Madison, Wisconsin

[Warpnow]

I've got a job offer on the table in Madison making more than I do here in Dallas, Tx. Websites say cost of living is lower, so it should be like taking an even bigger raise, but googling around...I've found:

1. Apartments tend to be more expensive. The apartments I can get here for $600 a month are nicer than the apartments I can find there for $600. Here, I could get a two bedroom with washer/dryer hookups. There, I'm likely to get a one bedroom without washer/dryer hookups in unit.

2. Restaurants seem really expensive. Alot of the places I eat here are $7-$8 a plate. Up there, it seems like $11-$12 are normal. Just googling around and looking at menus.

3. State tax. Wisconsin has a 5.5% state income tax I believe. Texas no state income tax.

4. Auto insurance should be alot cheaper in Wisconsin, but can someone tell me...would it be possible to live in Madison without using a car daily? My fiance wants to go to school and if she did she'd be going up there. Is the bus system good enough to actually take to class every day? Especially in winter...

If anyone can help me with these questions, much appreciated.

[Frogs Hair]

Madison has pretty good public transit . It is possible to get to work without driving if you're near to work and winter can be unforgiving . UWM. is a great school and there are other collage options as well . Madison and its suburbs are spread out over a pretty large area . I suspect housing is more expensive because of heating , another thing to consider before making your choice. Do you like Winter ?

[Warpnow]

Unrelated to my original questions, but do you know if there are any low cost community colleges near Madison? My fiance will be starting her education and I've been trying to find information on them and it seems there are no such things near...

[rafe.kettler]

Cost of living will be higher if you're in a more desirable part of town (mainly by the hip part of town, near the University etc.)

As for community colleges, etc. the University of Wisconsin system is pretty strong. There's the major research universities (Madison and Milwaukee), the four-year colleges, and two-year schools that end up in transfer to one of the research or four year schools. The system's website is http://www.wisconsin.edu/.

I'm not sure if they have other community colleges.

If your fiance can get into UW-Madison, that's an excellent choice. It's really a top school, though it might be fairly expensive relative to others :(