Cheapest Cities to Live, 2010

Posted by Forest in Cheapest Places To Live, General Articles, Opinion, Saving Money & Finances

So you want to know what are the cheapest cities to live, 2010? There is no clear cut answer to that as there are too many factors depending on your needs, how much money you will be earning (money is relative) and exchange rates and such things.

You may also be interested in our article Cheapest Country 2010.

Things are quite strange right now. At the time of writing Greece has just had a huge crash and the Euro is at it’s lowest against the Dollar ever (if I have my facts right?). This in theory makes USA as a whole more expensive or Europe cheaper, depending on how you look at it?

South America is still relatively cheap compared to USA but many worry about safety and you also have growing economies and cheap costs of living across continents such as India and Africa. Depending on your needs there are many cities across the globe that may well meet your budget and required conditions.

Cheapest cities in USA, 2010

Let’s start with USA. Much of USA is going through problems right now due to climbing out of recession. The stock market is threatening to fully recover but keeps having blips (partly due to Europe’s troubles) and some industries such as the automobile industry are crumbling in a lot of ways. So looking at cities you ought to judge how well the job market is for your profession. If you are retired or have an telemarketing / online income then great, the world is your Oyster and you are literally looking for the lowest costs vs things to do and safety.

Consider Cities in Texas – I have never been to Texas but from much of what I have found out and been told it is one of the best States to get a good bang for your buck vs available amenities and relative safety. The weather is a handful at times but the job market is ok compared to some states and the large cities like Houston are great places to settle. For more information on Texas, see my article Cheapest Places to Live: Texas.

Other US States / Cities – Obviously the bright lights of New York are not a good place to start. If you get a big money job only available to you in NY, NY then theoretically it could be the cheapest city for you but this is unlikely for most of us. New York State does have some cheaper cities such as Buffalo but I don’t rate the city much and places like Plattsburgh, NY are dreadful depressing places. Personally I think it’s better to stick to the mid and Southern states but hunt around the mid sized city that still retain a degree of community and maybe even a college. College towns tend to offer a lot of cheap activities, cheap housing is in abundance and they are normally fairly safe…. Again many Texan cities fit this bill but you can find more info in my articles Cheapest State to Live in and Cheapest Places To Live In America.

What about Europe?

Europe is such a vast space but much of it shares the Euro (Greece may drop it) and it’s not too far off being equal to the Dollar right now making many places affordable for anyone who can telecommute or works online. You may have Visa things to sort out (can’t help too much here!) but you may even be able to land a local job as many countries in Europe have large English Speaking Industries and Multi-National companies.

Berlin – I have personally been looking at Berlin as a possible place to live. It’s a city full of arts and culture but many people cite it as one of the most affordable cities of this caliber in the whole of Europe. Reports say you can live on around $1000 per month (per person) but have a fairly full life.

Let’s talk about Egypt, as I am here….

I live in Cairo and it’s a big dusty, polluted city with everything to offer. Very cheap living is possible here and there are quite a few jobs in International companies available but…. If I was completely free here in Egypt maybe I would not live in Cairo (My partner is attending University in Cairo).

Alexandria – A few hours North of Cairo by train lies Alexandria. It’s at the tip of the Nile Delta on the Mediterranean and is a favorite Tourist destination for Cairennes. The pollution is far less and I am told some very nice and affordable apartments are to be had. Top class sea food restaurants, amazing historical sites and modern wonders like the Great Library make this a pleasant place to be. There are also plenty of bars, restaurants of all sorts and things to do. Egypt isn’t for everyone but it is darn affordable!

The rest of Africa, India and beyond

You can find affordable cities in every region of the world. I hear Auckland in New Zealand is pretty reasonable ($1000 per month should see you good) and obviously many places in India, China and African countries give Western amenities, plenty of history and culture to be marveled at on a budget!

Help us improve the info here…..

There is no better advice than first hand advice so please please contribute to this articles discussion either by commenting below or visiting our forum and giving your 2 cents…. “Cheapest Cities to Live, 2010”

Thanks for reading!

5 Responses to “Cheapest Cities to Live, 2010”

Aury (Thunderdrake)

18. Jun, 2010

For living in another city, what I also take into account are the myriad of laws. Tax laws, especially. Getting a low income tax is usually very important, as well as having other ways to reduce it.

I had my eyes on Singapore due to their amazing tax laws, but I’m uncertain as to their cost of living.

Reply to this comment
- Forest
  
  23. Jun, 2010
  
  I’m not too sure about Singapore either…. I should def take a peak there.
  
  Reply to this comment
Squirrelers

21. Jun, 2010

Here’s an out of left field city: Detroit. It’s a city with a lot of great history, but has been brutalized with auto industry problems over the years. With city limits, unemployment is sky high and so is crime in many areas….but you can leave cheaply. In reality, the average home in that city would be cheap enough to be charged on a credit cards. Plenty of homes for sale there for less than $5,000.

Personally, I would have to live in a suburb of Detroit, and there are plenty of very nice ones. And I’m set in Chicago for family reasons and won’t leave anytime soon. But if you want to live cheaply, and within the US, consider Detroit.
Squirrelers´s last blog ..Can You Ever Get a Truly Free Lunch?

Reply to this comment
- Forest
  
  21. Jul, 2010
  
  Hey Squirrelers, that is a good suggestion and definitely something I will look into for a future post, Detroit has a rich history and hopefully a bright future, especially if they can attract people to move there and build some new industries.
  
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