer afternoons. Chicago winters can be very brutal but the summers aren't so bad.
Another negative about Dallas is that it is very far away from any great recreation area. It's pretty much surrounded by flat prairie.
Your money will go much further in Dallas in terms of real estate or rental, but you definitely will need a car. So figure on the cost of a car plus fairly high insurance rates ($1000 to $2000 a year). Public Transportation to Irving is non-existent. In Chicago you might live without one.
Dallas has some great new "uptown" areas where people are living in re-established urban neighborhoods, just as Chicago does. $100K as a single male will serve you quite well in Big D. There is plenty of culture, music, sports, great restaurants and shopping here in Texas.
Irving is very convenient to many areas, as freeways run into the Las Colinas area from downtown and from north dallas. Even folks who live in East Dallas can make it over in about 45 minutes.
There is no income tax in the state of Texas (another bonus). Your Federal Income Tax will depend upon whether you purchase property or rent it. Expect to give up at least 25% to 33% of what you earn to the Feds.
From a climate perspective, Dallas gets very, very hot in the summer but stays fairly moderate in the winter. Dallas is an "air conditioned" city and the natives know to stay inside in the summer afternoons. Chicago winters can be very brutal but the summers aren't so bad.
Another negative about Dallas is that it is very far away from any great recreation area. It's pretty much surrounded by flat prairie.
I'm planning a honeymoon in Maui and I need help, please?
Katie
My fiance and I will be spending our honeymoon in Maui from the end of September - the beginning of October. One of our wedding gifts is a week long stay at my aunt's time share (hono kao). We need to determine exactly how much to save for the honeymoon. We're planning on buying groceries and grilling at the time share most of the time, but we also want to go to restaurants, a luau, maybe golf, go to some shows, get hot stone massages, go jet skiing, go on a submarine, and other possible excursions. We have already priced the car rental. So my questions are:
How are the prices of groceries relative to the continental states (we live in Flagstaff, AZ)?
Does anyone have any specific price info on any of the above mentioned activities?
Are you aware pf any hidden fees associated with any of the above?
Are the car rental practices at all different than the continental US?
Do you have any specific recommendations of things/places not to miss while there?
Answer
We went to Oahu and not Maui (and in June 2006 so bear that in mind for my pricing below), but I would think that pricing and practices are pretty much the same on all the islands...
Food at the grocery stores was a LITTLE bit pricier than at home (we're from the Chicago area), but not too bad...Like a dozen eggs was $3-ish, gallon of milk maybe $4-ish...Gas for your rental car was slightly more expensive than the mainland by maybe 20 cents/gallon...Restaurants were a bit pricier but if you don't do the "main tourist area" places and go for more of a local flavor, it's not too horrendous...
The car rental place worked like any other on the mainland, nothing different there. They also gave us a brochure upon arrival with all the local touristy stuff to do like luaus and water sports, day trips and shows, and most came with coupons...
We stayed a week, and outside of our accommodations and car, we probably spent $700 on tourist stuff and groceries...Depending what you want to do, of course, you can easily spend more. We did a mountain hike (was only a few bucks to climb Diamond Head) and a luau (this was roughly $100-150 for both of us, but it was a blast and all you can eat food), and toured Pearl Harbor (maybe $25 for both of us) and just some general tourist gift shopping...Went for a long walk down some trails (free) where we got lots of great pictures...And of course hanging out at the beach is free.
Enjoy!! I wish I could go back...
We went to Oahu and not Maui (and in June 2006 so bear that in mind for my pricing below), but I would think that pricing and practices are pretty much the same on all the islands...
Food at the grocery stores was a LITTLE bit pricier than at home (we're from the Chicago area), but not too bad...Like a dozen eggs was $3-ish, gallon of milk maybe $4-ish...Gas for your rental car was slightly more expensive than the mainland by maybe 20 cents/gallon...Restaurants were a bit pricier but if you don't do the "main tourist area" places and go for more of a local flavor, it's not too horrendous...
The car rental place worked like any other on the mainland, nothing different there. They also gave us a brochure upon arrival with all the local touristy stuff to do like luaus and water sports, day trips and shows, and most came with coupons...
We stayed a week, and outside of our accommodations and car, we probably spent $700 on tourist stuff and groceries...Depending what you want to do, of course, you can easily spend more. We did a mountain hike (was only a few bucks to climb Diamond Head) and a luau (this was roughly $100-150 for both of us, but it was a blast and all you can eat food), and toured Pearl Harbor (maybe $25 for both of us) and just some general tourist gift shopping...Went for a long walk down some trails (free) where we got lots of great pictures...And of course hanging out at the beach is free.
Enjoy!! I wish I could go back...
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