Reno, NV
- plenty of cheap housing options - great coworking space - lots of outdoors to play in - plenty of entertainment - awesome people - close to the bay - business friendly tax advantages
Ask HN: What's the best place in the U.S. to live and work cheaply?
61–70 of 122 posts
Re: Ask HN: What's the best place in the U.S. to live and work cheaply?
#62I think most of "flyover" country would satisfy you question, but here in New Mexico, you can find a decent apartment for $500/mo (my mortgage on a house with a quarter acre is $800/mo) I'm in the south, but most of northern New Mexico would be similar. You wouldn't be living in the top neighborhoods (though my house is in a historic desirable little town) but despite what you saw on Breaking Bad, nowhere in NM will…
The other advantage is the hiking, sparse desert beauty, the sunsets, and the history if you're into the Wild West sort of thing (beware the rattlesnakes). Also, being in the southern part of NM myself, the military history and influence might be of some interest (Trinity Site comes to mind, but it's now only open once a year). There's also the somewhat embarrassing bits like the UFO museum in Roswell--but we try not to talk about that. ;)
Be aware that it's a lousy state if you ascribe yourself to the "entertain me" culture (living in or near Albuquerque might alleviate that to an extent). But, if you're the outdoorsy type, there's a wide variety of ecosystems ranging from high desert to coniferous forests to explore.
Re: Ask HN: What's the best place in the U.S. to live and work cheaply?
#63Earlier quoted context omitted.
You're out of luck. Any major city here in Canada (Vancouver, Toronto, Montreal, Calgary) is expensive. But, these cities are routinely in the top 10 for best places to live, so you get what you pay for (kinda).
Montreal isn't very expensive. Sub $1k for a decent apartment outside the core - I pay a bit more and am within a 10-15 minute walk from dozens of startups in the Plateau.
I've been to all those cities, and I really really loved both Vancouver and Montreal. But I guess Montreal makes more sense financially.
Re: Ask HN: What's the best place in the U.S. to live and work cheaply?
#64Athens, GA. It's a college town with a rather remarkable density of culture (music, arts, food) and a very low cost of living. I've been gone a little over a year, but you can live in very nice areas with roommates for under $400 a month. Hell, a lot of folks rent entire houses for under four figures a month. It's also in the middle of a large swath of country (despite having a walkable urban center) and has high qua…
Avoid the South if you're black, Hispanic, or mediterranean in appearance. (Or have kids you'd prefer not to be taught racism by their peers.) I lived im Tuscaloosa, AL — another college town — 2006-2012. We came with open minds. My wife, a half Puerto Rican professor, was nearly arrested for driving while Hispanic, my mother (who is vietnamese) had racist epithets screamed at her while walking our kids in an upscale…
Whoa, whoa, whoa. I take issue with that blanket characterization. And comparing Tuscaloosa to Athens as college towns would be like examining the immediate environs of USC and extrapolating that UCLA and Westwood are not nice places to be either. I don't doubt that you had a bad experience there - but encountering prejudice in one town doesn't justify saying "Avoid the South if you're black, Hispanic, or mediterranean in appearance." Have you been to Atlanta recently or walked around the Georgia Tech campus?
I didn't say "go to a Southern college town". I said look at Athens.
Re: Ask HN: What's the best place in the U.S. to live and work cheaply?
#65Earlier quoted context omitted.
Avoid the South if you're black, Hispanic, or mediterranean in appearance. (Or have kids you'd prefer not to be taught racism by their peers.) I lived im Tuscaloosa, AL — another college town — 2006-2012. We came with open minds. My wife, a half Puerto Rican professor, was nearly arrested for driving while Hispanic, my mother (who is vietnamese) had racist epithets screamed at her while walking our kids in an upscale…
I'm guessing being a Good Christian is required too.
Nope. Actually in Athens it may be more important to be a good hipster. Mission hipsters are amateurs compared to those I knew and loved in Athens.
Re: Ask HN: What's the best place in the U.S. to live and work cheaply?
#66Earlier quoted context omitted.
But catholics are barely tolerated.
And Atheists, homosexuals, and non-Christians are treated like criminals.
This statement is completely ridiculous. Go to Midtown Atlanta on Pride Weekend and get back to me on that opinion, if you ever escape from the traffic jam.
Re: Ask HN: What's the best place in the U.S. to live and work cheaply?
#67Earlier quoted context omitted.
Bad Christian also seems acceptable.
But catholics are barely tolerated.
Having been friends and intimately involved with several Catholics in Georgia I'm really curious where this statement comes from - because it's literally the first time I've heard it.
Re: Ask HN: What's the best place in the U.S. to live and work cheaply?
#68[deleted]
Re: Ask HN: What's the best place in the U.S. to live and work cheaply?
#69I work remotely from home in the middle of Nebraska. I get paid a SF-like salary but pay little in rent in comparison.
yes, this is good. I can relate. what worries me is how tired you are to that opportunity... unless you are the absolute best
I would definitely suggest putting some extra effort into networking if in that position. Fly out to SF for some conferences and use Twitter like a maniac. It'll pay off if your job goes south and you have to end up looking for something else. You'll probably have to move in that case though.
Re: Ask HN: What's the best place in the U.S. to live and work cheaply?
#70I'm from Pennsylvania, so here are some hopefully not-too-biased observations on other parts of the country: Colorado: Reasonable cost, great weather, lots of amenities, but I've heard Denver referred to as "Menver" so if your idea of dating pool skews X-chromosome you might be disappointed. Portland: Maybe the high end of "cheaply" but lots of tech scene and indoor/outdoor amenities. I was ok with constant mist for…
Portland, Oregon can be /very/ cheap if you live outside the city. And, if you live in a large 4br house with other people (or even just another person if you both make enough) you can get your rent down to $400ish if you live with 3 other people, $800ish if you live with one other person.