Home » Emigration Guides » USA » Money And Costs » Household Costs In America

There are several areas of household expenses that need to be budgeted every month. America has plenty of taxation and other red tape involving employment, housing, vehicles and other services so you need to arrive in America with several thousand dollars to pay the bills until you begin earning a regular paycheck.

First and foremost is your housing itself. Whether you rent or have a mortgage on your own home, there will be a monthly payment that often averages US$1,000. Few cities in America offer rentals for less than US$1,000 unless you are living by yourself and don’t need much space.

Every home or apartment also comes with monthly utilities bills that must be paid on time or the companies will cut off your service. Electricity and water are the two main utilities, but depending on your property there could also be a gas bill, trash collection bill or even special fees for lawn maintenance and the like. Some apartment and condo complexes also charge a monthly property management fee that may or may not be covered by your landlord.

Telephone, cable television and internet service typically come bundled together under a single bill and are provided by a single company. Unless you can handle watching public network television for free using your antenna, you will want to purchase cable TV service. This can cost as much as US$100 a month, depending on how many channels you wish to have.

Internet is also a requirement these days, so you should budget about US$40 a month for broadband internet service. If you buy the two together, the price is much lower and often includes a landline phone number for next to nothing. Mobile phone service can range from US$30 a month and up, depending on what kind of package you go with and how much you use the phone.

Insurance is another unfortunate part of American life. If you have a car you are required by law to have it insured. This is usually paid by the month, and averages between US$50 and US$100 per month based on your age, driving record and other factors. Putting gas in the car when it’s above US$3 a gallon can take a bite out of the budget as well. Life insurance is another popular expense for people with families to support, as is health insurance if you aren’t covered by your employer.