A very good question – one in which I intend to touch upon on an upcoming post – but I’m quite confident no one reads the comments so I’ll try and answer as concisely as possible.

I don’t think there’s a correct dollar amount to save up prior to moving to a place like San Diego. It varies from person to person. Some may feel the need to hold out for a “career” while others are satisfied with a “job”. Obviously the latter is going to be much easier to find and with adequate persistence, can happen in little to no time. Also, it depends on how willing the person is to ask for favors. Some would feel the need to stay in a double tree while others are perfectly okay asking to sleep on a friend’s futon. I think if it were the right circumstance, someone could move out here with as little as 1G and be on their feet in no time. For the type who’s going to be holding out for their ideal job, it’s probably not going to happen right away unless they pull all of the right strings. For that person, a few extra Gs is probably a good idea.

As for cost of living, gas, food, booze, and rent, are all objectively more expensive out here. There are parts of SD where living is cheaper than Chicago, but you don’t move to San Diego to live in the those parts of the city. With that said, someone who’s spent their days in Madison and Chicago likely isn’t going to have their foundation rocked that hard. It’s more, but not outrageously more.

Additionally, there are factors that are overlooked when evaluating “the cost of living”. Inside of the that cost, is the cost of happiness, which can be measured in what you do with your free time to remain happy. In the midwest, when the weather is bad (see: most of the time) you’re forced to spend money to achieve enjoyment (go to bars, movies, always eating out, etc). Out here, almost any day of the year, you can pick up your shit and go run through a national park, play catch at the beach, or just aimlessly wander (a favorite hobby of mine). Also, there is little to no need to ever pay for heating or AC. My utility bill is a joke. I could go on (only shopping for 1.5 seasons, reduced need for vacations, etc) but like I said, upcoming post.

If you’re thinking about making the move, pad your bank account a bit, live frugally, and make the transition.

How very, very wise