Recommend me a low COL PRETTY place to live?

[bisous]

Influenced by the thread about where on the East Coast to live, I'm just sort of dreaming, lol, but I'm wondering if you can think of a really PRETTY place to live that is also low COL. DH's job is here in CA and we LOVE it here. But it is not cheap. ILs just sold their less than 2000ft home for one million dollars! And they are moving away. Since DH has been successfully teleworking since the pandemic started, we're starting to wonder if moving away from this area is a possibility.

After all the considerations people usually cite, I feel a little snobby asking about pretty places to live but it is a huge consideration for me and I'm dreaming here. I know this is subjective. Not everyone thinks Southern California IS pretty but I do! I love the blue skies, the ocean, the mountains and valleys, the subtropical plants. I don't love the smog and the (usually) brown hills. I also like cities that are orderly and well planned.

If you live some place pretty and inexpensive tell me about it!

[Myira]

Portland Oregon? I don’t live there but BIL does. Affordable real estate, is scenic or you can get to scenic places within driving distances, no sales tax, and I personally am envious of their summers that are so much pleasant compared to the brutal ones we have here.


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[SnuggleBuggles]

Head to Costa Rica.


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[Snow mom]

There are so many beautiful areas of the country that are economically depressed and therefore quite affordable to live. I guess it depends on whether you are talking natural beauty (and what that means to you) or kind of man made beauty (e.g., big old houses)? And whether you would be accepted as an outsider moving to the area from a place known as wealthy? And what types of social situations and amenities you require?

[jennilynn]

Since watching Dream Home Makeover I was surprised how pretty Utah is! Never would have thought of it before but I would love seeing those snow covered mountains out my window. I know nothing about actually living there though.


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[georgiegirl]

As someone who grew up in the area where you live, I know what you are talking about. I think you also need to consider weather. I assume that’s a factor you want to seriously consider. I’ve lived in a lot of pretty places, but that doesn’t mean I’d want to live there. Upstate NY is beautiful, but is frigid and there’s lots of snow, so not an ideal place to live. Same with Pittsburgh. It’s pretty because there are hills and bridges, but it’s quite grey and again, quite cold compared to so cal. I’ve also lived in Virginia. Pretty, but the summers are very humid. And I know humidity is dreadful, and I don’t think you’d like living in a humid location. So that leaves the west coast and mountain states. Colorado is obviously quite beautiful, but it’s cold. And I know it’s pricey there as well.

ETA: definitely don’t come to Iowa. It’s not pretty, and it’s very cold.

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[SnuggleBuggles]

Boise?


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[essnce629]

I thought Charlottesville, VA was super pretty when we lived there for 3 years. So much green compared to CA!

One of my best friends moved from CA to Bozeman, MT since the pandemic and loves the beautiful outdoors there-- mountains, streams, etc.

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[Melaine]

Have you looked at Tennessee? I absolutely love the landscape, weather seems lovely (from my hot, humid perspective) and many areas absolutely qualify for the low COL. In fact, my sister, parents and I have been looking for a communal family property and we cannot *believe* some of the incredible real estate deals right now in TN.

[rollycolly2007]

I don’t have any recommendations as I have only lived in Florida for 30 years. It’s really nice here, but it’s hot.

Some places that I find absolutely beautiful from photos and are on my travel list:

-Oregon. We were supposed to spend almost a week there last July, but we cancelled due to covid.

-Montana. On my travel bucket list.

-Idaho. On my travel bucket list.

-Charleston, SC. We were supposed to travel here last spring, but we cancelled our plans due to covid.

Maybe look into these places.


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