It’s time you moved home. But should you move away or stay local? A move to a new town, new state or even a new country could open up your life to exciting new opportunities. However, it could also result in having to make certain sacrifices that may not be necessary when staying local.
All in all you need to weigh up the pros and cons of your potential new location and your current location. Below are 10 factors to weigh up to help you to decide which is the better choice.
Friends and family
Moving away could be a chance to reunite with family and friends if you’re currently living away from home. Alternatively, it could be a chance for a fresh start away from toxic family members or ex-partners that are currently living locally to you. You could even find that moving away helps you to make friends or meet a future partner.
However, for others, moving away could mean having to let go of close friends and family. You’ll still be able to talk to them, but you won’t be able to see them in person as often. If you want to stay a big part of these people’s lives, it could be important to stay local.
Work
If you’re struggling to find a decent job locally, you could find that moving away is the solution. Many people move from rural areas to cities so that they can access a greater range of jobs – some of which could be much higher paid.
Of course, there are other cases where moving away could result in you losing out on job opportunities. If you currently have a job that you enjoy and you cannot take it with you to your new chosen location, you should consider whether moving away is really worth the sacrifice. Staying local could be important if your career is important to you – potentially allowing you to progress your career and live a happier life.
School
Education options could be vital to consider if you have kids. It’s possible that moving away could expose you to better quality schools than those currently local to you.
However, the opposite could also be true when moving to some places. If your child is already in school, you’ve also got to consider whether it’s worth disrupting their life by moving them to another school – a long-distance move will mean that they cannot continue attending the same school and that they will have to leave behind school friends. This could be much tougher for older kids than younger kids.
Leisure activities
Could a move away give you more to do in your leisure time? This is likely to depend very much on how you like to spend your leisure time. A move away to a city from a small town could open up greater social opportunities and expose you to a better quality of nightlife. A move from a city to a rural area could meanwhile allow you to explore more rural activities like scenic walks or cycle trips.
If you currently partake in sports or social clubs, you should consider that a move away may involve giving these up. Sacrificing hobbies that you love could make you depressed and is something you should be wary of.
Living costs
Are you finally better off if you move or if you stay local? This is something that is also important to consider. It’s possible that a move away could help you to save money and possibly allow you to afford a better lifestyle (which could include the option of owning a home, going on vacation more or simply being able to live comfortably).
There are of course some cases where staying local could be better cost-wise. For example, if you live somewhere rural and you want to move to a city, you could find that your cost of living drastically increases – which could mean a smaller home and less personal luxuries.
Moving costs
On top of the cost of living in your new home, you should consider the cost of moving there. In almost all cases, a local move using local movers is going to cost less than a long-distance move. If you haven’t got much money to spend upfront, this could be something to consider.
Spending extra to move away may be worthwhile if you’re planning to move somewhere with a lower cost of living. While you will spend more money getting you and all your possessions there, you could save money in the long run, making it financially worthwhile.
Climate
Moving away could be a chance to live in a better climate. If you currently live somewhere cold and wet, it could be a chance to live somewhere warmer and dryer. Alternatively, moving away could be a chance to move away somewhere cooler, which may be something you prefer.
All in all, you need to work out what your ideal climate is. If you love the local climate, a move away may result in you having to sacrifice this.
Surroundings
Do you live somewhere with dull or ugly surroundings? A move away could be a chance to live in a nicer-looking neighborhood or gain access to better views. This may depend on what type of surroundings you enjoy – some people may enjoy skyscrapers, while others may prefer having lots of nature on their doorstep.
If you love your local surroundings, you may want to think twice before moving. A particular mountain backdrop or specific view of the sea could be hard to recreate somewhere else.
Culture
You may find that the culture in another city, state or country is better suited to your lifestyle. Embracing this culture could ultimately make you happier in some cases.
Of course, there could be other cases where a move away results in a culture shock. It is important to research cultural differences for this reason and to make sure that they are not too vastly different to your preferences and beliefs – particularly local customs and laws.
Safety
Finally, you should consider which location is safer – the location you plan to move away to or your current one? If you live in a high crime area or a location where there are many natural disasters, it could be worth moving away to escape the local dangers.
However, there are instances where moving away could expose you to greater dangers. Many people underestimate how much less safe living in a city can be than a rural town – if you don’t want to put yourself or your family in potential danger, you may decide that it’s better to stay local.
