survival tips for moving to a big city for the first time

Survival Tips for Moving to a Big City for the
First Time
By Joshua Will
Canberra University
June, 26-06-2018
Abstract - Moving to a big city for the first time can be a genuinely exciting period in your life. In
fact, there are many things to be excited about, especially if you’re moving to a big city from a small
town. Here’s what to know before moving to a big city for the first time.
a) Do your big city research in advance
b) Get a job fast
c) Move only the most essential things
d) Budget for the big city cost of living
e) Make an effort to make new friends
a) Do your big city research in advance
If you're thinking about picking up and moving to a new city, you have a lot of research to do
before you even begin looking for jobs there. The average salary, rental or real estate prices,
crime statistics, best and worst neighborhoods, transit situation—they're all things you'll have
to dig into before you decide if a city is right for you. Here's how to make that research go
quickly so you can go back to job hunting in what'll hopefully be your future home.
Moving to a new city can go one of two ways: You can either take a risk, throw everything to
the wind, and see where you end up, or you can do your homework ahead of time, consider
your options, and research extensively before you move.
Most of us don't know the ins and outs of a city before we ponder moving there—we just
know we have friends in town, or family nearby, or maybe we like something we've heard
about, like the city's overall atmosphere or popular industries and companies nearby. If that's
where you are, let's look at some tools you can use to research a town through and through
before you book plane tickets to go visit.
Find and Explore the Best Neighborhoods
Cities and towns are big places, and you'll probably want an idea of where in town you
should live before you even begin looking at stats, prices, and other data. We've offered some

great tips to help you pin them down, including visiting sites like StreetAdvisor, which is
entirely dedicated to neighborhood reviews and information. We'd also suggest checking out
neighborhood details on Foursquare or Yelp, even if you're not specifically looking for
nightlife or restaurants—both apps have a wealth of information entered by locals for locals,
and don't be fooled, there are reviews for entire neighborhoods at Yelp, and some of them are
both hilarious and useful.
Similarly, City Data offers a wealth of information about the entire city, as well as specific
neighborhoods. The site includes cost of living, average home prices, and even local
attractions or famous destinations in the area. Plus, their forums are an invaluable resource—
a treasure trove of information and locals who are willing to help you decide where in town
you'd like to move, visit, or just learn more about. Similarly, Neighborhood Scout can help
you learn more about specific neighborhoods once you've pinned down a few you'd like to
live in. You can start with a bird's eye view of a city, and then zoom in on popular
neighborhoods, up-and-coming ones, or test your luck with neighborhoods that are more
affordable but offer a more authentic and less glossy experience. Whatever you're looking
for, both sites will help you find a few neighborhoods you might want to look into.
Research Rental/Real Estate Markets and the Cost of Living
Once you have an idea where in a city you might want to live, your next step is to see how
much it would cost you to actually live there. Some of the previous sites will give you
averages, like the average home price and average income in the vicinity, but there's no
substitute for looking at what's on the market or available to rent right now. Here are a couple
of options:
For home buyers, Trulia, Zillow, and Redfin all offer virtually every real estate listing in a
given city. If you've bought a home in the past, you're familiar with them, but if not, looking
for home prices on the market in an area is as simple as typing in the zip code or name of the
area you're interested in. You'll see active listings, their asking prices, and even get to see
photos of the home and the surrounding neighborhood. Obviously you're not putting in an
offer just yet, but it's a great way to familiarize yourself with the real estate market in your
preferred neighborhoods.
For renters, Apartments.com, MyApartmentMap, Padmapper, and HotPads all collect the best
of a city's rental listings and make them easy to browse. The real estate sites like Trulia and
Zillow also offer rental listings, but go to the source. These are some of our favorite
apartment search sites for good reason. There's always Craigslist too, but many of these sites
pull in Craigslist listings. Still, if you don't see them, Craigslist has finally added maps, so
they're worth checking out. There's also Lovely, which also caters to top-down
neighborhood-browsing. In any event, the best feature of all of these is that they can help you
figure out which neighborhoods have rentals you can afford and amenities that you'd enjoy
while you live there, and they do it all on a map that you can click and drag around (or drop
down into Google Street View with) easily. Many include information on transit options,

walkability data (like how close a rental is to transit, shopping, dining, etc), and others, like
previously mentioned AutNo, helps you find transit friendly neighborhoods and rentals
directly.
Once you have an idea of how much it'll cost to rent or buy a home in a specific
neighborhood, take a street view tour of the neighborhood and look around. Check out what
kinds of shops and restaurants are nearby. The more amenities like transit, dining, and retail
are nearby, the higher you'll know the cost of living will probably be—but all of the tools
we've mentioned will help you pin down exact numbers.
Check Out the City's Crime Statistics
A Google Street View tour will help you determine whether a neighborhood looks a little
rough or looks a little too clean for your tastes, but there's no replacement for real, public
crime data and police blotter aggregators for the areas you're thinking about moving to.
Crime Reports is a great first stop for information on any city in the United States, and
Family Watchdog lists convicted sex offenders. SpotCrime is another great database of crime
statistics and data, and signing up even gets you regular alerts from a neighborhood or town
so you get to see what's going on there before you even visit.
Beyond online databases and search tools, you can (and should) reach out to the local police
department for the city you're thinking about moving to and ask them for a crime report. You
may have to find the precinct or district that covers the neighborhood you want to move to, or
you may have to give the department a specific address to get a report of all activity within a
given radius of that location, but it's worth doing. It's the only way you'll get completely
accurate information, and you'll be able to dig through the reports yourself and judge with
your own eyes. Some police departments only provide aggregate data, so keep that in mind
when you ask—but almost all of them are willing to give you some information so you can
make an educated decision about moving.
Investigate the City's Schools and Educational Data
If you have children or are planning to start a family, you'll naturally want to find the
neighborhoods with the best schools—or at least with schools that are well regarded but are
still affordable to live in. A good first stop is GreatSchools, a site that helps you find good
schools in a specific area, or will guide you to schools within a certain vicinity. The site is
more than a search engine: You'll find tools that will walk you through defining "good" or
"bad" schools look like, tips on how to assess a school, and even tips for navigating tricky
school systems to get the information or help you need.
Similarly, Neighborhood Scout's school district ratings page can help you find the best public
schools in any area, complete with aggregate data like test scores, class sizes, and student
achievement. SchoolDigger is another resource with free, complete metrics on school

districts and systems around the country. Before you start piling up statistics though, this old
op-ed in the Washington Post, although some of its information is specific to DC residents, is
worth a read—it'll calm your nerves and help you focus on what's really important when
picking a school system, especially since the competitive rush for exclusive private and
charter schools can get out of hand in some cities.
Learn about the Local Culture
Finally, once you have the details you need to decide whether a neighborhood sounds like a
good one, take a step further and really dig into the local culture, attractions, and atmosphere.
City-Data's forums are perfect for this, because you can probably find someone who's local to
where you'd like to live to speak with directly. Look at the city from this perspective: If you
moved there, what would you do for fun? The answer doesn't have to involve the city's
famous destinations or popular locales (although it certainly should—if you're moving to a
new city, we have plenty of tips to help you get the lay of the land once you're there), but it
should also involve your own interests and passions. If you're a movie buff, look for movie
theaters close to your preferred neighborhood, and check out which movie theaters are the
most popular and well loved by local movie fans.
Ask yourself what the city is known for, cuisine-wise, and check Foursquare, Yelp, and
Google Local for reviews and recommendations. Then think about your favorite foods, and
check out where you can get them near your future home. If you're a big fan of Japanese
food, make sure you can find a decent restaurant somewhere nearby. If you find a half dozen
and a couple of ramen shops to boot, you're in great shape. Repeat the process with your
other interests, whether it's live music, nightlife, museums, even local festivals and block
parties. Some neighborhoods even have their own Facebook pages, Twitter accounts, and
websites designed to alert locals to events happening in their backyard. Pretend it's your
backyard too, at least for the time being. Before long, you'll feel like a local.
b) Get a job fast
When you’ve decided you want to move to a new city, or you’re relocating for other reasons,
it can be a challenge to figure out the best strategy for finding a new position. Should you
move first? Or, should you try to line up a new job and then relocate? What's the best way to
get hired when you're here and the jobs are there?
How to Decide When to Start a Job Search
There isn’t one answer to the question of when you should start job hunting if you want or
need to move. One of the biggest factors to consider is your finances. Can you afford to go
without a paycheck, pay for health insurance, and cover relocation expenses? If you have

cash reserves, it can be easier to move first, get settled, and then start a job search. If you
don’t, you will need to start looking for a job before you move.
Consider your personal circumstances, as well. Do you have someone in the new location you
could borrow a bed or a couch from? If so, you may want to consider moving first, finding a
job second.
Another factor to consider is the type of job you’re looking for. It’s quicker and easier to get
hired for lower level positions than it is for jobs further up the career ladder. If you’re at a
mid-career or higher level position, it’s going to take longer to get hired. You should plan
your job hunt accordingly, and be prepared to conduct a long-distance job search. Keep in
mind that you may be able to negotiate a start date that gives you the extra time you need to
move and get settled.
Once you’ve decided when you want to start looking for a new job, the next step is to figure
out how to get hired. Review these tips for finding work when you’re relocating to get
started.
Top 10 Tips for Finding a Job in a New City
1. Give Yourself Plenty of Time
Job searching isn’t always as quick or as easy as you think it’s going to be. Even if you’re
going to wait to start a job search, start organizing it ahead of time. Update your resume, start
checking out job listings and companies you’re interested in working for, get a list of
references ready to use, and have an interview outfit ready to wear. Here are 10 easy ways to
organize your job search.
2. Think Local
When you know the city where you want to work, you can target positions there or within a
radius of that location. Use advanced search options to find openings where you want to
work. In addition to using the job search engines, check Craigslist frequently - new jobs are
posted on the site all the time.
3. Sign Up for Job Alerts
Save yourself a step and sign-up for email alerts to let you know when new jobs that match
your criteria are listed. You’ll be able to set them up directly on company websites for major
employers, as well as on job listing sites. You’ll receive an email as soon as a listing is
posted, and you’ll be able to get your application in right away.

4. Be Available to Interview
It’s important to have the flexibility to be able to get there quickly when you’re invited for an
out-of-town interview. Most employers interview and hire on a tight schedule, and the
company may not be willing to wait. If you can’t get there when interviews are scheduled,
you may not be considered for the job. Unless you’re being actively recruited, be prepared to
pay your own travel expenses. You may want to line up the best modes of transportation in
advance, so you’re prepared to book travel when you get an email or call.
5. Don’t Count on a Relocation Package
Employer relocation packages can make a move go very smoothly. If you’re offered one as
part of your compensation package, it may cover all the expenses moving entails. There may
be even some extra cash included to help you get out of a lease or make a deposit on new
housing. Whether you’ll get one, or not, depends on the company and the job you’re hired
for. Here’s what is typically included in relocation packages and when employers offer them.
6. Get a Local Address
A local address on your resume and cover letter can help your application get selected. Some
employers don’t consider out-of-town candidates because the logistics can be complicated.
7. Tap Your Connections
Who do you know in the place you’re going? Do you have family, friends, professional or
college connections there? Everyone you know, and everyone they know, may be able to help
you job hunt. Put the word out, very quietly if you’re still employed, that you’re looking to
relocate to get job leads and other assistance. Here are some of the people who can assist:
Facebook Friends
LinkedIn Connections
College Alumni Network Contacts
Networking Connections (attend as many in-person events as you can)
Professional Associations and Contacts
8. Take Your Job With You
Do you love your job? There may be a chance that you can take it with you when you move.
If your employer is thrilled with the work you do and would hate to lose you, they may be
willing to let you work remotely. That’s especially the case if you’re available to travel back
to the office for meetings. Here’s how to ask your boss if you can work remotely.

9. Request a Transfer
It’s obviously not feasible if you work for a small organization, but if you work for a large
company with offices in your new location, transferring may be an option. You may be able
to transfer to the same or a similar job, or you may be able to get a different position with
your current employer. Review these tips for requesting a transfer and transfer request
examples to guide you.
10. Consider a Temp or Seasonal Job
One work option for when you can’t wait to move is to consider working as a temp or taking
a seasonal job until you can line up a permanent position. Depending on the time of year and
location, there may be plenty of short-term jobs you can do until you get hired full-time.
c) Move only the most essential things
Moving to a new home and trying to pack light for a few days? Maybe you’re relocating and
hauling your worldly possessions across state lines, or you’re packing two suitcases for a
flight before meeting movers at your new place. Or maybe you’re going to be camping out in
your new home for a few weeks, doing some fix-ups, before the rest of your stuff catches up
with you.
Whatever the reason, how do you know which items are essential during your first few nights
and what’s optional? What do you need to bring to your new home, and what can you leave
behind without kicking yourself for it later? It may seem overwhelming to distill your entire
household of possessions into a few essential boxes, but it can be done. Here are 30 items you
should definitely bring for the first days in your new home:
1. Keys
Don’t laugh — we forget the obvious all the time, and you’ll be in real trouble without these.
2. A basic first-aid kit
Moving heavy objects can result in a few nicks and scrapes. Be ready with Band-Aids, a
thermometer, an Ace bandage, some antiseptic wipes, tweezers, and a few ibuprofen.
3. Chargers
For all your essential electronics, such as your phone, laptop, and tablet.
4. A portable alarm clock

Be sure to bring one or install an alarm clock app on your phone. Moving is stressful enough
on its own. You don’t want to be late for work, too!
5. Spare batteries
For everything that’s not rechargeable.
6. Sheets and a pillow
Everyone forgets this one!
7. Extra changes of clothing
Include sleepwear and underwear.
8. Toiletries
Moving is dirty work. Remember to bring soap, shampoo, toothbrush and toothpaste,
deodorant, moisturizing cream, plus towels and washcloths for cleaning up.
9. Shower curtain
Another often-forgotten item.
10. Essential paper supplies
Such as toilet paper, paper towels, tissues.
11. Basic cleaning supplies
After the dust has settled, you’ll need glass cleaner, multisurface cleaner, dish soap, rags, and
a broom and dustpan.
12. Enough plates, utensils, and cups
And by “enough,” we mean enough for one meal for each person. You’ve got to reward all of
your helpful movers after all.
13. A flashlight or headlamp
Make sure you’ve got new batteries in it (a la Essential No.5) in case of power failure, as well
as candles and matches. (Matches can also come in handy if you have a gas stove that won’t
light.)
14. Sunblock
You’ll probably be spending a lot of time outside moving boxes, running errands, or taking
care of other tasks.
15. Any medicine you take daily
16. Easy-to-make meal staples

Move-in day isn’t the best time for a five-course meal. Bring food that doesn’t require much
preparation, like pasta and sauce, cereal and milk, bread and peanut butter, canned soup, etc.
17. Any basic cookware and gadgets
You’ll need these for those easy meals. Include a pot and pan, serving spoon, and can opener.
18. Snacks
Fruit, nuts, and granola bars are particular favorites, since they require no refrigeration, no
preparation, and no utensils.
19. Beverages
You’ll want bottled water if you won’t have immediate access to a filtration system.
20. Instant coffee or tea bags
If you need that morning caffeine fix … who are we kidding? WHEN you need that morning
caffeine fix.
21. Food and dishes for pets
22. Radio for entertainment
It’s time to go old school, particularly if your Wi-Fi won’t yet be set up, which means you
can’t access Pandora or other Internet-based music stations.
23. A small, portable tool kit
You’d be surprised how much you can do with basics like a hammer, screwdriver, and pliers.
24. A sturdy pair of scissors
For opening any boxes that are on their way to your new home, or packaged supplies you
purchase for the new home.
25. Important identification cards and records
Know where to find your driver’s license, passport, lease (if applicable), etc.
26. Important contact phone numbers
Including your lender, moving company, and your financial institutions.
27. Pen and paper
Make a list of all those to-dos you’re going to think of and all the extra stuff you’ll realize
you need for the new place.
28. Cash/credit cards/checkbook

29. Duct tape
Somehow, this always seems to come in handy, even at the most unexpected times.
30. A personal treat or two
These will help you feel at home and relieve stress.
Don’t underestimate the importance of that last point. If you always end the night with a glass
of wine, bring a bottle to reward yourself at the end of your long first day. (Don’t forget the
wine opener and a wineglass.) If you’re an avid reader, bring a book you’ve been dying to
read to help you fall asleep at night. If you feel more refreshed or polished while you’re
wearing makeup, bring a tube of mascara. You’re going to be working hard when you first
move in, so make sure you also allow yourself a bit of fun to make the transition as easy as
possible.
d) Budget for the big city cost of living
Let’s say you have your sights set on a new city and you’re ready to pack your bags, get out
of dodge, and start a new life in another part of the country. (Or even the world!) Getting out
of dodge is expensive, but it’s easy to get a ballpark idea of cost.
Online tools like the City to City moving calculator can help you break down the cost of
moving to a new city, depending on the distance and a number of other factors. Enter your
old city, your new one, then some details on how you’ll be living, and the calculator will tell
you how much you can expect to spend. The tool assumes you’ll drive rather than fly and use
a service like PODs, which can make the move a lot more expensive.
If you’re planning a move overseas, try this International Moving Cost calculator instead,
which estimates what it will cost you to ship your belongings to another country, whether it’s
by sea or air.
If you want to get a more customized idea and do the math on your own, here are a few
expenses to consider when you’re budgeting for a big move:
Transportation: The actual cost of carriage if you use a UHaul or delivery service.
Gasoline: Don’t forget to factor in the cost of gas to haul your stuff from one city to
the next, if applicable. If you’re driving yourself, Gas Buddy’s Trip Cost Calculator
can help you save money by pinning the cheapest stops on your route.
Packing material: Tape, boxes, popcorn — this stuff adds up, so it deserves its own
line item in your budget. (Of course, you can score free moving boxes if you look in
the right places, too).
The “Summer Premium”: If you’re moving between May and September, prices
may be a bit more expensive. The calculator estimates it’s 20% more expensive to
move around this time of year.

This isn’t exactly related to the cost of the move, but if you’re breaking your lease or you
need to put a down payment on your new apartment in your new city, it’s helpful to factor
that in as one of your moving expenses, too.
Finally, if you want to explore how much more expensive your day-to-day life will be in your
new city, check out a Cost of Living calculator, like this one from Bank rate. The numbers
will vary depending on your lifestyle, but it’s a good place to get started with a general idea
of what you’ll pay.
e) Make an effort to make new friends
1. Reach out to friends of friends.
Ask your current friends if they know anyone in your new city. Get ahold of their contact info
and reach out! Most people understand that big moves can be daunting and will be willing to
meet for dinner or a drink.
2. Sign up for Meetup.
Organize and join local, real-life "meetups" with people who share your interests. Download
it for free here.
3. Get a dog and download Meet My Dog.
But, really. Dog parks = new friends. If that's not in the cards for you, borrow a dog.
4. Go explore.
It can be scary to go out on your own in a new city, but you're less intimidating when you're
alone. Get a good book and wait for people to approach you, or go up to people yourself
while you're out and about!
5. Make an effort with co-workers.
Start grabbing lunch with them as much as possible. You'll get closer over time and start
being invited to stuff outside of work.
6. Look up local teams or running clubs.

Most cities have adult leagues you can sign up for and meet like-minded people. If team
sports aren't your thing, think about joining a gym or yoga studio. If you go regularly, you're
likely to see familiar faces.
7. Take a continuing education class.
Now is the time to take that French class you've always thought about. Or a cooking class so
you're not *solely* ordering in. You just might meet a new BFF in the process!
8. Search events on Nearify.
While not a direct set up for meeting people, the more events you go to, the more likely you
are to make friends in your new city. Download it here.
9. Ask people on friend dates.
Be forward! Say, "I have a friend-crush on you, would you wanna go for coffee or something
sometime?" Mention that you're new to the city and trying to explore.
10. Meet new people over food with Supper Club.
Eat, drink, and be merry with future BFFs. Download it here.
11. Take pictures.
If you're the one snapping lots of pictures at an event or party, it's super easy to get in touch
with people later. Just say: "Are you on Facebook? Or would you want me to email you a
copy?" Hello, new contacts.
12. Go to cultural events.
It's usually affordable and sometimes even FREE. Concerts in the park, art exhibits, and plays
are just the beginning. And you'll automatically have things to talk about with the people in
attendance.
13. Open up!

Vulnerability plays a huge part in emotional bonds with friends. Especially early on in the
game, open up about yourself when meeting new people. If you keep things surface value, a
friendship isn't likely to grow out of it.
14. If you moved to a big city, check out City Socializer.
It's also a great way to discover places you won't find in the guidebooks. Read more and sign
up here.
15. Do your best to say "YES!"
Most of us enjoy Netflix on the couch. However, you're not going to meet anyone new from
sitting in your apartment. Accept the invites you receive and get out there.
16. Volunteer somewhere you're passionate about.
Make friends while making the world a better place? Win, win.
17. Maintain budding friendships.
Going to coffee with someone ~once~ is probably not going to cement a lifelong friendship.
If you're looking for something real, commit! Plan bi-monthly brunch hangouts, or wine
Wednesday get-togethers the first of every month.
Conclusion
The truth is that if you do your homework in advance and play your cards right, you have a
great chance of disproving all pessimists who like to think that cheap is almost always
synonymous with poor quality.
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