As someone who has lived in Adelanto for over a decade, I can say that overall it’s a fairly affordable place compared to many other areas in Southern California, but costs have definitely crept up in recent years.

For housing, a decent 2-bedroom apartment outside the center will likely run you $1,000-1,200 per month these days. Utilities for a place that size (electricity, water, etc.) may be around $150-200 per month. Gas is relatively cheap at just over $1 per liter. My family of four spends probably $500-600 per month on groceries from places like Stater Bros and Aldi.

Cell phone plans can vary a lot, but I pay about $120 for four lines with a decent data allowance. Internet for home is around $60-70. Entertainment is where Adelanto lacks amenities, so you may need to drive into Victorville or further for things like movies ($15 per ticket), nice restaurants ($40-50 for a casual dine-in meal for 2-3 people), etc.

The pros are definitely the lower housing costs compared to LA or the coast, and reasonable prices for basics like gas and groceries. The negatives are fewer jobs/amenities and having to drive a bit for better entertainment, dining, shopping. But all-in-all, it’s a relatively affordable area if your income is $3,000 or above for a small family.

I agree that Adelanto can be an affordable option, but there are also some downsides to factor in. I’m a single guy renting a cheap 1-bedroom apartment near downtown for around $850 a month, which seems reasonable. Groceries for just me run $200-300 a month if I stick to basics and little eating out.

However, a major con in my opinion is the lack of public transportation, which basically forces you to have a car and pay for gas, insurance, maintenance, etc. I probably spend close to $300 a month on car costs. There’s also a dearth of entertainment – no movie theaters, minimal dining beyond fast food. You pretty much have to drive out to Victorville or further to do anything fun.

Cell phone bills and internet don’t seem too out of line with the going rates. But healthcare is an issue – there is only one smallish hospital in town, so anything major will require traveling and potentially higher costs.

My income is modest at around $2,200 per month after taxes. Adelanto works for me as I can get by for now without too much financial strain. But I could see it being tougher for families or those with major health issues. You get what you pay for in terms of amenities and access to services.

Adelanto can be very affordable for basics like housing and utilities if your expectations are modest. I own a decent 3-bedroom house that I bought several years ago for around $180,000. Similar homes rent for $1,300-1,500 these days from what I’ve seen.

Utilities for a place that size run me about $250 a month for electricity, water, gas, etc. Gasoline is cheap and groceries are reasonable, probably $500-600 for my family of four if we watch our spending. Internet is $60, cell phones $100 for three lines.

The downsides are certainly the lack of amenities, entertainment, and dining options compared to bigger cities. We maybe spend $100 a month going out to eat fast food, the rare chain restaurant, or driving into Victorville. There’s no movie theater in town. Kids activities and recreation can be limited too.

Healthcare is just okay – there’s the one main hospital plus some clinics, but you may need to go out of town for certain specialists or major treatments. Still, the lower housing costs help offset some of those inconveniences for us.

Overall, I’d say Adelanto works well if you’re looking to keep housing costs very low, don’t mind a car commute for work/amenities, and are okay with trading metro amenities for a quieter, slower-paced lifestyle. It’s not for everyone, but it lets our family get by comfortably on a $5,000 per month household income.

As a single person who loves to eat out, Adelanto has its pros and cons from a cost perspective. Housing is definitely affordable – I rent a nice 1-bedroom apartment downtown for $950 a month. Utilities like electricity tend to be $100 or under.

The biggest challenge is the lack of decent dining options in town. You’ve pretty much got your standard fast food joints like McDonald’s ($15 for a combo meal), a few mediocre sit-down chains, and not much else. The food prices at those places are standard, but the quality is just okay.

If you want better quality food, you’re looking at driving 15-20 minutes to restaurants in Victorville or Hesperia. Then you’re paying $15+ for an entree, $7-8 for a beer, etc. Which adds up quickly, especially if you factor in the cost of gas/transportation to get there.

I probably spend $500-600 a month on dining out, which is a lot for one person. But I also spend very little on other entertainment since there’s no movie theaters, comedy clubs, etc. in Adelanto itself. It’s a tradeoff.

So for me, the low housing costs in Adelanto help offset the higher food/dining costs from having to go out of town for decent meals relatively often. But your mileage may vary depending on your priorities and living situation. It works for my income/lifestyle for now.

I think Adelanto can be an extremely affordable place to live if you’re comfortable embracing a relatively minimalist lifestyle. I rent a small studio apartment on the outskirts of town for just $625 a month, which includes most utilities.

My monthly expenses are very low – maybe $150 for groceries eating basic meals, $60 for internet, $30 for an economy cell phone plan, $100 or so for gas/car costs since I have a short commute.

I don’t really eat out, don’t have cable/streaming services, and my main entertainment is hiking/exploring the open desert areas around town, which is free besides the occasional costs for gear, park fees, etc.

Healthcare is one area where costs can be challenging since there are limited options in Adelanto itself. I’m single with no kids though, and relatively healthy for now beyond general practitioner visits.

For my lifestyle and income level of around $2,500 per month after taxes, Adelanto provides a very affordable way for me to live well below my means while saving a decent chunk of money each month. It’s definitely not for everyone, but if you can keep your expenses low and don’t mind the trade-offs in amenities, it can be an economical choice.

Cost of living in Adelanto definitely requires some trade-offs, but it can work well for families on a budget. We have three kids and I’d estimate our major monthly expenses breakdown something like this:

Mortgage on a 3-bed/2-bath house: $1,400
Utilities (electricity, water, etc.): $250
Groceries: $800-900
Gas/Transportation: $300
Cell phones (5 lines): $180
Internet: $70
Dining Out: $200
Entertainment: $150

We own our home outright after buying it a few years ago for around $250,000. Similar homes rent for $1,800-2,200 these days from what I’ve seen. Groceries can be pricey for a bigger family, but basics are reasonable if you shop smartly.

The biggest challenge is the lack of amenities and entertainment options in town. We probably spend $150 a month or so taking the kids out to movies, activities, etc. in Victorville or other nearby cities, plus whatever we spend dining out before/after.

On the plus side, Adelanto has some decent parks, decent public schools, low crime rates in many areas, and an overall very affordable cost of living compared to salaries. We make around $7,000 per month household income, which goes a lot further here than it would in LA or San Diego for example.

So bottom line, if your priorities are being able to have a decent amount of living space, safe neighborhoods, and keeping your major expenses quite low, Adelanto can make sense for young families. But be prepared to drive a bit for amenities, entertainment, and better dining options.

As a retiree on a fixed income, I’ve found Adelanto to be an extremely affordable place to live compared to many other areas of California. My main costs are:

Mortgage: $950 (for a 2br/2ba condo I bought years ago)
HOA: $200
Utilities: $150
Groceries: $300
Gas/Transportation: $100
Healthcare: $400 (Medicare + supplements)
Dining/Entertainment: $300

My household income from Social Security and a small pension is around $3,200 per month after taxes. So while not financially wealthy, I’m able to live quite comfortably in Adelanto without going over budget or having to cut too many corners.

The pros are obviously the very low housing costs (whether renting or owning), low utilities, reasonable gas/transportation if you don’t have to drive too far, and relatively affordable basic costs for things like groceries.

The cons are indeed the lack of amenities, entertainment, robust healthcare facilities, and quality dining options right in town itself. You have to be willing to drive 20-30 minutes to get to many services, activities, etc.

But all-in-all, I appreciate being able to stretch my retirement income quite a bit further than I could in many other California cities. The no-frills, low-key environment suits me well at this stage of life. It’s not for everyone, but Adelanto can make a lot of sense for retirees on tighter budgets.

Adelanto can actually be a very affordable place for young families and first-time homebuyers if you’re strategic about it. My wife and I are in our early 30s with a toddler.

We just bought a nice 3-bedroom, 2-bath house a few months ago for $275,000, which is extremely reasonable for this area. Similar homes rent for $1,800-2,200 per month from what I’ve seen. Our mortgage payment is about $1,500 per month.

Other major monthly expenses for us:
Utilities: $250
Groceries: $500
Gas/Transportation: $250
Cell Phones: $100
Internet: $60
Household Items/Baby Costs: $300
Entertainment: $150

So our total monthly costs are probably in the $3,000-3,500 range for our family of three. We make around $6,500 per month combined income, so while not rich, we’re able to build some decent savings while enjoying a relatively comfortable lifestyle.

The pros are affordable housing, low crime in many areas, reasonable costs for gas, groceries, utilities, etc. The cons are indeed the lack of great dining, entertainment, shopping, etc. all in one centralized area. You have to drive 15-20 mins to get to many amenities.

But all-in-all, for young families looking to become homeowners and have decent living space/quality of life without breaking the bank, Adelanto can make a lot of sense. Just be prepared to drive a bit for certain activities, restaurants, etc. The low housing costs make it very manageable on a middle-class income.

As someone who works remotely in the tech field, I’ve found Adelanto to be a great place to keep my monthly expenses very low while still enjoying a decent quality of life.

My costs here are incredibly reasonable:
Rent (1 br apartment): $800
Utilities: $100
Groceries: $250
Gas: $60
Cell Phone/Internet: $100

I make around $5,000 per month after taxes. So I’m able to live very comfortably on less than half my income, while socking away the rest in savings/investments.

The town definitely lacks amenities – no major entertainment, minimal dining beyond fast food and chains, small hospital, etc. But I don’t mind driving 20-30 minutes to get to those things in Victorville or elsewhere when needed.

As a single person without kids, the lack of great schools or family activities doesn’t really impact me. And the outdoors offers plenty of free entertainment with all the parks and public lands around for hiking, off-roading, etc.

Adelanto is certainly not for everyone. But if you can earn a decent remote income and are looking for an affordable place to keep your expenses extremely low, it’s hard to beat. I’ve been able to bank a ton of money while still enjoying a decent life here. The lack of amenities is really the only major downside in my opinion.

For those on more modest incomes, Adelanto can still be a viable affordable option with the right approach and expectations. I make around $2,200 per month working in a warehouse, but I’m able to get by reasonably well:

Rent: $750 (for a cheap 1-bedroom apartment)
Utilities: $120
Groceries: $250
Gas: $100
Cell Phone: $50
Renters Insurance: $15

I rarely eat out, don’t have cable/streaming services, and keep my entertainment costs very low by hiking, going to free community events, etc. Healthcare is probably my biggest challenge on a tight budget.

The pros are that rent and many basic costs are very low, which is important on my limited income. I’m able to squeak by without being in constant financial stress.

The cons are obviously the trade-offs in amenities and entertainment options compared to living in a bigger city. But I’m a pretty simple guy without too many expensive hobbies. I don’t mind the lack of dining/nightlife as long as I can afford the essentials.

Adelanto is definitely a huge step down in resources and quality of life compared to ritzier SoCal cities. But for working class folks on low incomes who are Smart about budgeting, it can be a place to live relatively affordably and frugally if your expectations are modest and flexible. It’s not ideal, but it works for keeping my costs down greatly.