Washington DC

[xenophon]

I may get the chance to go to work in near Washington DC - the salary has not been fixed yet so there'll be some room for negotiation - but don't have a realistic idea of living costs there. Would $100,000 be enough to live in a reasonable apartment , have a car, a decent social life and save or woul $120,000 - or even $150,000 be more realistic. Are there any useful websites ?

[geofbob]

Have a look at http://www.salary.com/ which provides average US salaries for different occupations, in different locations. There are many other websites providing similar information - do a Google search on US "salary averages".

[KEJ2000]

Or you could just ask me because I live there / here! First, though, we need to clarify exactly what you meant. Do you mean $100,000 for one year, 365 days? Is the $100,000 your gross salary, or a lump sum of money that you have? More importantly, what do you consider to be a reasonable apartment: (1) a separate bedroom and living room (called a "one-bedroom" apartment), or (2) the living room and the bedroom are the same, single room (called a "studio" or "efficiency" apartment)? Do you want to live right in downtown Washington, or would a neighboring suburb be all right (big difference in price!)? Also, are you thinking about bringing your car with you from abroad, or buying a used one here, or renting one on a daily basis (or only for special occasions)? And just how decent of a social life do you want?!?! (If it involves going clubbing three times a week, that could get expensive. On the other hand, the Smithsonian Institution museums are free!) These questions, and any others that you have, I can answer for you, if you give me an eensy-weensy bit more info. to work with. Hope you will indeed be coming to Washington. Maybe we could even meet when you get here and I could help you get set up!!! Take care,

[xenophon]

Thanks for your reply: $100k per annum; apartment with two bedrooms (one for guests); in Alexandria, seems pleasant and is convenient for work (near Dulles) but still in the city; car, buy used would have to be newish and good make; social life, eating out, weekends away, travel, entertaining visitors and yea, the Smithsonian. Hopefully this helps.

[KEJ2000]

Hi xenophon! It's me, KEJ. I am so sorry about the delay in my reply! I'm presently occupied with a project that will have me busy until Friday of this week. On that day, however, I will be able to write a nice, long, helpful (I hope!) response to your message! Until then...! :-)

[KEJ2000]

Hi, I finally have a moment to write! [I'll have to split this up into several responses because there is a word limit for each answer.] If $100,000 is your annual net income, after paying your taxes, then you have nothing to worry about money-wise, you can afford anything you want!!! You could get everything you had mentioned, without any problem. (Do you happen to be Tony Blair, or Prince William??!! ...That sure is a lot of money!) Just to check that you converted correctly, that would be equal to 54,784 pounds. If $100k is the gross income, know that even people staying in the U.S. temporarily on an employment visa have to pay US taxes. If you lived in the UK for part of the year, you'd have to pay UK taxes in addition (in a reduced amount, covering the fraction of the year you lived there). So, remember to subtract the money you'll have to pay the Taxman first before creating your budget. I have no idea how much in taxes you would have to pay. I can only be of limited help to you, because I am closer to the opposite end of the salary spectrum, and I don't have any personal experience with the kind of big spending that you are talking about. (I do own a car, but it is an economy model, and I live in a studio apartment, at the moment, as I search for a good job (I only recently finished grad school, I'm in my late twenties).

Now, if your job benefits do *not* include health/medical insurance, be prepared to set aside and save 10% of your income for the event of an accident/emergency, because medical costs are very high in the USA. Also, Washington is one of the most expensive cities in the USA, and more expensive than just about any city in the world (not as bad as Tokyo, only a tiny bit cheaper than Manhattan, about the same as San Francisco). When you decide on what kind of apartment you can afford, a general rule is to not spend more than 50% of your income on your rent. You'll need the rest of the money for other things.

[KEJ2000]

Part 2 of my reply!] Buying a car, and then the registration fees, car insurance, gasoline, and parking, will cost probably 20% of your income. My car insurance alone costs me $1,800 per year, and I have never had an accident or anything! It is because there are so many cars on the road around here, and the roads are always congested, so accidents are a constant threat for which the insurance companies charge you "in advance"-- no kidding. Then, about 10% of your income will be needed for your food, bills (telephone, Internet service, etc.), and perhaps also any utilities that your rent does not include. By the way, when you choose your apartment, be sure to ask which utilities are included in your monthly rent, among the following: heat / air conditioning, electricity, water, and garbage collection, also, parking space for your car. Some apartments will include all of those costs in the rent, whereas others will include none of them, so you must ask. Then, save another 10% of your income for entertainment and miscellaneous expenses. (I myself would reserve less than 1% of my income for entertainment, but that is just me!! You and I have a different lifestyle, I am sure!) Remember, too, about things breaking that you didn't anticipate (your computer, or eyeglasses, etc.) and will need to replace or have repaired! We tend to forget about those unplanned events when creating a budget. If you plan to travel out of town or to visit the UK during your stay here, remember to include that in your budget plan. I assume you'll bring clothes and won't require much furniture for a temporary stay, otherwise consider those costs as well.

[KEJ2000]

[Part 3 of my reply] Nights out on the town are one of the fastest ways to see your money fly away, so you might find that you'll have to cut back on that (it is also less popular here-- like, saved for a Friday evening once every 4 - 8 weeks-- and is more expensive than it would be in London). This can be a pretty conservative city, with subdued behavior among most of the inhabitants. Most people here are so serious about & dedicated to their careers that they rarely indulge in a fun night out... they're far more likely to spend their evening working late at the office. I'm just saying this so you know what to expect and won't be disappointed. It is more common to have friends visit one's home instead of meeting at a bar, for example. Many fun things to see and do here are free (not including transportation costs or buying food), like most of the museums. You can find good entertainment for very little money, it is only if you *want* to that you'll need to spend more.

Alexandria is very nice for those who can afford it (I can't!). If you have the money, by all means, live there and enjoy. You need to know that Alex. is not part of Washington D.C., but rather the state of Virginia. You'll be a resident of Virginia, and all of its state laws, which may differ greatly from the laws in Washington, will apply to you. The travel time from Alex. to the Dulles Airport area would be significant. Even though the distance may not look very far "as the crow flies", keep in mind that you won't be flying like a crow! You must consider the zillion cars on the road in addition to yours. That commute could take you 90 minutes in each direction. If you can find a decent place in Fairfax County, Virginia, that is even closer to Dulles, I might recommend that... unless you want to spend all your free time inside your car, sitting in traffic!!!

[KEJ2000]

[Part 4 of my reply] To find an apartment in the city of Alexandria, in Fairfax County, Virginia (by Dulles), in downtown Washington, or in *any* of the surrounding suburbs, go to http://www.washingtonpost.com. The Washington Post is the major newspaper in town, and every apartment advertises with them, on their Website. This is how I found my own apartment, and I'd recommend it to anyone / everyone. Look at the left-hand column on the screen and scroll down to the "Find & List" section, then click on "Homes/Apts.". After the next page loads, click on the tab that says "Rent". You can then enter all of your preferences into their online Apartment Search-Engine. You'll *definitely* want to specify air conditioning as one of the features in your apartment, because summertime temps. can get as high as 107 degrees Fahrenheit, and many days see 90 degrees or above. Most apartment leases are for 12 months, but some are for 6 months, and I'd recommend a 6-month lease for you because of the greater flexibility (you could move out after that if you hate your apartment!). Remember that after the initial lease is up, the landlord can (and will-- I promise) raise the price of the rent. My monthly rent increased by $50 per month after the first 12-month period had ended. So the rental rates that you see listed in the advertisements will only be valid for six or twelve months, then they will increase. Remember that moving out before your lease is up will result in hefty monetary fines or even legal prosecution by the landlord. So, just be sure to choose your apt. home very carefully.

[KEJ2000]

If, for any reason, you decide to live in downtown Washington itself, you'll want to know that only the western half of Washington is safe. The eastern half has an extremely high crime rate, including auto theft and all gun-related crimes (everything from robbery to homicide and gang crime)...it isn't safe there even in broad daylight. So, look for apartments only on streets whose names end with "NW" (for Northwest) or "SW" (for Southwest). One neighborhood that I'd recommend is called Adams-Morgan; it is where many "hip", single, twenty- and thirty-somethings live-- if by any chance you are looking to meet someone new. Dupont Circle is also good, and I might add that it has a significant homosexual population, whether that is your cup of tea or not! There are lots of bars and clubs there, and it is really the only neighborhood with a strong "nightlife". The neighborhood called Georgetown is also nice but only the very wealthy can afford to live there, I guess that would include you!! Also, Arlington County, Virginia, is directly west of Washington and is very nice, and closer to Dulles than Alexandria is. The buildings there are all quite modern, as compared to Alexandria where they have a historic flavor. So, depending on your personality, you may like one better than the other.

By the way, I live in the suburbs just outside of Washington, in Maryland (state), north of D.C.. I am familiar with the entire metropolitan Washington region, though, and have spent lots of free time in Alexandria, Fairfax County around Dulles, and downtown Washington. I do know what each neighborhood is like, and what the pros and cons of each one are.

I will check back to this question at least once every two weeks over the next several months to see if you have asked or written anything else! Take care, :-)