Cost of Living Forum

AB
LongTimeLocal @longtimelocal
Joined: 9 months ago

Cost of Living in Airway Heights – What to Expect?

Hi everyone, I’ve been living in Airway Heights for over 15 years now, but I’m curious to hear from others about how affordable (or not) it really is these days. As someone who owns a home here and has a family of 4, I’d love to get a sense of what people are paying for major expenses like housing, groceries, utilities, transportation, healthcare, and entertainment. What has your experience been? I’m looking for a realistic picture of the overall cost of living, including both the advantages and pain points. Thanks in advance for sharing your perspectives!

Posts: 18

10 Replies


FrugalFran @frugalfran
Joined: 2 years ago

As someone on a tight budget, I find Airway Heights to be relatively affordable compared to nearby cities. Housing is definitely the biggest expense – I pay around $900 for a modest 2-bedroom apartment outside of downtown. Groceries are reasonable if you stick to basics like rice, beans, eggs from places like Aldi. A big Costco trip helps keep costs down too. Utilities like electricity tend to be on the higher side though. I drive an older used car to save on gas and payments. Entertainment is where I cut back the most – cooking at home, renting movies, taking walks instead of going out. It’s doable here if you’re frugal!
Posts: 7
FamilyGuy123 @familyguy123
Joined: 11 months ago

We’re a family of 5 living in Airway Heights and I’d say the cost of living is moderate overall. Our 3-bedroom house mortgage is around $1,800 which is higher than some areas but the neighborhood is great for kids. Groceries for our big family add up quickly even though produce is decently priced. Eating out is a splurge – a casual meal for all of us is easily $60-70. Childcare costs like preschool are quite high. On the plus side, we have decent health insurance through my job and municipal utilities are reasonable. Entertainment is pricey if you want to do a lot – movies, events, etc. But there are good parks and trails for free family fun. It’s livable but takes some budgeting for sure.
Posts: 16
SingleInTheCity @singleinthecity
Joined: 2 years ago

As a single young professional, I find Airway Heights to be a bit on the pricey side for my lifestyle. I pay $1200 for a modern 1-bedroom apartment downtown which is a stretch. Groceries aren’t too bad if you cook at home. But I definitely spend a good chunk on dining out, drinks, gym membership, and entertainment since that’s my social life. Even budget things like $5 craft beers add up quickly. My job covers healthcare which is a relief. Costs for ride shares, gas, parking can also pile up depending on your transportation situation. All in all it’s doable on my salary if I’m mindful, but there’s not a ton of financial breathing room in this trendy urban area.
Posts: 6
BallinOnABudget @ballinonabudget
Joined: 10 months ago

Yo, I manage to live pretty large here in Airway Heights without going broke. Scored a nice 2-bedroom place just outside downtown for $1,100 which leaves enough cash for ballin’ on other stuff. Don’t even get me started on the cheap eats – there are so many amazing hole-in-the-wall ethnic joints with huge portions for like $10. Having a car is essential though, insurance and gas isn’t cheap. But hitting up Costco and places like that keeps grocery bills chill. Gotta get a gym membership to stay fit too. And of course, going out to bars and clubs puts a dent in the wallet if you’re bougie about it. All in all, it’s more than possible to live it up here without an insane income if you mix in Some priorities with smart budgeting.
Posts: 18
PamTheNana @pamthenana
Joined: 2 years ago

As a retiree on a fixed income, Airway Heights is quite livable but you need to be smart with money. My mortgage is paid off which is a huge relief, but property taxes, utilities, healthcare costs do add up. Grocery prices seem to keep rising faster than my income, so I have to be diligent about sales and affordable stores. Getting prescriptions filled can put a strain on the budget some months too. That said, there are discounts available for seniors on things like restaurants, movies, transit which provides some entertainment affordably. And the community centers have great low-cost activities. It’s manageable here with discipline, but finances have to be top of mind.
Posts: 12
CarGal @cargal
Joined: 2 years ago

One of the bigger expenses I’ve found living in Airway Heights is transportation if you have a daily commute. With the cost of a newer, fuel-efficient car ($25K+ for something like a Toyota Corolla) plus gas hovering around $4/gallon, driving really adds up. Parking costs downtown can be ridiculous too. In my case, I decided it made more sense to get an apartment closer to work for $1400 and use public transit when possible to skip some of those auto costs. Other basics like utilities, groceries, health insurance through my job are pretty average here. But entertainment is where I splurge – this area has great bars, restaurants, concerts that create tempting spending opportunities if you have the income for it.
Posts: 19
DINKlife @dinklife
Joined: 2 years ago

My spouse and I are dinks (dual income, no kids) which makes the cost of living in Airway Heights quite comfortable for us. We rent a modern downtown 2-bedroom for $2,000 since we don’t need too much space. With both of us working professional jobs, we can afford “luxuries” like dining out frequently, taking vacations, going to shows/games, etc. That said, we still budget diligently for other costs – premium groceries, personal services, nightlife, etc. It all adds up quickly if you don’t keep an eye on it. But overall, this city gives us an awesome urban lifestyle without being prohibitively expensive compared to bigger metro areas. No complaints!
Posts: 24
HipsterArtist @hipsterartist
Joined: 2 years ago

Being a creative type, I appreciate that Airway Heights has a relatively low cost of living which allows me to pursue my artistic passions while still getting by. I rent a funky loft apartment downtown for $900 which is a steal. Thrift stores and ethnic markets help me survive on a thrifty food budget. Public transit is pretty decent for getting around without crazy car expenses. Health care is one sticky area – high deductibles make minor issues an unwelcome hit to my cash flow. But all the local music venues, offbeat boutiques, communal art spaces? You can’t put a price on that cultural richness. So while finances are often tight, this city lets me live an authentic life.
Posts: 8
StartupLife @startuplife
Joined: 9 months ago

As an entrepreneur launching a new business, I’ve found Airway Heights to be a double-edged sword financially. On the plus side, affordable office rents (landed a cool coworking space for $300/month), low taxes, and relatively low labor costs here have allowed me to bootstrap leanly in the early stages. But man, the costs of putting together a decent benefits package to attract talented team members can be painful – $500+ per person for health insurance is no joke. Fortunately activity like buying cars, mortgages, personal costs are still quite manageable here on top of business expenses. It’s a grind but this city removes some big overhead burdens.
Posts: 18
AnnaTheNurse @annathenurse
Joined: 4 months ago

Working as a nurse, I’d say Airway Heights has some underrated cost-of-living advantages. My salary goes pretty far here compared to bigger cities. Housing is still relatively inexpensive – my mortgage on a nice 3-bedroom suburban house is under $1,500. Groceries are manageable if you shop smart. The big downers are costs that are unavoidable no matter where you live – childcare is outrageously expensive for my 2 kids, gas/car payments, healthcare premiums, etc. But overall, the lower cost areas make up for those bigger ticket items. I’m able to enjoy a comfortable middle-class life while still maxing out my retirement accounts every year. Can’t complain!
Posts: 2

Detailed Price Insights of Abilene, TX

  • Meal, Inexpensive Restaurant – 15.00 $
  • Meal for 2 People, Mid-range Restaurant, Three-course – 50.00 $
  • McMeal at McDonalds (or Equivalent Combo Meal) – 13.40 $
  • Domestic Beer (0.5 liter draught) – 5.00 $
  • Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle) – 6.50 $
  • Cappuccino (regular) – 5.67 $
  • Coke/Pepsi (0.33 liter bottle) – 3.00 $
  • Water (0.33 liter bottle) – 2.31 $
  • Milk (regular), (1 liter) – 0.79 $
  • Loaf of Fresh White Bread (500g) – 2.76 $
  • Rice (white), (1kg) – 4.41 $
  • Eggs (regular) (12) – 3.16 $
  • Local Cheese (1kg) – 13.55 $
  • Chicken Fillets (1kg) – 11.23 $
  • Beef Round (1kg) (or Equivalent Back Leg Red Meat) – 13.21 $
  • Apples (1kg) – 4.37 $
  • Banana (1kg) – 1.75 $
  • Oranges (1kg) – 3.84 $
  • Tomato (1kg) – 4.39 $
  • Potato (1kg) – 2.15 $
  • Onion (1kg) – 2.60 $
  • Lettuce (1 head) – 1.74 $
  • Water (1.5 liter bottle) – 2.00 $
  • Bottle of Wine (Mid-Range) – 15.00 $
  • Domestic Beer (0.5 liter bottle) – 1.73 $
  • Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle) – 3.19 $
  • Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro) – 11.25 $
  • One-way Ticket (Local Transport) – 3.00 $
  • Taxi Start (Normal Tariff) – 5.00 $
  • Taxi 1km (Normal Tariff) – 1.74 $
  • Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff) – 40.00 $
  • Gasoline (1 liter) – 1.16 $
  • Volkswagen Golf 1.4 90 KW Trendline (Or Equivalent New Car) – 33,448.00 $
  • Toyota Corolla Sedan 1.6l 97kW Comfort (Or Equivalent New Car) – 28,663.02 $
  • Basic (Electricity, Heating, Cooling, Water, Garbage) for 85m2 Apartment – 123.64 $
  • Mobile Phone Monthly Plan with Calls and 10GB+ Data – 54.14 $
  • Internet (60 Mbps or More, Unlimited Data, Cable/ADSL) – 66.67 $
  • Cinema, International Release, 1 Seat – 13.84 $
  • Preschool (or Kindergarten), Full Day, Private, Monthly for 1 Child – 2,191.67 $
  • International Primary School, Yearly for 1 Child – 15,975.00 $
  • 1 Pair of Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar) – 46.77 $
  • 1 Summer Dress in a Chain Store (Zara, H&M, …) – 32.99 $
  • 1 Pair of Nike Running Shoes (Mid-Range) – 85.00 $
  • 1 Pair of Men Leather Business Shoes – 80.00 $
  • Apartment (3 bedrooms) in City Centre – 1,800.00 $
  • Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax) – 7,000.00 $
  • Mortgage Interest Rate in Percentages (%), Yearly, for 20 Years Fixed-Rate – 6.63
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