I have been living in Ecuador for the past couple of years, so I am not up to date on the living costs at home, but I can tell you that $8,000. a month does not go far. The average rent for a three Br. 2Ba. house is anywhere from a low of $2,200. to a high of $4,000. to $10,000. depending on which city in Orange County you are looking in.

The average mortgage was probably $3,000 to $6,000. and UP.

When I left it was getting harder and harder to feed two for $400. to $500. a month.
Gas was going up so fast that our fuel bill had doubled from $150. to $300. a month to run two cars, that plus maintenance $100. a month made a total of $4,800. per year for the two....if you have car payments, add that on top.

I am not up to date on the utilities, but electric would vary depending on how much one ran the air conditioner in the hot weather....could be a low $120.00 to a high $300. The gas would be low in the Summer a little higher in the Winter...again depending on how much one ran the furnace in the Winter.

Telephone was $55.00 for a land line and then another $65.00 for two cell phones.
Cable TV $50.00 and Internet $25.00...all per mo.

An evening out at just a mid range restaurant with two drinks per person(2) was running around $75.00 to $100.00. Even a coffee shop dinner was an easy $30.00 to $40.00 for two. For one person to meet for a drink and some bar food, just a few years ago ran around $20. today that same evening out runs $30.00 Two tickets to a play or any sporting event was an easy $150. to $400.00.

Medical co pays, dental, cloths, shoes, grooming and of course Taxes!!!!!