Fed Up With Paying Bills? The Cheapest Places To Live In America

We all dream of a time when we don't have to spend all our time working just to pay for the things we need to live, like our electricity bill or our mortgage. We'd much rather spend our time and money pursuing the finer things in life. It’s no wonder many people believe that to have a low cost of living they have to leave the US altogether.

However, the US is home to some of the cheapest places to live in the Western world. Plus, you get all the benefits of living in the most advanced country on the planet. Pizzas delivered to your door in the middle of the night. A gas station on every corner. And beautiful national parks the rest of the world can only dream of.

So let's suppose that you're open to the idea of staying. Where can you go in the US to keep those bills down?

Oregon

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House prices in Oregon tend to be a little below the national average. You can have a look for yourself at http://www.libertyfirstrealty.com/.

Oregon has always been a place that has been far away from the beaten track. You're looking at around $135 a month on utilities, which puts the price of utilities slightly below the national average.

The state is also a charming place to live if you like mountains. And the capital, Portland, is a beautiful city with great job opportunities and a thriving cosmopolitan culture.

Kentucky

The deep south is home to some of the lowest prices in America. That's mostly due to its industrial legacy. The southern economy was always labour intensive compared to the north of the US. As a result, wages in those industries were traditionally held down. (There is an excellent article at www.forbes.com that explains this is greater detail.)

It meant that, historically, taxes were lower, and there were fewer regulations. That legacy has survived to the present in Kentucky. The cost of living in the state is some 10 percent below the national average. Groceries and healthcare are about 10 per cent lower in price. And housing is a full 23 percent lower than the national average.

Food is also cheap, with the typical meal at an inexpensive restaurant coming in at around $8.

Mississippi

Another southern state, Mississippi plays host to some of the lowest prices in the whole of America. The median property tax in is only 0.52 percent. That means that most people only pay around $600 in tax when they move home.

Utilities, healthcare and groceries all checkout way below the national average. And housing in the state is nearly 30 percent cheaper than the national average.

Tennessee

Lastly, it's worth mentioning the bargain basement cost of living in Tennessee. Currently, detached houses in the Knoxville area with one or two bathrooms and three bedrooms and priced at $20,000 to $50,000.

And, like everywhere else in the deep south, food and utilities are also vastly cheaper.

It's also worth noting, though, that Tennessee has some more affordable transport options too. This is a particular bonus for commuters wanting to cut down on the cost of their commute.