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mikeyHustle t1_j96mtjh wrote

It's not as cheap as it used to be, but I'd say nearly all of the people I know who moved here did so because it was cheaper / easier to pay for things than where they lived before.

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Ordinary_Promise7748 OP t1_j96ph9p wrote

That gives me hope! Thanks 😊

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evil_iceburgh t1_j97b938 wrote

I sell real estate and very often people moving from other parts of the country are delighted at the difference in cost of living and housing but as someone else said it depends on where you’re coming from so YMMV

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69FunnyNumberGuy420 t1_j97lg12 wrote

The thing is that old houses in shitty locations are cheap. Once you start getting into desirable houses in desirable areas, Pittsburgh is just as expensive as anywhere else that isn't one of the big bubble cities.

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MotherBurgher t1_j9ay1dk wrote

I was trying to find a nice way to say exactly that 😅 it can be affordable but truly depends on where you’re coming from and where you’re going. You basically get what you pay for in that sense.

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hsavvy t1_j9aqsue wrote

Yep I’m from Philly (the main line) and the house I recently bought in the North Hills would be incredibly out of my price range if it were back in Philly.

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AnewENTity t1_j9878ep wrote

Until they get re-assessed by our scam tax system

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adeadlobster t1_j9946d3 wrote

I am one of those people-- moved here last January with a $3/hr pay cut because it still made sense coming from New England. The housing bubble is definitely affecting the area currently, but not quite as hard as other areas.

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Big_League227 t1_j96nfa1 wrote

The answer would also largely depend on from where you are coming... someone moving here from LA is going to view it differently than someone moving from, say, Detroit.

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Ordinary_Promise7748 OP t1_j96oyv8 wrote

Makes sense, Im coming from Salisbury, Maryland. (I know, I know /sigh lol)

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rageharles t1_j972vlz wrote

honestly its probably comparable. so much of maryland is more expensive than it has any right to be

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antalszerb t1_j97tz0r wrote

hey! i too lived on the eastern shore before moving to Pittsburgh. my partner and I own a house in brighton heights. it's been very affordable for us but we also bought in late 2019 before housing prices went nuts.

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runswithhund t1_j98nwab wrote

I’m also from Salisbury! I’m curious, why the sigh?

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Ordinary_Promise7748 OP t1_j99xns8 wrote

I just don’t like it at all 😆 it’s very slow (old people, shitty businesses, nothing to do here.. 🤷‍♀️)

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UnsurprisingDebris t1_j96kzzs wrote

Not really when compared to other metro areas of our size.

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dementedturnip26 t1_j974e67 wrote

But just because it’s cheaper doesn’t mean it’s affordable. That median household income of 53k makes it pretty hard to find a house these days that doesn’t need a bunch of work

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[deleted] t1_j97v7yb wrote

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Edmeyers01 t1_j97y3g3 wrote

I live in San Diego now, but moved from Pittsburgh. I'd say houses in Pittsburgh tend to be mostly large houses. Here you will pay $900K for a 1200 sq ft. house in a decent neighborhood where as in Pittsburgh in the best neighborhoods that's likely going to be be around $400K-$500K. The best neighborhoods in San Diego (typically pretty close to the ocean) tend to be $2+ million.

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[deleted] t1_j981cjz wrote

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Edmeyers01 t1_j98304f wrote

I think i might have worded this wrong. In San Diego in a decent neighborhood it's $900K for 1200sq ft, but in the best neighborhoods in pittsburgh (Highland Park, Shadyside, Squirrel Hill, ect.) that's maybe $400-$500K.

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[deleted] t1_j983bxv wrote

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Edmeyers01 t1_j984evm wrote

have you looked at sold listings in Shadyside, highland park, & squirrel hill lately? Those houses consistently go for that much. 1600 sq ft. townhouses are going for $480k in Shadyside after reviewing recent sold listings.

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[deleted] t1_j985xdb wrote

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Edmeyers01 t1_j987gzk wrote

In my opinion, the best neighbors are in the city. What's a peter's township. All of the places in that shadyside search were sold 6-7 months ago and a lot them were from mid-2021. I just put an offer of 360K on a small house in Highland park and got outbid by 6 others offering $30K above ask. I wouldn't consider Mount Lebanon a best place to live and the prices reflect that.

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[deleted] t1_j989990 wrote

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Edmeyers01 t1_j98auuq wrote

Good opinion.

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[deleted] t1_j98b4wl wrote

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Edmeyers01 t1_j98czr7 wrote

Those are definitely upper middle class, but I’m basing it on cost per square foot. Shadyside, Highland Park, Squirrel Hill, Sewickley Heights (not sure there is a house under 3k sq ft here) would definitely take the cake.

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burritoace t1_j99xicd wrote

No, those are not neighborhoods. They're municipalities

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crimsonhues t1_j9a1g17 wrote

How would it compare to Cleveland?

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UnsurprisingDebris t1_j9acjde wrote

I believe it would be pretty similar. In my opinion Pittsburgh has better job opportunities and more amenities, but it's been a while since I've been to Cleveland so it may not be a fair assessment at this current time.

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lessregretsnextyear t1_j96llya wrote

City or Suburbs? If you have a car there are many very affordable suburbs that aren't a terrible commute to the city. Otherwise, public transportation isn't great here. To answer your question though, Pittsburgh is relatively affordable compared to other cities.

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Ordinary_Promise7748 OP t1_j96m2a6 wrote

City! Since I wont have a car right away, I was planning to rely on public transportation:( tell me more about it 😋

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mikeyHustle t1_j96n0k1 wrote

In and out of Downtown and Oakland, public transit is very effective.

In most other neighborhoods, it's spottier and more frustrating, but usable.

It's nearly unusable outside the city proper, except for taking the train to the South Hills.

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varzaguy t1_j97498p wrote

Any spot that is next to the busway or next to a t station is pretty damn good for public transportation.

Shadyside is pretty good. Mt. Washington is pretty good.

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Ordinary_Promise7748 OP t1_j96p9hd wrote

More frustrating how?

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mikeyHustle t1_j96wa41 wrote

You just have to wait longer between buses. I go up to Mt. Washington pretty frequently, and to get back to the East End, I have to catch a bus that comes once every hour, and transfer in Downtown to a bus that comes every 45 minutes.

If I were going from Downtown to Oakland or vice-versa, I could catch a bus in 5-10 mins. almost every time.

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burritoace t1_j99xmv2 wrote

If you can walk a bit and avoid limiting yourself to one line you should be able to get to the east end on less than 45 min headways

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Ordinary_Promise7748 OP t1_j96y8eh wrote

Oh so they dont come every 5-10 mins everywhere? Ugh. That sucks! One more question: how’s the east allegheny area in that regard?

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MakesUsMighty t1_j972w7s wrote

The only neighborhood with transit that frequent I know of is Forbes / Fifth Ave in Oakland. Most bus lines throughout the region run with 20 minute headways at peak. 30min is pretty typical, and it gets up to 60 or 90 if you’re much further out and/or it’s a weekend.

Also it’s largely a hub and spoke system. Most lines travel through downtown or Oakland at some point, so if that isn’t your origin or destination you’re likely to need a transfer there.

If I move back to Pittsburgh I’d probably try to move to Oakland. It’s dense enough to be a city in its own right (it’s Pennsylvania’s third largest employer behind Philadelphia and downtown Pittsburgh), if that’s your vibe.

If not, head out a mile or two and there are lots of nice neighborhoods that are an easy bike ride or walk into the built-up areas.

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Ordinary_Promise7748 OP t1_j97dsqw wrote

I see.. and I’ll definitely look into Oakland, I’ve heard some good things about it :) thanks!

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mikeyHustle t1_j976nze wrote

If you mean East Allegheny on the north shore by the stadiums, it's OK in that you can either get downtown by taking the train for free (for now) or walk across a bridge, and go from there to anywhere you like.

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Ordinary_Promise7748 OP t1_j97cu9s wrote

Yes, that part.. oh boy! Im excited 😊 thank you!

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mikeyHustle t1_j97i0pq wrote

Yeah, I hear most people call it Deutschtown, or sometimes even just "East Ohio Street." There's a big music festival there every summer, and some cute shops along E Ohio. Threadbare Cider is nearby. It's a good location to be near things. Sometimes crime happens nearby, but it's rarely random attacks on people minding their business. It can get sketch up there at night, though, so y'know. Like any city, just be alert if you're walking back home late.

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Ordinary_Promise7748 OP t1_j97ktwc wrote

You make some excellent points.. I’ve lived in a big city before too, so I hope I know how to be careful lol.. just sad that the crime is kinda high there

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ChinaLouise t1_j97id2o wrote

Uh yeah. So what kind of neighborhood do you want to live in because the north side is pretty ish

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Ordinary_Promise7748 OP t1_j97jffm wrote

Really? Well f*ck. I found a really cute apt there and it fascinated me because of how close it is to downtown .. i might just toughen it out? Lol

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ChinaLouise t1_j97k1ko wrote

I mean, Pittsburgh isn't Detroit lol. You'll be ok. It's just a bit rougher. Just avoid the bars around there at night.

If you enjoy a bit of crack cocaine tho you're in luck!

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Ordinary_Promise7748 OP t1_j97lyfg wrote

Lol 😂 I don’t but I keep my options open.. you never know what life brings, am I right? 😆

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kellytop412 t1_j974ptu wrote

Easy Allegheny is generally referred to the north side...i had to Google it. It's basically downtown, so you won't need public transportation if that's where you are working. I'm not sure where you trying to bus to? Most buses intersect downtown.

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Ordinary_Promise7748 OP t1_j97dhit wrote

Oh okay, still not that familiar with the terms lol well i dont know, but im thinking I’ll need some transportation to a grocery store or the gym , you know stuff like that :)

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B0bb3r7 t1_j98ebu6 wrote

East Allegheny is more exact and correct. For whatever reason, people outside of the northside just call everything north of the Allegheny and Ohio "the northside." It's also definitely not "basically downtown." In fact, it used to be a city of its own until Pittsburgh annexed it over a century ago.

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WikiSummarizerBot t1_j98edh8 wrote

Allegheny, Pennsylvania

>Allegheny City was a municipality that existed in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania from 1788 until it was annexed by Pittsburgh in 1907. It was located north across the Allegheny River from downtown Pittsburgh, with its southwest border formed by the Ohio River, and is known today as the North Side. The city's waterfront district, along the Allegheny and Ohio rivers, became Pittsburgh's North Shore neighborhood.

^([ )^(F.A.Q)^( | )^(Opt Out)^( | )^(Opt Out Of Subreddit)^( | )^(GitHub)^( ] Downvote to remove | v1.5)

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CDewfus t1_j96ugzx wrote

Oakland is amazing for transit. College town.

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But_Mooooom t1_j96mpea wrote

It's...serviceable? Pittsburgh usually favors having access to a car, but you'll make it just fine in plenty of areas without one if you're patient. Pretty much all bus with minimal rail line extending south of the city.

The map is misleading as there's tons of elevation change throughout the area. Make sure you don't get taken by surprise when planning out walking routes.

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B0bb3r7 t1_j973gc0 wrote

It's entirely possible to rely on public transit. For excellent mobility, I would suggest supplementing it with a bike. I've been car-free for 7 years and have no intention of changing. You may want us visit us at r/CarIndependentPGH, too.

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Ordinary_Promise7748 OP t1_j97else wrote

😊 😊 yes, I’m also planning to use my bike.. and that’s good that I found more car-free people 🥳

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Indrigotheir t1_j96wlbp wrote

Look at where the T line travels to the south of the city, and look for apartments along it (within a few blocks ideally).

The "T" is the name of Pittsburgh's light passenger rail system. It is the most reliable, affordable method of public transit in the city. It travels from the heart of downtown, to fairly remote suburbs in the south. There is a gradient of [cheap-but-sketchy] to [bougie-but-expensive] housing along it.

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GmysBETS t1_j9b0trc wrote

I lived in Beechview (City neighborhood- short ride outside of downtown on the T-line)…it was a great neighborhood with great non-stop Light Rail Transit north/south, along with very easy access to highways. In the day 20 years ago, housing prices were very affordable.

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_Booster_Gold_ t1_j98j5ig wrote

You could probably extend your search along the T line in that case.

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oneTnoH t1_j972j6t wrote

Hold on to the handrails when you get on the bus, the driver will slam on the pedal the second you get on and send you flying. Also if you are not immediately at the door to get on they will just drive away so be ready, they don't care if you're old or disabled.

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Ordinary_Promise7748 OP t1_j97fkpb wrote

Made me laugh 😅 so the drivers are savage 😅 very useful information!!

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oneTnoH t1_j97gtud wrote

The bus is also very expensive and yinzers will get extremely upset if you pay cash, so just get the card or the app and load it with a car payments worth of money

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uglybushes t1_j96matn wrote

Living is expensive

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kellytop412 t1_j973hmn wrote

Yes, it isn't cheap if you've always lived here and made Pittsburgh salaries. And all the people moving here with west coast money has driven up housing to the point where locals can't compete. If I hadn't final won the bid on a house when i did (after being outbid numerous times by non-pittsburghers coming in wit all cash), i don't know if I would have ever been able to buy.

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dementedturnip26 t1_j974su0 wrote

This is the real answer. If you’ve worked for PNC for twenty years getting their shitty 2-3% raises your real income has tanked over that time

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jsebby t1_j9aroys wrote

That's pretty much in line with inflation so your real income would actually be pretty similar. Not tanked.

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roflgoat t1_j96x2ll wrote

As far as cities going it's cheap

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dingurth1 t1_j96zxj5 wrote

I moved here from LA last year, and while it is definitely cheaper overall, especially in the big area of housing, there are some things that are more expensive than I thought they'd be.

  • groceries: to my surprise, groceries here are noticeably higher than when I was in LA. Not crazy, maybe like 10-15% more, but enough to make a surprise dent in my budget.
  • utilities: the rates are about the same, but the utility companies here hit you with a lot more fees, be it account or weather related, where in CA I pretty much only paid usage and tax on utilities
  • car/gas: while gas is cheaper than it is in CA, I use more despite driving about the same. So my budget for gas is actually higher than in LA. This is because of all the hills here. Maybe I just need to learn to drive better, but my miles per gallon are a lot lower compared to when I was on flatter terrain. I also had to get winter tires and I'm sure the hills are putting more strain on my car, so all that adds to more upkeep expenses.

The big wins are in housing costs and restaurants in my experience so far. I'm paying almost 2/3 of the rent I paid in LA for 3x the space. PGH has some of the best housing/rental affordability in the country despite recent price increases. With restaurants I'm similarly paying about 2/3 of what I was used to in LA. My taxes are also lower, but not as dramatically as you'd think since Pittsburgh proper has the 3% on top of state.

Not sure how that compares to Maryland but just wanted to share my impressions. I do encourage you to visit and scope things out before you move.

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dementedturnip26 t1_j974m0m wrote

Groceries are almost solely due to giant eagle being a POS

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enV2022 t1_j98difi wrote

They’re not any different than Kroger or Meijer. ALDI, which gets mentioned here a lot, isn’t that great either anymore. In fact, I’d go to the others before ALDI as it seems they are changing their ways to Dollar General style - much less quantity in something so the value per volume is shit just so they can have a lower price I.e. you aren’t actually getting something cheaper, just a smaller quantity of something for full price.

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burritoace t1_j99xtqr wrote

Half the groceries we get here probably come from California. Shipping is a huge difference here

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ChinaLouise t1_j97g9of wrote

Groceries jumped for us over the past year too. This is pretty new. It probably jumped in LA by 15% too

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dingurth1 t1_j97j3w4 wrote

I meant the very same week/month I moved my grocery bill went up, the only difference being the location. The country has experienced inflation everywhere over the year yes, but PGH groceries are still at a premium compared to LA, with the exception of maybe eggs

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Ordinary_Promise7748 OP t1_j97gayj wrote

Surprised about the groceries! although I’ve heard some pretty nasty things about Giant Eagle.. not sure what exactly’s going on lol what do you do? And thank you for all the info!

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dingurth1 t1_j97jr8j wrote

If you just go to giant eagle you'll pay more yeah. I more actively shop around at different places now. So on a grocery day I might stop at 2-3 places instead of just one. Could be a mix of GE, Aldi, Trader Joe's, and Walmart usually.

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mikeyHustle t1_j97ibwz wrote

Just a word to the wise, the Giant Eagle nearest the location you told us might actually be the worst / most sketchy one in town. You might find yourself shopping at a nicer / better stocked place and busing it back.

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Ordinary_Promise7748 OP t1_j97jjy3 wrote

😩😩 what about Kuhn’s?

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Generic_Mustard t1_j97pprq wrote

Kuhn's is a no frills 1990 shopping experience, it's limited in selection but fine.

In East Allegheny you will have the North Side Farmer's Market from May - October, which is great.

At least one of the vendors there (Blackberry Meadows Farms) runs a reasonably priced CSA that you can pick up weekly at the market.

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max_m0use t1_j97t1tx wrote

> Kuhn's is a no frills 1990 shopping experience

1990? The one in Bellevue always plays music from the 50s and 60s. Not sure if they're all like that.

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B0bb3r7 t1_j98ge8a wrote

What time do you go?? I've always thought that Kuhn's music is pretty good lol. I've heard them play a wide variety with lots of semi-current songs.

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max_m0use t1_j98yg1r wrote

I'm usually there Saturday afternoons. I don't go there very often, so it might have changed since the last time I was there. It doesn't help that most of the customers in there at that time are over 70, so they're probably just playing to their target audience.

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B0bb3r7 t1_j99c0cx wrote

Oh, yeah, early in the day can get a little rough haha.

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dementedturnip26 t1_j97459y wrote

It depends. If you’re moving from elsewhere and getting a similar salary as NYC, it will feel cheap. For a lot of people though that have lived here and worked through some of the big companies like PNC they tend to pay pretty poorly and COL has really outpaced wage growth here. PNC and UPMC are notorious for paying like shit and not giving raises to existing employees

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doghound412 t1_j96nxyi wrote

Based on your question, your situation, and fluctuations in crime around the city lately, I’d consider Greenfield. You’re in the city where transportation is decent, beyond the tunnels for if/when you get a car, near squirrel hill for great eats but reduced price, lesser crime than similar areas as of late, & not considered to quite cross the threshold of trashy. Runner up alternatives that don’t meet all of the same criteria: Bloomfield or Dormont.

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TacoBean19 t1_j98jod1 wrote

Dormont and surrounding neighborhoods are decent in general

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Ordinary_Promise7748 OP t1_j96p4av wrote

What about the east allegheny area?

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doghound412 t1_j972pbk wrote

not cheap & higher crime but good for transportation within city .. to me you’re either overpaying or in a trashy building with a lot of shady stuff going on depending on the street

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Ordinary_Promise7748 OP t1_j97fery wrote

Interesting. What’s a reasonable rent for you for an apt in a decent neighborhood?

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ChinaLouise t1_j97gqsf wrote

I'm not the person you're asking, but the answer to your question is going to vary wildly. If you let an agent ream you or use something like Zillow a one bedroom apartment will be over $1,000 a month. If you know how to use craigslist/marketplace and know exactly where you're going you can get a two bedroom for $700

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Really_Cool_Dad t1_j974n84 wrote

I believe it’s considered in the low end of MCOL

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ziggyjoe212 t1_j97gvwp wrote

No, it is cheap compared to big cities like NYC and DC.

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pittsburghfun t1_j97txim wrote

Dormont has excellent public transportation, and is walkable

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TacoBean19 t1_j98gwjq wrote

Depends on the neighborhood, some neighborhoods are really cheap and some are expensive but generally most areas are affordable

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ambanana_29 t1_j98j2j8 wrote

Compared to the Boston area (not in the city of Boston) i can get way more for my money renting. It's also what you make of it. I don't need the newest nicest place, just clean and safe. It could be as expensive as you want it to be.

I feel like groceries can be expensive but that's probably more to do with the economy/supply chain issues than anything else.

This is my first time with gas heat so the bill feels like a lot there, but if you do budget billing, it would probably be less shocking month to month.

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rush2ryme t1_j96tru7 wrote

It depends, of course, on what you’re used to spending where you’re from. Overall it’s cheaper than where I’m originally from. Utilities are MUCH higher than what I’m used to but rent is way cheaper too. Groceries are equitable, those are just expensive no matter where you live now. I also love living here so that helps make it all worth it.

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bobbycherry t1_j97q850 wrote

Yes. But it also depends on where you're coming from. But it is not as cheap as real estate agents, developers and some news outlets claim it to be. Unless, of course, you're becoming the CEO of one of the companies here! Then you're good!

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justin7680 t1_j97t04i wrote

As someone who has been actively looking for other states to live in, pittaburgh is still one of the most affordable major cities.

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jamierocksanne t1_j98xgsu wrote

It used to be a lot cheaper until everyone moved here and turned it in to a hipster commune.

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IClight69 t1_j99v5ov wrote

If you spend all your money before rent is due, yes. If you save some and make rent, No.

Easy Peasy!

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[deleted] t1_j9aol1w wrote

Rents are going up like in most of the country but if you like the area enough to buy a house here at some point you can get in really good neighborhoods for a significantly lower cost than you could in comparable neighborhoods in other major cities

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Jahya69 t1_j9csun1 wrote

It used to be but it no longer is and is expensive like everywhere else although not at the crazy level of the West Coast or New York City

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filetofeedback t1_j98pn8i wrote

What is your rental budget?

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Ordinary_Promise7748 OP t1_j99xu76 wrote

I would say 800-1000? But I’m dreaming when it comes to more decent neighborhoods , so a more realistic one would be 1100 I guess.

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filetofeedback t1_j9a8mgd wrote

I would target Friendship, Shadyside, East Liberty, Squirrel Hill. There are probably some options in your rental range in these neighborhoods which are walkable and with many transit options. Check out Franklin West and Mozart. These are big landlords who have a lot of different types of units.

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724to412to916 t1_j9ak57f wrote

I lived in and around Pittsburgh from 2000-17’ before moving to Northern California (outside of Sacramento) which is one of the most cost effective areas to live in the state. Even so, the cost of buying a similar home as you could in the Burgh metro was easily double. Outside of the cost of real estate and the cost of gas, I’d say the cost of goods (groceries, dining, the list goes on) is on par. That said, the Pittsburgh is very unique and how comparatively cheap it is to buy a home.

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TheSharkofMainStreet t1_j9f5ir9 wrote

The cost of living is going to be real cheap after they declare East Palestine Ohio an EPA superfund site.

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jmarinara t1_j974j7d wrote

It is notoriously inexpensive, actually. It’s like this little forgotten part of the country that no one moves to unless they have to or were born here. But don’t let that fool you, it’s awesome.

The dynamic IS changing, btw. Our medical and educational industries are starting to become attractive draws for some folks, and the overall stability of the region is drawing more interest. Still, it never seems to grow at the pace of other cities and one thing about us is the region isn’t built up as much as say a New York or LA so it can grow without feeling like it has grown or costing more because resources or real estate is more scarce.

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Ordinary_Promise7748 OP t1_j97e8lw wrote

My favorite part about Pittsburgh is that is not like New York :) thanks for the info!

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Steven_Snippert t1_j98dsyk wrote

I live in Lawrenceville. I will have to disagree. I also did not downvote you.

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Significant-Nail-987 t1_j97kl1a wrote

Not really. But honestly if you're gonna live here, buy a home. The cost of buying a home is less than renting one in the long term. Rentals in this cities are getting outrageous. Most of the natives can't really afford to live here anymore, not in the Hotspot like old anyways.

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Ordinary_Promise7748 OP t1_j97m62b wrote

I noticed that most of the rentals are sky high.. 😵‍💫

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Significant-Nail-987 t1_j993820 wrote

They're not all bad. Right now isn't really moving season. Prices aren't the worst, and if you're coming from virtually anywhere else they're probably cheaper.

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ChinaLouise t1_j97g051 wrote

It's extremely affordable. You're not going to find much cheaper

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