Moving from California to Texas: Pros & Cons

As most of you know, I took a big leap of faith in 2021 and left my mundane life in California to start over in Austin, Texas!

Back Story: I grew up in Sacramento, California and moved to San Diego, California for college. After graduating college, I travelled across Europe and then actually moved to Australia with my best friend! After our time down unda', I moved back to California to take care of my grandmother who was sick and eventually moved to Santa Monica, California with my now ex-boyfriend. After a freak fire in our apartment complex, we moved back up to Sacramento once more to be near family and stayed there for a few years. I then moved to Austin, Texas in 2021 for a job and, after I very publicly ended my relationship with him on Season 2 of TLC's I Love A Mama's Boy, decided to stay in Texas for good!

Now that you know the crazy back story of my life... I wanted to use this blog post to share my thoughts about what life has been like since moving from California to Texas! As you can imagine, these two states are VERY different. So I will list some pros & cons of each! If you're thinking about making a move to another state, I do want to say that you totally should do it no matter what! I think it's so important to experience new things and new places. If you end up hating it, you can always move back!

With all that said, let's jump on in! (Btw, make sure to pin this post for future reference!)

PROS

1) MORE SPACE!

Whether apartment hunting or house buying, you are going to get way more bang for your buck in Texas. Everything really is bigger in Texas and you'll be shocked (in a good way!) once you see it for yourself!

2) NICER PEOPLE!

I had such a hard time making friends in California after graduating from college. People in Austin are all so open to friendship and even workers and fellow patrons at bars, restaurants, etc. are overall nicer too! I've noticed that people are a lot more "real" here too. #NoFakeFriends #ByeFelicia

3) LOWER COST OF LIVING!

Food, rent, everything! Prices have been going up lately because of inflation, but overall the prices are way better than California. That said, if you are eating out or living downtown, prices (just like any city) will be higher than the outskirts.

4) RESTAURANTS, NIGHTLIFE, OUTDOOR ACTIVITIES, & SUPER DOG-FRIENDLY!

Oh my gosh. I had more fun in my first month of living in Austin, Texas than I did in a whole year of living in Sacramento, California. I've lived in Austin a year now and I still haven't tried all the restaurants and bars I've wanted to try yet.

For nightlife, we have so many different neighborhoods to check out too and they are all safe & fun! As for outdoor activities, we have amazing parks, paddle boarding, kayaking, and boating on the rivers & lakes, and incredible trails too. Oh, and I can take my dog, Louis, everywhere with me!

5) NO STATE INCOME TAX!

No. State. Income. Tax.

6) CHANCE TO START OVER!

This was a big one for me! Being able to leave my old life behind and completely reinvent myself was the coolest thing ever. You get to re-establish yourself in a new city, make new friends, and not worry about mistakes you left behind in your past.

7) DATING IS BETTER HERE!

The dating pool is incredible in Austin, Texas. Though many people have "Peter Pan Syndrome" and don't want to commit, I feel like that is an issue in every city, not just Austin. It's amazing to have so many options here and everyone is also so beautiful and more down-to-earth.

CONS

1) ISOLATION & HAVING TO MAKE NEW FRIENDS

Leaving your established friend group & family in your hometown can be very hard! Fortunately, people in Austin are very open to friendships and are all so nice. I recorded this podcast episode "Making Friends in a New City!" if you need help though!

2) POLITICS

Politics.

3) HOT SUMMERS

I cannot express enough hot it gets here! It starts warming up in March and doesn't cool down again until October. That said, the winters aren't too bad and it only snowed once this past year. I am someone who doesn't do well in the heat though, so you can find me checking out all the air conditioned spots in Austin or staying home on those peak summer days!

4) PRICES ARE GOING UP

While Texas is cheaper than California, hot cities like Austin are getting more and more expensive as companies like Google and Tesla move in. My rent for a one-bedroom luxury apartment in the heart of downtown is $2,600 as of July 2022.

5) YOU WILL MISS THE BEACH

Beaches in Texas simply do not compare to California. That said, flights to California and Mexico are quick & cheap! I recently took a trip to Cancun and the flight was 2.5 hours and less than $200 roundtrip. If you're ever missing the beach, make a weekend out of it!

For me personally, moving to Austin, Texas was the best decision I could have made for myself. Will I be here forever? I'm not sure yet! The summers really are way too hot and, over time, that might become a deal breaker for me. But as for now, I can't really imagine myself living anywhere else. It's perfect for people in their 20s or 30s looking for a fresh start and I've noticed a lot of people I meet have moved to Austin from another state.

A few tips if you do move here and start to get homesick:

Plan some trips to California months ahead of time to have something to look forward to!
Settle into your new place as soon as possible to make it feel like home & include touches of California in your decor or the pictures you hang
Call up a friend from California on the phone to catch up - they'll probably tell you the same old stuff and you'll realize you aren't missing out on anything new!
Make friends in your new city who are also from your home state! #BirdsOfTheSameFeatherFlockTogether (My best friend here in Austin also moved here from California!)

Again, if you are hesitant about moving because of any of the reasons above, or if you're just scared about it being a huge change or culture shock, remember that if it doesn't work out you can ALWAYS move back to your hometown! Life is short, take the risk!