It depends on so many factors, for a single person in a LCOL area not so bad, but move to a HCOL area or add dependants to the mix and yeah, its pretty rough.
For vest majority of the people, housing and grocery are the top spending categories which is the cost difference most appearance.
Entertainment usually make up around 10-15% of the budget which doesn't have that much of an effect overall even when you are spending the amount regardless of your local standard of living.
Even the cost of fuel for car gave a greater effect than the things you mentioned.
It’s a problem with everything. I live in Kentucky now but I spent most of my life in California and I still travel home to see my folks 2-3 times a year. The soy milk is .10 cheaper here than in Sacramento. Ten cents. The only thing I’ve found more exorbitantly expensive in California is the gas; but it’s 2.00 more per gallon but the minimum wage is 3x as much. People here in Kentucky spend a greater percentage of their income on the same stuff
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u/Own_Evening2750 Aug 28 '26
God, if 53,000 a year is poor. come visit my neck of the woods. in my rural area, you would be lucky to make 12 an hr