Florida to Philly

U.S.A. Pennsylvania

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Hello Fellow Nurses,

My family and I are contemplating moving from Florida to Philly and I was curious as to the cost of living in Philly such as rent for a 2-3 bedroom house,townhouse, or apartment. Pay for a nurse with 1 year of experience in L&D and Med-Surg? What are some good but inexpensive areas of town should I look into and what are some good public schools. My husband hopes to get a job as a middle to high school history teacher. What's the education job market outlook? We visited Philly almost 2 years ago and liked the vibe of the city. So now I need the reality of the city not just the tourist view. Any help would be appreciated.

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Specializes in Medical ICU, Orthopedics.

Hey there, I'm a nurse in Philly and my boyfriend is currently looking for a teaching job here as well. It took me about 6 months to find a nursing job here, though I was a new grad. I think your prospects as someone with experience are definitely more open then mine were. The nursing market is definitely tough, but with that experience you'll have more people interested in you. The good thing is there are a lot of good hospitals in the area. I started in the high 20's as a new grad, differential for evenings and nights. As for apartments, it really depends on what area of the city you're looking to live in. Center City 2-3 bedrooms are more expensive- I would check out craigslist for average prices. I like the areas of Society Hill, Queen Village, Old City, Washington Square, and Rittenhouse Square- I tend to think they are safer, but if you're looking for cheaper you'll have to look further west like University City, South like South Philly, or North. Some areas can be dicey though, just like any city.

As for the teaching market- it's really not so good right now. The public schools have a hiring freeze. And for catholic schools- my bf was told by the diocese of Philadelphia that there are no job openings for this year. I have a friend looking to move from Florida to Philly who is also a teacher and isn't finding any jobs at the moment either.

I would definitely make sure you have jobs before you do the move. I was planning on moving here in October after I graduated, but glad I didn't because I didn't end up getting a job until February. Let me know if you have any other questions, hope that was at least a little helpful- I'm fairly new to the city, but I'm learning a lot!

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Thanks so much your post was very helpful. What is the average cost for a 2/3 bedroom, apartment in a decent neighborhood? Do you think the pay for a nurse is compensation enough for the cost of living? If you don't mind me asking how old are you and do you have kids?

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I just moved to Philly from Florida as well. I just moved into my apt last week so don't know many of the areas yet. It seems as though Philly is quite large. The cost of living is much more reasonable compared to other cities. I will be starting school in the Fall so I thought I should move near the campus. For a one-bedroom I'm paying $600, not including anything. So, I found the place online because with my work schedule I wasn't able to visit. I live in University City near Market Street and it's rough. I hear Center City near Rittenhouse and Old City area is nice. I was considering Center City but wanted to be able to sleep a little later in the morning so decided on somewhere close. Also, you have to pay for parking in Center City but in University City I am able to park on the street. Good luck with your move.

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I am trying to move out of philly....this city I feel is too saturated and no opportunity for growth....wondering why you guys moved to the northeast?....i would love to be in texas or florida right now...good luck finding a nursing job...I have lots of friends who are struggling here and want to just get out but can't because they are tied down with family....

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Philly is one of the most "livable" cities in the US. By that I mean it's a real city with a vibrant social scene, great bars, stores and restaurants, excellent public transportation, great college and pro sports, tremendous cultural opportunities (museums, concert halls, colleges/universities), all balanced by a reasonable cost of living - at least by comparison to other large cities - and easy to get around in to boot.

Philly is also a city of neighborhoods: Old City, Queen Village, Society Hill, Fairmont, etc. The areas I just mentioned are some of the best - and also the most expensive - in Philly. There are lots of other areas that are pretty good (Northern Liberties, Graduate Hospital, University City, South Philly) but have some rougher sections - balanced by great local amenities (parks, pubs, stores & restaurants) and very reasonable housing/rental prices. There are others such as Mayfair, Southwest Philly and Kensington, that I would highly recommend steering well clear of.

Though I'm not originally from Philly, I really like the city and have made it my home for the last 20 years. I've lived in quite a few other places in the US, even spent a few years overseas and I'd still choose Philly over nearly all of them.

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Philly is great....but it is hard for the middle and lower class people to survive here...so many people are being laid off from jobs...tax is high...too crowded even...yeah facilities r there....I grew up in philly...it is my home...it always has a place in my heart...but I need somewhere new..a place where I can expand and grow...is all....

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