How much money you need for a comfortable life in Miami

Photos from personal archive

Everyone has a different understanding of comfort, so I will write, starting from the minimum necessary conditions, and you already add black caviar and a maid from the Philippines yourself.

Here is a calculation for two adults when renting a one-bedroom apartment - which, translated from Runglish, means an apartment with one bedroom, a studio kitchen and two bathrooms.

Compare the minimally comfortable and very comfortable check:

— apartment rental — $1500. A good option is not in a new building, close to the ocean. For $5000 you can rent an apartment on the first line in Trump or another excellent complex, on the 40th floor, overlooking the ocean, or a house in a good location, but not luxury.

- average bill in a supermarket like Walmart or wholesale Costco (similar to Metro or Auchan) - from $150, such purchases are enough for 5 days, or for $400 we buy organics in Whole foods or Fresh market;

— car (insurance and gasoline) — $300 for a 5-year-old Lexus or $600 for a new Cadillac;

— telephone and Internet — $140;

- eating out - $200 in the nearest cafes and delis like “Matryoshka” or “Kalinka” (yes, yes, these are the names of Russian stores in our Sunny-Ailovka) or for $1000 - with dinners in good establishments 2 times a week;

— chemicals, laundry — $50 (in the States, washing machines on the floor with payment by cards, mainly, if not a new building);

— electricity, water — $80;

— go out to unwind — $300 or from $800;

— gym membership $50 or $500 for classes with a trainer ($20-30 per hour), this does not include sports nutrition;

— travel from $500. I calculated a trip every 3 months to somewhere in California or New York, these are only tickets, an average hotel and inexpensive museums (that is, $1500 every 3 months) or $1000 - with a visit to Disneyland, and better hotels;

- without health insurance - $0, but it may cost more to treat yourself later, or $800 with health insurance;

— various expenses will cost another 400 dollars, or 1000 with a comfortable option (gifts, a new iPhone in September, underwear for the wife from the Victoria’s Secrets store, shopping and air tickets for parents to the USA from Kiev and definitely back).

Of course, I did not take into account different life hacks, but I did not even consider force majeure.

In total, with the first option, the cost for two people is about $4300 per month. For this money you live in a good place in a normal apartment with furniture, drive a good 5-year-old car (the cost of purchasing it separately is $12000-17000), dine in inexpensive cafes or restaurants 2 times a week, 2-3 times a month cinema or concert, barbecue trips.

In this case, you do not get sick, and the machine does not break the teeth like a young horse, the wife does not ask for a fur coat. You park properly, you don't have to pick up a car for 200 bucks when you got it wrong. Wife for the new year you give apple watch.

A good option costs about $ 12000 for two. In this case, you live in a single-room, but steep apartment on the first line in 50 meters from the ocean, or in a house with a pool in a good area, but far from a luxury class.

You eat organic food from expensive markets, ride a 5-liter Cadillac (without the cost of purchasing it), 2 dinner a week in a good place, play sports with a 2 trainer once a week.

Travel is brighter, with the purchase of daily subscriptions in Universal studio, you can fly to the Caribbean or Hawaii once a year, and 2-3 also fly to Chicago, NY, San Francisco or Vegas, where you do not save on comfort, rent a good car, drink normal whiskey. Sometimes you rent a yacht with a captain for a walk through the Miami canals. Once a year, you lose $ 3000 in Vegas, but after that your wife doesn’t shop for half a year, at least.

You always have a new iPhone and your wife too, always in a different color. You can pointedly cheer in front of friends. With insurance you can afford it. And to go to the dentist once in 3 a month, feel free to eat toffee, because a good dentist has put you a seal. Wife for the new year you give apple watch.

I forgot, another $120 on UBER for 6 trips - if the restaurant is good, you drink alcohol, so you leave the car at home and tip the driver $25, totaling $12.225 per month.

In both cases, you know English or you don’t need it, otherwise from $ 400 per month for courses.

It is possible to keep within $ 2500, but then you will have to share the apartment with someone else, not to go anywhere and not be ill. Hitchhike, overnight stop couchsurfing and know + 100500 lifehacks.

By the way, this case, according to observations, does not exclude a new iPhone both for you and for your wife. Wife again on the new year is under the tree apple watch.

There is also the opportunity to combine different options - book travel in advance, buy fruits and meat in Whole foodsand rice and oatmeal in Walmart, it's hard to spell them. You also need to use all kinds of promotions and sales, here it is very popular.

For example, in August-September it is low season in Miami, at which time all the coolest restaurants drop in price. We once had a wine and two course dinner for $60 or so per person when the usual price at a place like this is $50-$80 per course.

You can catch a steep cruise price by subscribing to newsletters and groups. In Chicago, I flew for $ 96 in both directions, in NY, too, discounts often. Things are cheaper here than everywhere, more choice, brands for every taste, black friday and cyber monday, equipment referbished (as far as I know, Sitikom in Kiev delivered it as new). We are two macbooks and all-in-one PC Bought this way, everything is OK, under warranty.

PS Apple watch I did not pay for advertising, my wife, by the way, practically does not wear them, a useless item of expenses in my online accounting turned out.

Anatoly Letaev, Head of Company Migronis.

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