Lakeland, Florida is one of the state’s most beautiful and endearing places to live, and those considering a Lakeland mortgage to finance a home here are sure to love living in this great city.
Offering a blend of “Old Florida Charm” a la the Historic Polk Theatre, an accredited Fine Arts Museum Experience at the Polk Museum of Art, the largest collection of Frank Lloyd Wright architecture assembles on any one site in the world, and a host of lazy Saturday morning downtown Lakeland shopping experiences – it’s easy to see what I’m talking about.
But, as with any relocation – especially a non-local one – there are certain adjustments you’ll need to take into consideration.
You’ll have to know where South Florida Avenue meets Main Street and how to navigate over to Lake Hollingsworth for your walk. Getting to Munn Park will take a little study, but not to much. And hey – it will be worth it once you hook up with a gourmet cup of coffee and and home made pastry at Mitchell’s Coffee House!
There’s also new costs. Which, are still surprisingly affordable here in Lakeland. Shoot, if you’re moving from a larger Metro area like Chicago (brr… chilly!) – you’ll be pleasantly surprised with the difference in housing costs!
Cost of Living adjustments can’t be ignored between two cities because it changes a household’s budget. Lakeland, Florida is just outside the Tampa, Florida area. As such, you can get a feel for what certain costs might be when you compare Chicago, IL to Lakeland. Actually, you’re likely to see prices lower in Lakeland – so keep that in mind.
Take look at the following.
Tampa-area residents pay a bit more for their dry cleaning, a bag of potato chips, and canola oil than their northern Chicago cousins. However, they make it up in what is saved when they go for doctors visits and pay for veterinary pet care. Hey – you have to keep the puppies and kitties healthy. This will also keep our friends over at the Lakeland SPCA happy!
You can check out some pretty interesting cost comparison facts over at BankRate.com’s Cost of Living Comparison Calculator. With categories such as dry cleaning, groceries and beauty salon, the calculator goes deeper than most into the typical costs to a household, and can help families to make more realistic budgets.
The calculator also shows the equivalent household income between any two metropolitan areas. So, go check it out!
