Want to Move to a New City? 5 Factors to Consider

Relocating involves far more than you might realize.

If there's one thing I can claim to be a reluctant expert on, it's moving. As of this writing, I'm up to 35 moves, and 10 of those were in the last 10 years alone. I grew up moving around a lot, and it's a practice I continued into adulthood, thanks to college, graduate school, and my old career, which was extremely location based and required me to pull up stakes every few years to get a new position and advance myself.

Moving is hard, but there are degrees of it. As an adult, I've moved short (one block) and long (more than 1,000 miles) distances multiple times, and the longer distance moves require a lot more logistics… and a lot more financial considerations. Keep reading to learn what you should consider in the process of planning such a move.

1. What's the actual cost of living?

Your finances figure into moving in every case, whether it's the shortest of moves or the longest. While you may only need to worry about the cost of renting a moving truck, hiring movers, and purchasing boxes if you're moving within the same area, if you're looking at a complete relocation, there's a lot more to think about.

The area you're considering moving to may have a very different cost of living than where you live now. As such, it's important to do your research and find those numbers. Bestplaces.net is a great resource that will even let you compare cost of living factors for two cities side by side, so you can see how your finances will be impacted by a move. And if the city you're interested in comes with higher housing, utilities, or healthcare prices, you will want to know before you take on the concrete tasks of moving, like finding housing or a new job. The cost of living will likely also have an impact on whether you'll be renting or getting a mortgage to buy a home.

2. Where will you work?

With the exception of my last move (which coincided with the career change that made me a remote worker and no longer tied to an employer geographically), all of my moves were spurred by school or work. If you're not moving for a specific job, you must suss out the employment opportunities ahead of time. If you're an educator, a healthcare worker, or are in another field where people are always needed, you can probably find work just about anywhere. It may not pay what you're hoping for, though. If you're in a niche field (as I used to be), I'd caution you against choosing a new city without considering where you'll work.

If you're already a remote worker, you have less to consider as far as work is concerned. However, you may find yourself taking a pay cut if your employer's pay scale is based on local cost of living and you're moving from an expensive area to a cheaper one. Discuss a potential move with your employer to ensure you're on the same page.

3. Does the climate and geography work for you?

Being comfortable where you live is a major factor influencing happiness. If you hate long cold snowy winters, maybe don't move to a place that has them (and if you do -- learn to grin and bear it, or appreciate the area for other reasons). Similarly, if you long to live near an ocean, moving to a landlocked place will likely work against your happiness.

4. Is it the right place for your whole family?

If you have a live-in partner, spouse, or kids (or some combination thereof), you need to think about everyone's needs in planning a big move. Will there be employment opportunities for your spouse? How about good schools for your kids? Also consider activities on offer in your new potential city, like kids' sports leagues and opportunities for outdoor recreation. Safety should also figure into your decision; everyone deserves to feel as secure and safe as possible at home, and if crime or severe weather events are a problem in your new city, it will eat away at your peace of mind (and likely cost you more for homeowners insurance or auto insurance).

5. Can you afford to move?

Finally, don't get so tied up in figuring out the future costs and considerations for moving that you forget to also look at the cost of the move itself. You can move cheaply, but as I have found, it's a far less traumatic experience if you can afford to rent the right size moving vehicle, buy moving supplies (such as plenty of sturdy boxes), and even hire help in the form of movers. If you're relocating for a job, your employer may be willing to help you. If not, you could turn to your savings, or even a moving loan.

Moving is never as easy or cheap as you hope it'll be, but it's often worth it, whether you're moving for a new employment opportunity, to be closer to family, or to find a place that feels like home. Consider the above factors before you start seriously working on a moving budget.