If you want to move to the United States and want to know how to move to the States, in this article we will give you all the information to be able to have a good idea both on the costs to be incurred before and after, and the necessary documents.
Going to live in America has always been the dream of many, this has led to coining the term The American Dream, referring to the better standard of living and better economic prosperity that this country offers with hard work, courage and determination.
How to move to America
To move to America and be able to live in one of the 50 American states, you need to apply for a residence permit or a work visa. The residence permit offers the possibility of permanent residence in the USA, while the visa is temporary.
There are several ways to obtain the Green Card, i.e. the permit to live in the USA. These are: through relatives, applying for refugee status, winning the American Visa Lottery or receiving a job offer.
Green Card (permanent residence)
The Green Card allows you to live, work, study, legally and freely enter and leave the United States. If you want to move permanently, it is best to immediately aim for this type of permit.
Visas (temporary residence)
Temporary visas are of 3 types: H1B, for immigrants who want to work in specialized fields; H2B, for temporary or seasonal workers; and L1, for immigrants working in companies operating in the United States.
How much does it cost to live in the USA
Before moving, it is important to know the costs that you will have to face both before, for the necessary documents, and after, to live in the United States.
Document expenses
The necessary documents vary according to the type of permit or visa with which you want to enter and live in the United States. In general, however, the costs and expenses to be incurred for the documents range from 500 to 1.000 euros.
Cost of moving
The cost of moving furniture and all personal items to the US can be very high, ranging from € 10.000 upwards. We therefore recommend that you only take a suitcase with you with the bare essentials and buy the rest when you find a stable accommodation.
Housing prices in the United States
Rental prices in the US are higher than in Spain. The cost varies according to the location (in the center or suburbs), the size of the apartment or house, and the services offered such as garage, swimming pool, ...
Stanza
It is advisable in the first period to entrust only one room so as not to greatly increase the monthly expenses, at least until a stable job is found. The monthly cost of renting a room in the United States ranges between $ 400 and $ 800.
Flats
When you find a stable job and have a better economic situation, you can find and rent an apartment.
The monthly cost of renting a studio apartment (1 bedroom, 1 bathroom apartment) ranges from $ 600 to $ 1000 downtown, or $ 400 to $ 800 in the suburbs.
The monthly cost of renting a 2 or 3 room apartment with bathroom ranges from $ 1200 to $ 2000 downtown, or $ 800 to $ 1500 in the suburbs.
Health insurance
Having insurance in the United States is essential, and taking out an insurance policy is one of the first things to do. The monthly cost of a good insurance policy ranges from $ 200 per month and up per person. In many work sectors, health insurance is offered free of charge to the worker and also to his family.
Food expenses
The expense for the purchase of food varies a lot according to the quality of what you want to eat. The prices of packaged products and soft drinks is the same as in Spain or even slightly lower. What costs a lot are genuine and fresh products, such as: meat, fish, fruit and vegetables.
If you shop at discount stores and large malls, your food expense is around $ 200-300 per month per person. And if you aim to buy high quality products or organic products, the figure can even double or triple.
Study expenses
Studying in the United States can be cheap, but it can also be very expensive. Public education is free in the US. However, the cost of private schools and universities is much higher than in Spain, and is around $ 5.000 to $ 40.000 a year.
Freight
Car
The costs for buying a car in America are on average the same as in Europe and Spain. Except that according to the duties some brands may cost a little more, while others a little less. Insurance costs $ 1.000 to $ 1.500 per year. While much less is spent on fuel, gasoline costs $ 0.7 to $ 1 per liter, depending on the state.
Public transport
To avoid initially incurring the purchase cost of a new car, you can choose to travel by public transport. Public transport passes cost roughly the same as in Spain and range from $ 40 to $ 60.
Other expenses
- Telephone: 60 - 100 dollars a month.
- Internet: 50 - 90 dollars a month.
- Electricity: $ 120 - $ 200 per month
- Fun: Fast food $ 10, pizza $ 20, restaurant $ 40, cinema ticket $ 15.
To know
Like any choice you make in life, there are pros and cons. Let's see together what are the main advantages and disadvantages of living in America.
Advantages
- Business, civil, economic and political freedoms are some of the social foundations of the United States.
- The USA is made up of 50 states, and its territory is very vast and varied. This
great variety of landscapes and climates allows you to have a wide choice of where to go to live, based on your preferences and economic possibilities.
- It is the most powerful and richest country in the world.
- The United States is the country with the largest number of immigrants in the world. Therefore, living in the USA you can get to know many different cultures and traditions
disadvantages
- The cost of living is high, especially in certain cities and states.
- In many work sectors high knowledge and skills are required, so it can be not easy to find good jobs.
