The Finch Formerly Known As Gold

24 June 2005

The good life, with price tags

I suppose it's all in your definition of "living well," but according to Forbes, it takes about $200k a year to live "well" in Oklahoma City.

This assumes a house in 73142 (Gaillardia and its environs) running $850k or thereabouts, a place on Grand Lake, $18k a year for the family vehicles (type of vehicles not specified), $42k a year in educational costs (tuition and such), a $20k food budget divided evenly between meals out and meals in, and a mere $2000 socked away for emergencies.

I suppose it's a good thing I'm not obsessed with living well, or I would have sunk into despondency long before the end of the previous paragraph.

(Via Okiedoke. Remind me to buy Mike a beer.)

Posted at 8:03 AM to City Scene


I live in the 73142 area, and I don't have a $20K food budget. Of course, I rent an apartment so I'm probably not included in those statistics.

Posted by: Tina at 11:53 AM on 24 June 2005

It seems OK City compares closely with Memphis, where I live, in most categories (except income tax and housing) and I think I could live quite well on $50,000 in Memphis... of course, with that salary in your town I'd have a nicer house.
I don't know who thinks $20k for food is reasonable in any city!!

Posted by: Serrabee at 6:31 PM on 24 June 2005

That's $54 a day or so; I suppose if I had dinner every night at one of our finer eateries, I could come close to that, but bankruptcy, which surely would follow, tends to destroy one's appetite.

And even with the enormous mountain of debt that follows me around like a lost puppy, I could do quite well on $50k in this town.

Posted by: CGHill at 6:46 PM on 24 June 2005

If you're buying the beer, make it a Harps.

Posted by: MikeH at 7:04 PM on 24 June 2005

I discovered that stuff when I was just shy of 19 and still wearing Uncle Sam's duds. The budget generally allowed only for Schaefer, which was, after all, the one beer to have when you're having more than one, but on my occasional trips to the Big Town — this would be Boston — it was either Guinness or Harp every time. I'm not sure why. Surely it didn't impress anyone. :)

Posted by: CGHill at 7:12 PM on 24 June 2005

Ahh, Guinness served @38 degrees...nectar of the gods!

Posted by: paulsmos at 9:42 PM on 24 June 2005