Living in the City vs. The Suburbs: Pros and Cons
Life situations and preferences usually determine where we live. Some people love living a quiet suburban life and feel great living outside of the big city. Other people absolutely detest suburban life and wouldn’t be caught dead living in the country. On the other hand, your job and personal situation will also dictate where you live.
Young professionals without families typically love living in the city. They like to be near their job and around places where there’s a lot of activity. Living in the suburbs would be too quiet and secluded for these young people looking to have fun filled adventures and nights out on the town.
Or, you may have recently gotten married and plan to settle down to start a family. In this situation, you may want to look for an apartment in the suburbs. And when you’re ready to really settle down and start your family, you could then start looking for a starter home. But getting your feet wet by renting in the suburbs is a good way to find out if it’s the right lifestyle fit for you and your family.
Either way, there are definitely pros and cons to living in the city and living in the suburbs. We’ll tell you about them below to help you better understand the difference between the two.
Pros of Living in the Suburbs
Living a suburban life is excellent if it fits in with your lifestyle. If you plan to get married and have children and want them in a better school system, then moving to the suburbs is definitely a good idea. But remember, living here will mean you’ll pay higher property taxes in many cases. But these tax dollars go to supporting better schools and providing better services to a thriving community.
If you’re looking to lead a calm and quiet life, then suburban living is definitely going to be for you. When compared to the city, it’s a lot calmer and quieter and the noise levels are at a much lower decibel.
The streets aren’t as busy, there aren’t as many sirens blaring throughout the day and night, and there are less people generally honking horns. On the other hand, city living means living in noise pollution which some people certainly don’t enjoy or appreciate.
It’s also possible to afford a much bigger home for a cheaper price in the suburbs. Paying for a small apartment in the city can cost an arm and a leg. But many people work in the city, so it’s all about location and they are sometimes willing to pay more. Anyone looking to save money and buy a more affordable house should definitely start by looking in the suburbs.
Cons of Living in the Suburbs
Living in suburbia certainly has its downsides in some situations. If you need to commute to work in the city, you may have to drive one or two hours each way to get back and forth to work. This is tiring, stressful, and clearly difficult on many families.
Moving into a home in the suburbs means you’re moving into a bigger place. You’ll have to buy more furniture which can get pretty expensive. So keep that in mind. And public transportation is difficult to come by, which is also another negative.
Pros of Living in the City
Living in the city means you’ll have access to more employment opportunities. Bigger and better companies have offices in the city. This means better opportunities to find a good job and advance your career.
Public transportation is great in the city. You’ll have no trouble finding a bus or a train that can take you wherever you need to go quickly and efficiently.
The city is typically a cultural melting pot as well. You’ll have greater exposure to more concerts, theatrical performances, and art exhibits as well as varying forms of entertainment. This is hard to come by in mass abundance in the suburbs.
Cons of Living in the City
Big city living is very expensive, as you already know. You’ll pay a lot more to live in a small apartment then you’d pay to live in a large house in the suburbs.
You’ll also face intense competition as a city dweller. The job market is fierce and people come from all over the place to attempt to land high-paying jobs.
Finally, city life can be very stressful at times. It’s fast-paced and there’s barely any time to catch your breath. If you aren’t up to the task, city living can be completely stressful and overwhelming.
Bottom Line
As you can see, there are pros and cons to living in the city or the suburbs. A positive attribute for you could be a negative attribute for someone else, and vice versa.
So understand your needs, wants, and desires and use this information to choose. If you want a slower and more affordable life, move to the suburbs. If you want a fast-paced and action-packed existence, the city seems like the better choice. But only you can decide.