If this is your first time moving from a small town to a big city, a thousand questions might come to mind. You might start worrying about your survival because we all know that bigger cities are considered more dangerous and expensive than smaller places. This doesn’t have to be completely true – the final outcome of your adjustment will depend on you and the place you chose for your home.
Is it better to move to a big city or stay in the suburbs? Some people will always prefer smaller places over bigger ones, but there is no one true answer for this. Your preferences might depend on different factors – which place and country you choose, how long you want to stay there, what lifestyle you prefer, how well situated you are, how many friends you have, are you successful in your carrier, do you have family, are you feeling safe, do you need to commute on a daily basis and so on. Sometimes, the same person might have different preferences and interests depending on their current situation, such as material status or age.
For example, many people choose to spend their student and young adult years living in bigger cities. After they decide to get married, settle down and start a family, it is not unusual for them to move to the suburbs or quiet cities. What is the main reason for this? Safety in smaller places is usually higher because everyone knows each other; you can usually comfortably let your children walk to school and visit public parks with them without any worries.
The other reason is that real estate prices in smaller places are also lower. For example, you can buy a large home with a backyard for the same price you’ll need to pay for a small apartment in the downtown area of bigger cities. These are only some of the things that might affect your decision about which option is better, but you’ll easily notice that most of them depend on your personal preferences.
Do you know why living in the city is better? Staying in a bigger place definitely has many advantages, and if you start to live in one, you are about to experience many benefits of relocating. For example, you’ll be able to find:
Healthcare is one of the reasons many older people decide to move close to some bigger cities, even if life in the suburbs naturally feels easier for them. These are only some of the many benefits of living in a big city, so it’s no wonder so many people decide to move. What comes important to you should be on top of your priorities, whether relocating for schooling or because you want to be close to other interesting amenities. Every place in the world has something unique and spectacular to offer, and your goal should be to find your perfect spot under the stars.
There are many things to take into consideration when you plan your move, but probably one of the most important ones is finances. You need to calculate potential expenses when relocating to another place – otherwise, you can make a huge relocation mistake and find out that you aren’t able to support yourself there and waste way too much on relocation costs.
Luckily there are many websites where you can find out the potential cost of living in specific areas all around the country. You can see the potential prices for different categories, such as food, utilities, transportation, and real estate. Depending on who you are relocating with, you can see the potential costs for a single person or a whole family. If you are relocating to a new place alone, you’ll need less than if you were relocating with a whole family, but you might as well want to look for a roommate and share your apartment.
Adjusting to life in bigger cities isn’t easy, especially if this is your first time relocating and you are relocating far away from family to start living on your own. Lifestyle differences between smaller and bigger places are huge. Apart from the major differences in expenses, most people find it hard to adjust to spending hours commuting.
For example, in a smaller place, you can probably get anywhere in 5-10 minutes, but in bigger cities, commute time in one direction often goes over 30 minutes or even an hour. This can be a huge issue, and it might take a lot for you to adjust. Meanwhile, you’ll probably find many ways to use this period productively on things such as reading or doing something useful on your phone or a laptop.
Maybe you’re relocating for a relationship, leaving your friends and family behind, and planning to live with your partner. This way, relocation can still be much easier – you’ll have someone to help when you start packing and someone that will help you unpack once you arrive. You’ll also probably not develop relocation depression if you aren’t completely alone in an unknown location.
But what if you leave all of your previous relationships, don’t know anyone there, and you’re left on your own? This can sometimes be really hard and cause a lot more relocation stress. If you are having trouble adjusting to a new place, setting up everything to your liking and establishing a routine right from the start will help you feel at home much more quickly.
Relocating to a smaller home might be a good solution if you’re on a tight relocation budget. You can find many amazing small apartment ideas and enjoy them equally, even if you’re not staying in a large penthouse. You should also try finding a job in another state before you move. This will make sure you’ll have a regular income and don’t waste your savings while supporting yourself there. Finding a roommate is another great idea we already mentioned. In case you’re relocating alone, sharing expenses with a roommate can be lifesaving – at least as long as you adjust and stand on your feet.
One of the most challenging parts of life in bigger cities is house hunting – apartments are usually tiny and overpriced, so it might be hard for you to find a good deal, especially if you’re relocating at the last minute. There are also other factors to consider, for example, how safe your neighborhood is, how far it is from your workplace, and so on. If you’re relocating with pets, this can narrow your choice even further – some landlords won’t allow pets in their apartments or require additional payments or deposits.
This is why it’s highly recommended to use as much time as you have before the relocation for this search – at least to find something you’ll like. The more you look for, the higher chances are that you’ll find something suitable. Even if you believe that you have found an ideal place, check it in person before making final deals. Check previous residents’ reviews, ensure everything inside is functioning properly and that the building is secure and in a good location.
This video might help you learn five important lessons about living alone in an unknown place.
Relocating to bigger cities usually goes together with a smaller apartment, meaning you’ll need to reduce your relocation inventory to a minimum. You’ll also need to discover some creative storage ideas if you want to use all the space you got efficiently. Also, try learning how to avoid relocation scams if you’re hiring a professional long-distance moving company and prepare a box with relocation essentials. This box should contain your most important inventory and personal belongings, such as toiletries, fresh clothes, medicines, and so on. If the apartment you’re renting is fully furnished, you won’t need to relocate much more than this at all.
Another thing you should consider if hiring cross-country movers are items movers won’t move. You should get rid of these items before relocation. Professional long-distance movers won’t move guns and ammunition, flammable chemicals, living plants, and cash.
Not everyone enjoys the urban lifestyle, and not everyone is obligated to. If, on the other hand, you want to make sure you’ll feel pleasant in a new environment and eventually like it there, you’ll need to be open to many different experiences. Only that way will you learn how to love your new surroundings and enjoy the endless opportunities you’ll find there. Here is something you should include yourself into in order to become adjusted to life in a bigger city:
Now that you know what you are getting yourself into with cross-country moving to a metropolis, you might as well want to learn some hacks that will save you during different situations:
How to move to a big city? With professional long-distance moving services and trained and experienced mover, you can have a much more pleasant experience. You will move in a bit without any worries about your fragile items getting broken – just book professional packing services, and professionals will pack everything for you using only the best quality materials.
Apart from this, you can also get amazing storage services which are a great solution for those who are relocating to a smaller apartment and looking for a place to keep the extra stuff. You can also get vehicle relocation services and ensure professionals transport your car to the desired destination.
