A Modest First Year Budget For A New Immigrant

People often ask me what someone should expect to put aside for their expenses in the first year they are in the US. This is a tough question mainly because the cost of living varies widely depending on your city.

Here is a sample budget for monthly expenses in Houston. You can use this cost of living calculator to calculate the cost in the city you will be moving to. To use the cost of living calculator, use the annual totals as your salary to find out how much you need in other cities.

Simple budget based on a simple lifestyle that has mainly the essentials for someone living in Houston, TX.

	Range-Family of 4	Range-Individual	Comments
Housing	$800-$1200	$650-$900	This is based on renting a one-three bed roomed apartment
Food	$200-$400	$150-$250	This can be managed by using coupons and cooking at home and not eating out.
Light	$80-$150	$50-$80
Water	$0-$50	$0-$50	Some apartments pay for water
Phone	$75-$100	$40-$70
Gas	$200-$300	$150-$200	Houston is the 4th largest city in the US. It has longer commutes than other smaller cities
Entertainment/Clothing	$100-$200	$50-$100
Miscellaneous	$200	$100
Monthly Total	$1655-$2600	$1190-$1750
Annual Totals	$19860-$31200	$14280-$21000

One time costs Car $4000-$6000 $2500-$5000 Furniture $500-$1000 $500 This hugely varies depending on preference. Some people spend close to nothing by shopping at resale stores.  Kitchen Items $200 $100 Total $4700-$7200 $3,100-$5,600