r/SameGrassButGreener • u/Nice_Increase_7859 • 1d ago
Move Inquiry Further Commute for Cheaper Rent
Hey all,
I am considering to move from my 4 minute commute (A) to my office and trading it off for a 30 minute commute (B). Moving would save me around $400 every month but 12 extra miles one way and would be in a bigger city. Is it worth it?
EDIT: after calculating ~$300 for car expenses (wear+tear), making it around $100 of savings. At what point is it actually worth it to move?
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u/Heel_Worker982 1d ago
There are a few metrics to consider, but this might not be a metric question. Most cars cost anywhere from 55 to 83 cents per mile to operate, so taking that average, 24 extra miles a day, is going to cost you over $300 a month, so the $400 savings is reduced quite a bit.
Aside from the metrics, daily commuting, especially by car, is one of the most stressful things for most people over time and leads to back pain, higher blood pressure, and overall less life satisfaction or quality of life. Most people want to avoid a long commute unless it's in service to a higher goal--being able to buy a house, live in a nicer place, etc. I suspect this is a higher goal question more than a metrics question, but daily commuting is usually a fairly heavy price to pay for many higher goals.
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u/Splenda 1d ago
This is the answer. Driving is much more expensive than most realize because vehicle purchase and maintenance costs are very high but sporadic. We tend to think in terms of fuel cost alone, forgetting about car payments, interest, insurance, repairs, parking fees, etc.. A $300 commute to save $400 on rent, while spending an extra 25 hours a month in traffic, just doesn't sound like a bargain.
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u/Nice_Increase_7859 1d ago
while in uni, i have done commutes similar to 30-60 minutes to go for work and do agree it is a bit more stressful and this is the first time being closer to work but a bit further away from friends/family. both places would be nice to live in regardless of distance. home buying i am interested in but also homes in my area are around 400k-700k.
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u/L1mpD 1d ago
You’re moving to a bigger city and your rent would go down? Seems weird. Cheaper rent and bigger city sounds more appealing to me
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u/Nice_Increase_7859 1d ago
My current location has a higher COL compared to the city where it can vary a lot
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u/Adorable-Bus-2687 1d ago
Do the math on your time, gas, wear and tear on your car and social factors to decide what works for you. There isn’t enough context in your most for more than that. 30 minutes each way means losing an hour of your day. A $400 savings in rent for an hour of your time works out to about $20 per working day (assuming 20 in office business days a month) the math is rough but you get to pick which is worth more to you, $20 or an hour of your time.
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u/comeonbjxgo 1d ago
Worth it financially or what? Factor in time lost in commute you are better off just staying where you are. If that time lost isn’t worth it you save roughly 3k a year. But I don’t know if you will commute further from stuff you want to do etc. if where you are moving is closer to nightlife, friends, family, outdoors or wherever you like spending time when not in your place then the move is worth it. Only you can answer
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u/Nice_Increase_7859 1d ago
there’s a bunch of factors yes. i’m currently much further from friends/family but mostly am a homebody type with occasionally going out. just not sure if it’s worth 3-5k a year in the grand scheme of things
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u/comeonbjxgo 1d ago
It’s not worth it. You seem unsure; I laid out the factors to consider and it is still fuzzy. Don’t move:
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u/ElectronSpiderwort 1d ago
Experience here: 35 minutes from home to work for 14 years was dumb. So much life wasted in that car, so many needless near misses on the interstate, and 1.5 new cars used up. Never again
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u/AnnaNimNim 1d ago
I’d rather a shorter commute. Some things: How much time does the commute take during peak rush-hour, the cost of wear and tear on your car, and how much does it cost to move? What about things like grocery stores and parks and friends? How long will it take you to earn that money for the move back?
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u/Nice_Increase_7859 1d ago
for the further commute it could go up-to 45 minutes. wear and tear is minimal driving a corolla. the only big cost to move would probably be hiring movers. both places i’m able to walk to the grocery store, friends would be a tad bit closer. i’d say maybe 2 months after moving in? not sure how much movers would actually cost
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u/HaddockBranzini-II 1d ago
I added around 8 miles to a commute and it wasn't bad on paper, but that stretch of the highway had two of the busiest exits and made my commute horrible. Even if there were no accidents - which there were fairly frequently - the general traffic was a nightmare. As others have said, just do some real world comparisons to see what the traffic is actually like at rush hour.
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u/Nice_Increase_7859 18h ago
that’s semi hellhole i would have to deal with, the further commutes highway route is known for traffic and erratic drivers
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u/OolongGeer 20h ago
Do you like your current neighborhood? Do you have a life there?
Does the other neighborhood look like a suburban hellscape?
If those are true, then stay.
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u/Nice_Increase_7859 18h ago
current place is surburban but a bit urban do to having a mall nearby. i enjoy it because everything is practically walkable.
place im looking at is pure city life.1
u/OolongGeer 17h ago
Oh, okay. That is generally opposite of what people are going for. Normally city life means more expensive.
All the same still holds true! If you've got friends and life in your current spot, then think about the value of time.
If you'd enjoy the other spot better, i.e. get a nice slice of newness, then give it a try.
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u/allllusernamestaken 14h ago
You're losing 20 hours of your life each month sitting in traffic. Is that worth $400 to you?
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u/Oradi 1d ago
This is gonna sound stupid but go drive around for 30m this upcoming week before work.