Life in Austin vs Miami/WPB

[Duvain]

So i've lived in Ohio all my life and i just can't take it anymore. I hate snow/cold weather and i just need a change of life.

I want to move sometime within the next year or so. I was wondering if anyone has any experience living in Austin, TX or Miami/West Palm Beach, FL. I want a good night life, warm weather, friendly good looking people.

A little background on myself. I'm 32, male, straight, recently single, no kids, in great shape, love diet and exercise. I've been a software developer for 8 years so i'd be leaving a good job behind. I have a possible job opportunity in Austin but i'm sort of leaning towards Florida because i love the beach.

Does anyone have any experience in these cities?

Thanks.

[Deleted]

Go where the work is, doesnt Texas have beaches?

[Skippy88]

Never lived in either place but have visited both before. I would just caution you as both places can get really hot in the summer times. For me I don't mind the heat but others hate it.

Miami was a fun place to visit. Talk about nightlife I've heard they have buildings rented out just for parties that don't start until the morning and go all day. Police apparently won't even touch them. Lots of beaches too and a wide variety of people living there. The only bad thing I saw was the traffic and lots of honking.

I don't remember too much of Austin as it was a long time ago I visited. Houston was nice and my brother loved San Antonio which he just visited. Lots of restaurants and pubs and it was very easy to get around.

Good luck!

[Duvain]

Never lived in either place but have visited both before. I would just caution you as both places can get really hot in the summer times. For me I don't mind the heat but others hate it.

Miami was a fun place to visit. Talk about nightlife I've heard they have buildings rented out just for parties that don't start until the morning and go all day. Police apparently won't even touch them. Lots of beaches too and a wide variety of people living there. The only bad thing I saw was the traffic and lots of honking.

I don't remember too much of Austin as it was a long time ago I visited. Houston was nice and my brother loved San Antonio which he just visited. Lots of restaurants and pubs and it was very easy to get around.

Good luck!

I personally love the heat. I'd be happy to never deal with snow again, lol. Thanks for your input.

---------- Post added 2012-12-04 at 12:14 PM ----------

Another thing to note, my family is here in Ohio and there is no direct flight to Austin. It is actually a major pain to get there which will suck when it comes to visiting. Miami is a different story, easy flight.

[xylophone]

So i've lived in Ohio all my life and i just can't take it anymore. I hate snow/cold weather and i just need a change of life.

I want to move sometime within the next year or so. I was wondering if anyone has any experience living in Austin, TX or Miami/West Palm Beach, FL. I want a good night life, warm weather, friendly good looking people.

A little background on myself. I'm 32, male, straight, recently single, no kids, in great shape, love diet and exercise. I've been a software developer for 8 years so i'd be leaving a good job behind. I have a possible job opportunity in Austin but i'm sort of leaning towards Florida because i love the beach.

Does anyone have any experience in these cities?

Thanks.

West Coast is the best coast.

[Felicia]

I don't live IN Austin. But I live NEAR Austin. It's part of the hill country anyway :P I've been there a lot, and I absolutely love visiting there. The cost of living shouldn't be too much worse than San Antonio or Houston, where I rented a decent studio apartment for 475 a month, excluding utilities. I'm sure you could find a better deal! If you want beaches. Corpus Christi is also very nice, Port Arsansas is beautiful, Victoria... Galveston. I can keep going! Texas is a large state, with a lot to offer. We're not as psycho as people make us out to be. And gas prices are going down pretty quickly, too. It's 2.99 in some places, 3.25 at the most in intercity areas 3.09 out where I'm at.

Then again, my husband is in Pensacola, FL right now for A-school (he's in the Navy.) And I'm moving to Florida in a month, and I'm stoked about it. From what I've researched, the panhandle of FL is absolutely awesome. So... it's really up to you

[Catta]

Isnt Miami full of crime n shit...?

[Reeve]

Austin is a fantastic city. It's relatively small, inexpensive, and has fantastic music, single life, college sports, cultural attractions, festivals, etc. It's also a very liberal city, with sort of an almost San Francisco-ish funky feel to it. There are also lots of great independent restaurants there. Lake Travis is nearby, the Colorado River goes through the center of town with Barton Springs. You're also a stone's throw from New Braunfels, where you can inner tube down one of the 3 rivers there, one of the most relaxing experiences you can have. It's also a really good city to live in for the high tech industry.

I can't recommend Austin enough. The only thing I don't like about it is that it gets quite hot in the summer, but at least it's better than Houston that way.

[Deleted]

Isnt Miami full of shit...?

Describes it pretty well. I consider Miama to be pretty tacky as far as cities go, it seems more like a tourist trap than an actual city.

[Reeve]

Go where the work is, doesnt Texas have beaches?

Yeah, but Texas beaches are crappy as hell.

---------- Post added 2012-12-04 at 07:49 PM ----------

Describes it pretty well. I consider Miama to be pretty tacky as far as cities go, it seems more like a tourist trap than an actual city.

Yeah I agree. It's tacky as hell, garish and fake feeling. Plus, you better learn Spanish if you want to live there.

[jaimelannister]

The following represents my biased opinions. I've spent months of my life in Miami but never actually lived there. I currently live in Texas (not Austin), though only for a few years now, all post-graduate. Now, as for my thoughts:

If you don't speak Spanish (or have any interest in learning), forget about Miami. If you try to navigate even simple tasks like shopping for groceries with only English, you're going to have a bad time. And people in Miami are generally extremely rude and selfish, in my experience.

As for Austin, it's a great college town. Plenty of nightlife and there is a lake right there; if you must be near the water, it's not the worst alternative to the ocean. Also, the job market is much better than Miami, and it's a growing, vibrant city whereas Miami is a touristy husk of a formerly cool city. You're going to make more money and have better prospects for progressing in your career in Texas.

[Lockon Stratos]

I've lived in both WPB and Miami, I'd say live in WPB and if you want to party take a 40-50 min drive down to Miami. It just isn't worth living in Miami unless you're loaded and can afford to live east of US-1.

[Duvain]

Thanks for the input guys, it sounds like Austin is pretty nice. I did check out cost of living and it's actually less than crappy Ohio which is great.

I've heard mixed opinions about Miami. My favorite Uncle is moving to West Palm Beach this winter so that's also an option and where i'd probably end up going if i pick Florida. I am pretty close with my mom and dad who are here in Ohio. It will be hard to leave them but i just can't take it here much longer, it's so depressing. One plus for WPB is it's a lot easier to get to and less flight time since there are no direct flights to Austin (for visiting purposes w my family).

[Deleted]

I've heard mixed opinions about Miami.

You don't want to live in Miama, you really don't. It is not a good place to live.

[Ave07]

I live in West Palm and this city is boring as hell, if you want to party and have fun go to Gainsville NOT Miami. You're better off in Austin then here in FL.

[poser765]

Keep in mind MIA is a port town. it's always struck me as very gross/industrial in some parts and tourist traplike in others. Also keep in mind that a lot of porn comes out of MIA. lol neither bad nor good, just a fun fact. I would lean more towards AUS

[Sayl]

Austin is a fantastic city. It's relatively small, inexpensive, and has fantastic music, single life, college sports, cultural attractions, festivals, etc. It's also a very liberal city, with sort of an almost San Francisco-ish funky feel to it. There are also lots of great independent restaurants there. Lake Travis is nearby, the Colorado River goes through the center of town with Barton Springs. You're also a stone's throw from New Braunfels, where you can inner tube down one of the 3 rivers there, one of the most relaxing experiences you can have. It's also a really good city to live in for the high tech industry.

I can't recommend Austin enough. The only thing I don't like about it is that it gets quite hot in the summer, but at least it's better than Houston that way.

I've lived in and around Austin for the better part of twenty years now, and agree strongly with the above.

Something else for the OP to consider: Texas has no state income tax. Take that, Florida! <-- *edit*... whoops, I guess Florida is in the same boat. My mistake.

[Reeve]

Thanks for the input guys, it sounds like Austin is pretty nice. I did check out cost of living and it's actually less than crappy Ohio which is great.

I've heard mixed opinions about Miami. My favorite Uncle is moving to West Palm Beach this winter so that's also an option and where i'd probably end up going if i pick Florida. I am pretty close with my mom and dad who are here in Ohio. It will be hard to leave them but i just can't take it here much longer, it's so depressing. One plus for WPB is it's a lot easier to get to and less flight time since there are no direct flights to Austin (for visiting purposes w my family).

Whether or not you have to have a stop on a flight is probably not a good reason to decide whether or not to live in a place, unless you're planning to be a consultant that has to travel every week. Choose the place that will make you happiest, not the place that will save you 1 hour twice a year.

[Duvain]

Keep in mind MIA is a port town. it's always struck me as very gross/industrial in some parts and tourist traplike in others. Also keep in mind that a lot of porn comes out of MIA. lol neither bad nor good, just a fun fact. I would lean more towards AUS

Sweet, i guess Miami is the place for me then! Lol

Hmm so WPB is boring eh? How bout St. Petersburg? I know it's on the other side but I have a few friends there.

For real though Austin is sounding like a better place for me. I'm just partial to palm trees and beaches which is the only reason i'm resistant. Plus FL is a bit warmer consistently all year isn't it?

[Reeve]

Sweet, i guess Miami is the place for me then! Lol

Hmm so WPB is boring eh? How bout St. Petersburg? I know it's on the other side but I have a few friends there.

For real though Austin is sounding like a better place for me. I'm just partial to palm trees and beaches which is the only reason i'm resistant. Plus FL is a bit warmer consistently all year isn't it?

Yeah, Texas can get a bit chilly in the winter, but it doesn't usually get below 32F for more than a day, and almost never snows. Most of the year it's between 50F and 80F, with the summers getting up to 105F or so for a period of 3.5 months.