#219: Designing Your Destination: How to Choose Where to Live for a Life of True Freedom –
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How to choose where to live? It’s a decision usually made for a job or because of family, and then rarely questioned again.
Your zip code may not have been a choice, at least at first. Perhaps it’s where you grew up, where your first job offer landed, or simply where you found yourself after a series of life events.
But who said your abode had to be a permanent fixture? On your journey to financial freedom, you might instead decide to live somewhere based on decision-making criteria like your finances.
As you progress on your journey, one of the most empowering questions you can ask is: Does my location serve my vision?
If you think about it, your location can be one of the most powerful financial levers you pull. Your cost of living is often one of the biggest financial choices you make, whether or not it’s made mindfully.
Your environment dictates your expenses, social circle, and even peace of mind. It also impacts your progress toward your long-term goals.
There’s no shame in living near family or choosing to relocate for a new opportunity. However, deciding where to live is essentially an exercise in lifestyle design. When you design a life you don’t need a vacation from, your home base is the foundation of that design.
When it comes to living on your terms, it’s all about moving away from passive life choices toward mindfully-made choices. It comes down to living based on your values, rather than your circumstances.
Understanding how to choose where to live is about more than just checking walkability scores or school districts; it’s about aligning your physical environment with your deepest values and your long-term vision of freedom.
In this article, you’ll get a set of decision-making criteria to help you decide on how to choose where to live, so that you can make one more mindful choice toward a life defined by your terms.
The HCOL vs. LCOL Debate: Weighing the Trade-offs
When exploring where to live, the most common crossroads you’ll face is the choice between a High-Cost-of-Living (HCOL) area and a Low-Cost-of-Living (LCOL) area. There is no correct answer; rather, it’s about what’s right for you.
The Case for the Big City (HCOL)
Living in a hub like New York, London, or San Francisco often comes with a hefty price tag, particularly in housing. However, where to live, don’t ignore the opportunity premium.
- Pros: Higher salary ceilings, unbeatable networking opportunities, and vibrant cultural amenities.
- Cons: Higher taxes, expensive real estate, and often a faster-paced, higher-stress lifestyle.
The Case for the Quiet Life (LCOL)
Conversely, moving to a smaller town or a more affordable region can supercharge your savings rate.
- Pros: Lower overhead, larger living spaces, and often a closer connection to nature or community.
- Cons: Potentially lower salary scales and fewer local “niche” career opportunities.
There will always be trade-offs, regardless of where you choose to live.
A higher salary in a HCOL area might be offset by a $4,000 rent payment. Conversely, a cheap mortgage in a rural area might mean a longer commute or less access to industry events.
The goal isn’t to find the “cheapest” place, but the place that offers the highest return on life, particularly where there’s good alignment with your values and “why.”
Values-First: How to Choose Where to Live Mindfully
To avoid making a passive choice, consider your values. You might value balancing work and family life, for instance. Your location is the foundation of that balance.
When you’re contemplating how to choose where to live, ask yourself the following:
- What does my ideal Tuesday look like? Do you want to walk to a local shop (perhaps using your premium coffee maker before you head out), or start your morning with a hike?
- Does this location support my career trajectory? Does being physically present in a specific city open doors that a remote connection cannot?
- What is my “Soul-to-Square-Foot” ratio? Some people feel energized by small, urban apartments; others need wide-open spaces to feel creative.
- What are my “Non-Negotiables”? Is proximity to family your top priority? Or is it being near an international airport so you can travel the world?
- How does this location impact my FIRE Number? Your retirement target is entirely dependent on your projected lifestyle costs.
Pro Tip: Don’t just look at the numbers. A “cheap” city that makes you feel isolated or uninspired is actually very expensive in terms of your mental health and productivity.
Using Your Career as a Compass in How to Choose Where to Live
In the modern era of remote and hybrid work, the question of how to choose where to live has been blown wide open. You’re no longer tethered to a physical office in many industries. This is a gift of true freedom (one of the more positive things that came out of COVID).
You can now optimize for geographic arbitrage and earn a high-market salary while living in a region with a much lower cost of entry.
However, remember that there are no perfect locations, only perfect alignments. A lower cost of living at the expense of your social battery or professional inspiration might actually be a net loss.
Weigh your needs for community, climate, and career growth alongside the financial data points.
Weighing the Trade-offs for Lifestyle Design
There will always be trade-offs. You might trade a shorter commute for a smaller backyard, or a higher salary for a more expensive grocery bill. The goal should be to find a place that aligns with your ideal lifestyle.
If you value career acceleration right now, an HCOL city might be the perfect investment for this season of your life. If you value peace, space, and a rapid increase in net worth, an LCOL area might be your sanctuary.
By weighing your values against your needs, you ensure that wherever you plant your roots, you’re positioned to flourish.
Intentionality is the Ultimate Home Advantage
When you take an active role in choosing where to live, you become the architect of your life. This allows you to align your surroundings with your financial goals, ensuring your environment propels you toward financial freedom.
Choosing where to plant your roots is a major milestone in the journey to living life on your terms. If you think your current environment is draining your bank account and spirit, it may be time to recalibrate.
Every dollar you save on living expenses can be invested in your future freedom and dream lifestyle. By moving from a passive existence to a mindful selection process, you claim the right to live on your terms.
The world is large, and your potential is even larger. Start designing your destination today.
Life on your terms is achievable; you simply need to seize it. Are you ready to pursue it?
Take Your Next Step Toward Freedom and Design a Life You Love
If you want to build a life on your terms…
Stop sacrificing your happiness for a paycheck and start living on your terms. I can help you bridge the gap between where you are and where you want to be.
Check out these handy resources to begin your journey toward true flexibility and freedom:
- Professional Mentoring: Get a tailored roadmap to speed up your journey to financial freedom. You’ll also gain an upper edge in your career, finance, and lifestyle goals. With my mentoring program, you’ll get a personalized strategy to build a life on your terms, so that you can spend more time doing what you love.
- Book a call to learn more about my mentoring program.
- Download the Free Ebook: Turn your goals into action with my free ebook “7 Ways to FIRE Your Career.” It’s a powerful guide to ignite your journey toward financial independence, whether you’re more focused on your career goals, finances, or lifestyle plans.
- Get the free ebook to begin building your path to financial freedom.
Together, we can ensure you spend more time doing what you love with the people who matter most.
Have a question or want to learn more? Leave a comment below!
Now that you’ve learned how to choose where to live for a life of true freedom, you might wonder how else you can FIRE Your Career. Check out the posts pagefor more ways to FIRE Your Career and achieve financial freedom.
FIRE Your Career: Achieve Financial Freedom Through Your Career & Spend MORE Time Doing What You Love.
Resources I Recommend in This Article:
Nespresso Vertuo Lattissima by De’Longhi (my favorite premium coffee maker, accompanied with a milk feature to create frothy, delicious coffees)
The FIRE Your Career Mentoring Program (a personalized approach to help you gain control of your career and finances)
7 Ways to FIRE Your Career (a free ebook to help you build a foundation for financial freedom)
Resources I Frequently Recommend:
Quit Like a Millionaire (a great FIRE book with a scoring system to help you select a degree or job field)
4-Hour Workweek (a great book to help you recapture your time and gain financial freedom)
Udemy (a learning platform with courses to help you acquire new skills)
ClickUp (my recommended goal-tracking and project-management tool)
The Bogleheads’ Guide to Investing (a great intro to investing book)
Strengths Finder (book to help you uncover your innate strengths, includes a free personality quiz)
Other Recommended Reading:
#198: The Secret Weapon: How to Power Your Success with a Mentor Program
#203: How to Use Lifestyle Design for Financial Freedom
#217: Is a Premium Coffee Maker Worth the Money?
#142: Work Less, Live More: How to Cultivate a Mindset for Financial Freedom
#110: How to Develop a Winning Money Mindset to Drive Your Financial Freedom Journey
#171: Growth Mindset: a Career You Love and Financial Freedom
#153: How to Build a Growth Mindset for Success
#178: How to Build Long-Term Sustainable Wealth
#146: 10 Ways Financial Independence Leads to a Happier Life
Strengths Finder: Identify Your Career Strengths
How to Find Your Why So You Can FIRE Your Career
How to Use the FIRE Method to Build a Life on Your Terms
Goal Planning for 2026 and Beyond: Prepare Your Epic Year
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