Once you’ve moved out on your own and have more control over where you live, you have to decide where you want to live. If you’ve called the suburbs home for all of your life, you might be seeing through rose colored glasses when dreaming about city living. And if you grew up in the hustle and bustle of the city, you might be envious of the slower paced suburban lifestyle. To figure out whether the city vs. suburb is better for you, you’ll have to decide which conveniences–or luxuries–will enhance your day to day life.
City Vs. Suburb: Where Should You Live?
Live in a City if you want…
Access to Public Transportation
If you don’t know how to drive or absolutely hate it, lack of access to public transportation is probably a deal breaker for you. Living in a city means you probably won’t have to own a vehicle or pay for gas, insurance, or car repairs. Instead of enduring traffic with nothing but music or a podcast, you can take the bus or train and finish last minute work assignments, catch up on a tv show, or start a side hustle. Additionally, public transportation gives you the benefit of extra free time while reducing your carbon footprint.
To Walk or Bike to Locales
And while public transportation is available in cities, you also have the option to walk or bike to your destination. When you live in a walkable city, it’s much easier to squeeze extra steps or a bit of exercise into your daily routine. You can walk to pick up your takeout or meet up with a friend at a coffee shop. Your options are only limited to what’s within walking or biking distance. And in cities, you’ll find you have more than enough great choices.
Close Proximity to Attractions
Living in a city is a great option if you like being out and about and meeting up with friends at local venues. You have access to a wide variety of entertainment like theaters, museums, and concerts. There are experiences unique to each season, like festivals, outdoor movies, or temporary ice skating rinks. You’ll also have the whole world of cuisine at your fingertips when it comes to fine dining or less expensive takeout.
A Fast Paced Lifestyle
If you live in a city, you feel some semblance of hustle and bustle right when you step out your front door. It is much less crowded on the edges of the city. But the closer you get to city center, the more you’ll see, hear, and feel the buzz. From sirens and traffic to people rushing to work to tourists exploring while you just need to get by, it can be hectic and overwhelming. But if you know this is the life for you, you’ll thrive in the urban jungle.
Live in a Suburb if You Want…
Lower Cost of Living
There’s no way around the high price tag of city living. Housing is more expensive in the city vs. suburb regardless of whether you rent or buy. (Some towns are the exception to the rule. You’ll have to do your research before deciding to move to a certain area.) Restaurant dining tends to be more expensive as well as the cost of groceries. You do save on fuel, car insurance, and maintenance expenses if you choose not to own a vehicle. But your savings will probably be far from astronomical because it will just go towards increased housing, food, and public transportation expenses.
More Living Space
You’ve heard about those tiny 250 square ft. apartments in NYC that rent for $2,000+ a month. With the right furniture, it’s possible to make such a tiny space work. But if this is just not the living situation for you, you’re better off in the suburbs. If you have a partner or children that require a little extra room, your dollar in the suburbs will go the extra mile to get you more square footage. The chances of having an outdoor space–or even just easier access to nature–are much higher as well.
Lower Crime Rates
While it’s impossible find a place where you can entirely avoid any criminal activity, you’ll find much lower rates in the suburbs. It makes sense logically, as less people are densely packed into one area. And there are FBI statistics to support that. You won’t be 100% safe anywhere. But if you want a little more peace of mind, living in a suburb is the better option.
A Quiet, Slower Paced Lifestyle
Though some suburban areas can feel like there’s too much housing per square footage, they’ll still offer more peace and quiet than most cities. Yes, you’ll hear a siren every now and then and have to deal with traffic during rush hour. But that will all die down in the early evening. Living somewhere with constant noise and in close proximity to other people could also have a negative impact on your mental health. If you tend to find busy-ness overwhelming and often need to step back, the suburbs are probably a better place for you.
Once you’ve decided whether city vs. suburb living is better for you, it’s time to move and find movers. We at Moving U & Junk U believe we’re the best moving company for you. We are licensed and insured, and you can find and read many five star reviews on Yelp, Google, and Facebook. Our movers are professionally trained to safely move your belongings from point A to point B. Whether you’re looking for assistance with moving, packing, junk removal, or a little of each, you can sit back, relax, and trust us to take care of all the heavy lifting for you.
When you’re ready to get your free estimate, give us a call or text at 484-301-2442 or email us at info@movingujunku.com.
