Where is best to live; City or Suburb?
Are you torn between choosing to live in the City or the Suburb? Well, we are here to help! Below we will be looking into the pros and cons of both to help you decide which one is the best fit for you!
City Pros
1. Living in the City can have many advantages. One of the main plus points is the proximity to your workplace and easy access to various transport links for out-of-city commitments. If you would prefer strolling to work with coffee in hand over sitting in rush hour traffic wondering if there will be a parking spot, the city could be the way to go!2. Like most major cities there are plenty of trendy bars and restaurants to choose from, an appealing factor for social butterflies who enjoy a post-work espresso martini without the inconvenience of travel standing in their way! If this sounds like you, a city property could be more appealing than a suburb where a taxi ride is more than likely to your favorite tipple spot!3. Buying property in the city can also appeal to those looking for a longer-term investment, you can rent out a room to a friend or colleague lessening the overall cost and making a little on the side! Plenty of people who can’t afford the expensive city rentals will opt for this option and the opportunity will likely present itself very quickly! You won’t find as many opportunities in the suburbs as rentals are typically slightly cheaper.
Although living in the city may seem like an exciting prospect with lots to offer, like with anything there are downsides and it’s only fair we mention both sides giving you some food for thought before making the decision;
City Cons
1. Noise! If you are a light sleeper or easily bothered by noise outside your window, the city may not be for you as it usually has a stream of traffic passing through as well as those social butterflies we mentioned with no ‘’off switch’’. If you like your evenings quiet and relaxed, it could be that the suburbs are the obvious choice. 2. Living in the city can often come with additional costs, with most of the accommodation being flats and apartments, this will usually involve ground rent, service charges and sometimes parking costs if you have your own car. These costs can start to add up and make that Espresso Martini on a Tuesday night less appealing!3. Lastly, space, or lack of it. You will typically find a property in the city that will come at a high cost with little space compared to a suburban property, so if you are okay eating, sleeping and relaxing in one room, this may be all that is affordable in your desired part of the city. Of course, there are properties with more space available but with a higher price tag!
Now it’s time to look at suburbs, again comparing the benefits and disadvantages to help you decide whether you think this is the way for you!
Suburb Pros
1. Let’s start with the obvious one, you get much more house for your money. Compared to a modest two-bedroom apartment in the city centre, in a suburb, you can buy a three-bedroom house with a garden and off-street parking for roughly the same price. The cost of living is also lower with no ground rent or service charges or dreaded parking permits!2. Open space - unlike the crowded feel of a city where you will often find commercial and apartment spaces combined into one building, in the suburbs, parks and more open spaces surrounding provide a peaceful environment to unwind and relax. often within walking distance from your home. Quite the opposite of city life where any outside space is usually crowded and shared with other city residents looking for somewhere other than their apartment to finish a work assignment or have a coffee.3. Slower pace of life – You will find a naturally slower pace outside of the city with less traffic and fewer people, making the suburbs a place to catch a break and relax a little! You won’t need to worry about trying to battle through the morning commuters to your first meeting or wait in a huge line for your favourite Starbucks, instead, you can do things at your own pace without the stress of things getting in the way and what’s more, you will usually get a parking spot without having to pay for it!
Once again there are also cons to suburban life and it isn’t for everyone! Let’s take a look at some of these to help you decide;
Suburb Cons
1. With less on your doorstep, you will need a car to go pretty much everywhere. If you are not lucky enough to live around the corner from a supermarket which most living in suburbs aren’t, not having your own transport can make life difficult. Some suburbs have public transport, but these can be much more infrequent. Also don’t forget that living in a suburb means a longer commute to work and sorry to break it to you but yes, the rush hour also clogs up suburbs occasionally as more people flock to these areas. If you want to avoid this headache, perhaps a place in the city would be a better fit.2. Would you be bored? Life can get a little sleepy in the suburbs so if you are looking for more of an energetic lifestyle where you rub shoulders with Wednesday night diners or Saturday morning spinners, you may not find the slower pace of suburbia a good match. If you prefer being able to walk to the city stadium to your favorite concert; the commute, traffic and time it takes to get in and out may not seem worth it from a suburb. Perhaps the city is in fact singing your name!3. If you work as well as live in the suburbs, the former can prove difficult to come by with a more competitive job market. This is due to fewer jobs and more people looking for them as people try to avoid battling into a city which in turn means you will likely come up against some stiff competition. The city offers more opportunities and jobs regularly become available as people move from city to city or are moved up to larger corporate firms. The city could be the more prosperous choice if you are looking for a high-flying career
