As a family of four with two school-age kids, our biggest expense by far is housing. We rent a decent 3-bedroom apartment just outside the city center, and it runs us around $2,000 per month. Groceries are another major cost – feeding a family of four adds up quickly even though staples like milk, eggs, and produce are reasonably priced here. I’d estimate we spend $800-$900 per month on groceries. The kids’ activities and entertainment are also a significant factor – sports leagues, music lessons, eating out, movies, etc. probably total $500+ per month. Overall, Ashland isn’t a cheap place to live for families, but the quality of life and amenities make it worthwhile for us.

I’m a young professional living in Ashland, and my costs are probably on the higher end. I live in a luxury 1-bedroom apartment downtown that runs $1,800 per month. But the amenities are amazing – gym, pool, parking garage, etc. Eating out frequently at the trendy restaurants adds at least $500 to my monthly costs. With a car payment of $400, student loans of $300, utilities around $150, and other entertainment/gym fees, I’m probably spending close to $4,000 per month to live my desired lifestyle here. It’s expensive for sure, but the convenience and social scene in Ashland is worth it to me at this stage of life.

My family is pretty frugal, so we’ve figured out ways to keep costs down in Ashland. We own a modest 3-bedroom ranch outside of downtown that we bought years ago – no mortgage makes a huge difference. Groceries from places like Aldi keep our food budget around $500 per month. We don’t have cable and just stream shows/movies. The biggest periodic expenses are car repairs/maintenance and home repairs. But all things considered, our total monthly expenditures are probably in the $2,000 range, which I think is pretty reasonable for a family of 5 in Ashland if you’re mindful of your spending.

As a single senior living in Ashland, my costs are definitely lower than those with families. I downsized to a 1-bedroom condo that I own, so no rent/mortgage. Utilities for me run about $150 per month. Groceries maybe $300. And I cook at home mostly. My biggest expenditures are healthcare costs – the Medicare supplemental insurance, medication co-pays, etc. I’d estimate those medical expenses are around $500 per month. But overall, my monthly living costs are likely in the $1,200-$1,500 range, which is very manageable on my retirement income. The only downside is that a lot of the entertainment/activities in Ashland seem geared more towards families and millennials.

As a student at the local university, affordability in Ashland is definitely a challenge. I’ve had to get creative to keep costs down. I split a cheap 2-bedroom apartment with another student, so my rent is only $500 per month including utilities. But food is an ongoing struggle – I try to stick to a $200 monthly grocery budget for bare essentials and eat way too many ramen noodles. I drive a beater car and repair costs are always looming. Phone/internet is around $80. Going out is rare with a student budget unless it’s somewhere with student discounts. All in all, I probably spend $1,000-$1,200 per month to get by here, not including tuition. It’s not glamorous, but Ashland has been worth it for the college experience.

For me, a major factor in the cost of living in Ashland is how much you take advantage of the outdoor activities. My wife and I are avid hikers, mountain bikers, climbers, etc. and we’ve invested a decent amount in the gear/equipment for those hobbies over the years. But the flip side is we don’t spend much on things like golf, going to movies, etc. Our rent for a 2-bedroom apartment is about $1,400. Groceries around $600. Utilities $200. The sports gear/fees are probably $200 per month. We drive used, efficient vehicles. All in all, our total monthly costs are likely in the $3,000 range. Not cheap, but the ability to actively enjoy the outdoors in Ashland’s setting is priceless.

Living in Ashland can get pricey if you want to take advantage of the incredible local food scene. My husband and I are total foodies, so our grocery budget of $800+ per month is likely higher than most due to all the fresh, organic, local ingredients we buy. We also budget at least $600 per month for eating out at all the amazing farm-to-table restaurants. Rent for our 2-bedroom loft downtown is $1,900. The upside is we hardly spend money on other entertainment since we get so much enjoyment from the food/drinks. Car payments, utilities, etc. bring our total around $5,000 per month. Is it expensive? Yes. Is the foodie lifestyle worth it for us? Absolutely.

As an entrepreneur running my own small tech startup, my living costs in Ashland are all over the place from month-to-month. I live pretty lean in general, splitting a low-rent apartment with another single guy for $600 per month including utilities. I mainly eat affordable meals I can cook at home, so maybe $300 on groceries. No car payment since I have an old used sedan. But then my business expenses can vary drastically – some months are flush if a new contract came through, other months are lean when paying developers, marketing, etc. So my personal burn rate could be as low as $1,500 in a given month or as high as $5,000+ depending on where the startup is at. The flexibility of Ashland’s cost-of-living has been perfect for this unpredictable entrepreneur life so far.

My family just transferred to Ashland for my job 6 months ago, so we’re still getting a feel for the living costs here. The housing market was a huge sticker shock – we ended up in a pretty basic 3-bedroom rental house in the suburbs for $2,500 per month since that was way more affordable than buying right now. Grocery costs for our family of 5 typically run $1,000+. The kids’ activites and entertainment add probably another $500 per month. We’re two car payments at around $700 total. Utilities seem reasonable at $300ish. Overall, we’re probably spending close to $5k per month to live here, which is significantly more than our previous lower cost of living area. But the salaries and job opportunities in Ashland seem to be higher too from what I’ve seen so far.

As a young professional living the downtown Ashland lifestyle, my costs are pretty high but that’s the trade-off I’m willing to make right now. I splurged on a modern, trendy 1-bedroom apartment that runs $2,200 per month, but it’s awesome being right in the heart of everything. I could opt for a cheaper place in the suburbs, but I’d be paying nearly that much or more when you factor in downtown parking, Uber/rideshare costs to go out, etc. Groceries at places like Whole Foods run me $400. Dining out for both meals and entertainment is easily $1,000 per month. Gym, Netflix, utilities, and other little costs add a few hundred more. When you factor in a car payment too, I’m probably spending close to $5,000 per month to live this downtown Ashland yuppie lifestyle in my late 20s. It’s expensive, but I really enjoy being in the center of the action right now.