When moving to a new country, one of the most important aspects to consider is the cost of living. For someone going to the USA for the first time with an H1B visa USA, a proper understanding of cost of living in the USA is needed to properly budget and save money.
Depending on where you live, how you live, and what you do, costs can vary greatly. In some cities, the cost of living is quite high, while in others it is more reasonable.
In this article, we'll take a closer look at what affects the cost of living in the USA and provide you with some tips on how to make your living more affordable.
Let’s first get started exploring the factors that affect the cost of living in the USA.
Factors affecting the cost of living in the USA
In order to get a clear picture of the cost of living in the USA, it's important to understand the factors that affect it. Here are a few such factors.
City Where you Live
Not all counties or cities have the same cost of living. It is pretty expensive to live in large metropolitan areas like New York, Boston, Washington DC, and San Francisco. However, the average salary in these cities is also high, which helps to cover the high cost of living there.
Whereas, the average cost of living and salary is relatively lower in other parts of the country such as in the Midwest or the South.
So, when applying for an H1B visa in the USA and negotiating your salary, make sure you also consider the cost of living in the city or area where you'll be working.
Type of Housing
Your choice of housing will also have an impact on your cost of living. For example, if you choose to live in a small apartment, you'll likely pay less in rent than if you choose to live in a large house.
Utilities
Utilities such as electricity, gas, water, and trash can also add to your monthly expenses. In some states, utilities are more expensive than in others.
For example, California has some of the highest electricity rates in the country. Phone and internet service is also something you'll need to plan while budgeting.
Cost of Transportation
The cost of transportation can vary greatly depending on where you live.
If you plan on driving, you'll need to consider the cost of gasoline, car insurance, and maintenance.
In some cities, public transportation is available and can be used as an alternative to driving.
Food
Food is another important factor that affects your cost of living in the USA. Eating out at restaurants regularly can be expensive.
Cooking at home can be a great option. However, in such cases, the cost of groceries must also be considered.
If cooking daily is not an option, then food delivery services can be used as an alternative.
Health Insurance
Due to the high healthcare costs in the USA, everyone who holds an H1B visa USA must have health insurance. While health insurance can be a lifesaver for managing unexpected medical expenses, getting health insurance is not cheap.
So, health insurance payments also greatly affect the living costs in the USA.
Number of People
If you have got an H1B dependent visa for your spouse or children, the cost of living will obviously increase.
However, you can sometimes get an H1B spouse work permit to help offset some of the costs.
Taking these factors into consideration, you can easily estimate your monthly expenses and cost of living in the USA. This way you can understand if working abroad with an H1B visa will suit your lifestyle and family and proceed with your US visa interview without any doubts.
To get a better understanding of the US lifestyle, let us look at the average monthly cost of living in the USA.
Average Monthly Cost of Living in the US
While the living cost varies depending on the state of living, the average cost of living for someone working in the USA with an H1B visa can be anywhere around $4,000 for big cities and around $2,000 for sub-urban cities like Seattle, Texas.
As per the survey by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), the average monthly expenditure of an American household is $5,111.
While this applies to a typical American resident with 3 to 4 members, your cost of living as someone with a USA job visa can be lower.
Even though the cost of living in the USA may seem higher at first glance, it is not impossible to adjust your lifestyle to reduce the cost of living. Let us look at some tips for H1B visa holders to reduce living costs in the USA.
Tips for Reducing the Cost of Living in the USA
As someone with visa sponsorship jobs in the USA or H1B visa USA, there are various ways with which you can reduce your cost of living and make it more affordable.
Here are a few tips for reducing your expenses in the USA.
Choose your city wisely
As said, the cost of living in different cities can vary greatly. As someone going with a USA job visa, you may not always have the option to choose the city where you work. In case you have the privilege of choosing where you want to live, do some research on the cost of living in each city before making a decision.
Share your room
One way to reduce your housing expenses is to find a roommate. This can be especially helpful if you're living in a big city with a high cost of living.
Use public transportation
If the city you live in has good public transportation, it is wiser to use it. Public transportation can save you a lot of money.
Eat at home
It is really expensive as well as unhealthy to eat out regularly. So, consider cooking at home whenever possible. This can save you money on food charges as well as possible medical expenses that may occur due to unhealthy food intake.
Shop at discount stores
There are a lot of discount stores in the USA where you can find affordable groceries and other items. This can be a great way to save some money on your monthly expenses.
The cost of living in the USA can be expensive for someone with an employment visa the USA offers. But it doesn't have to be as scary as it may sound if you do your research and budget wisely. With some understanding of the cost of living and proper planning, you can find ways to reduce your expenses and make your stay in the USA more affordable.