Long Commute/Lifestyle Blocks?

[EgonSpengler]

I'm rent free at the moment, single bedroom apartments near the new job are like, $3,500 a month. Looking right now, $1,300 to be someone's housemate. $700 a month to buy a Tesla, $400 to lease a Miata (cheapest convertible in 2022, not super different than used cars right now). $200 monthly train fees. $240 monthly Prius gas fees if I take the fastest route.

A few years ago, before the pandemic, I briefly looked at moving out into the 'burbs - either suburbs or exurbs - where I could still enjoy the city, but it looked like the increased cost of transportation would overtake the savings in rent I'd get from moving just outside the city, and my net cost of living would go up. Also, I know people who've moved out beyond the edges of the city, thinking that they could drive in whenever they wanted to, and then they never do it. Just driving through city traffic and parking your car for an afternoon is expensive and a PITA. A couple of them I haven't seen literally in years, because it's so not worth it for them to come into town for a beer or a coffee. It seems like moving even 20-30 miles out of the city basically means you're done with the city. The next time I get itchy feet, I'll have to look at moving either to a smaller city where not owning a car is still viable (and I don't know how many of those cities even exist), or moving out of the region altogether and abandoning the whole notion of living without a car, which would make me feel bad. It seems like, at least around here, you're either all-in or all-out.

 

[Aiken_Drumn]

Canterbury plains are a thing here as well. Most boring part of the country I've found.

Flat as a pancake from the coast until you hit the foothills of the southern Alps.

4 hour drive of boredom north/south until you hit north Canterbury. If you like irrigators and cows it's great.

Think there's one pass through the mountains otherwise an 8-9 hour detour.

Coastal drive nice beaches then you hit Canterbury.

I did mean the ones in NZ, not the UK

 

[Hygro]

A few years ago, before the pandemic, I briefly looked at moving out into the 'burbs - either suburbs or exurbs - where I could still enjoy the city, but it looked like the increased cost of transportation would overtake the savings in rent I'd get from moving just outside the city, and my net cost of living would go up. Also, I know people who've moved out beyond the edges of the city, thinking that they could drive in whenever they wanted to, and then they never do it. Just driving through city traffic and parking your car for an afternoon is expensive and a PITA. A couple of them I haven't seen literally in years, because it's so not worth it for them to come into town for a beer or a coffee. It seems like moving even 20-30 miles out of the city basically means you're done with the city. The next time I get itchy feet, I'll have to look at moving either to a smaller city where not owning a car is still viable (and I don't know how many of those cities even exist), or moving out of the region altogether and abandoning the whole notion of living without a car, which would make me feel bad. It seems like, at least around here, you're either all-in or all-out.

This is a good point, I would be leaving all my current walkability for the burbs if I move close.

 

[Thorgalaeg]

Some years ago i got a job for nine months at 100 km and a little more off home. It was summer at some very touristic part of Spain so i was unable to find any affordable rent house and had to drive a hour plus some minutes through a highway and then a very scenic but somewhat dangerous two lanes curved road, it was exhausting but bearable, until a day i almost fell asleep at the wheel (i had then some back issues and some nights i didnt sleep very well), so i decided to find another means of transport or quit the job. It didnt worth the risk.

Miraculously there was a bus line with the proper schedule, which i used for the next month or so. I had to wake up before six o´clock in the morning and total commute time including stops and such was more than two hours. Near five hours every day in a bus and with back issues! It was horrible. Fortunately a new girl was hired who lived near my home, so since that day she came with me in my car, we shared fuel expenses and with such nice company (so nice she later became my girlfriend btw ) the danger of falling asleep went away.

A month and half later, summer season came to an end, prices plummeted and i was finally able to find something affordable, so i spent the last six moths of my contract living at a cute house alongside the beach and at 5 minutes off my office walking. In fact i went from maybe one of the worst periods of my life (the month in the bus) to maybe one of the best (the six months i spent at the beach house).

So, the conclusion is to avoid long commute times at any cost. It is a lot of lifetime lost and you get nothing in return. (well, i got a girlfriend but that is not usual )

 

[Zardnaar]

I did mean the ones in NZ, not the UK

Do they have rolling hills, a mound or anything?

 

[Valka D'Ur]

Waaaay back when I had my home typing business, my "commute" was pretty easy. It was funny one day, when I did the municipal census over the phone. One of the questions they asked was how far I had to travel to work. I said, "about 15 feet" and had to explain that this was the approximate distance between my bed and my typewriter in the room I'd converted to an office/library.

Working at the bookstore at the wildlife sanctuary interpretive centre involved a half-hour walk - shortened to 20 minutes if I did it cross-country rather than along the main road.

 

[Aiken_Drumn]

Do they have rolling hills, a mound or anything?

The UK or NZ version?

 

[Zardnaar]

The UK or NZ version?

UK.

Ones here flat as a pancake and boring AF. Then the hit the foothills of the southern Alps and yeah pretty then. Edoras in the movies was located in Canterbury. Not very wide east to west just long, narrow, flat and farms.

Boring drive as well. If you're a tourist take the longer scenic drive down the west coast.