guam:
california:
major difference here is that current rent in california is going toward a mortgage as opposed to a third party. and my salary is 27% greater.
while daily consumables are definitely less expensive off the island - the quality of life on island quite matches up with what you pay for. this means i paid lower rent for a small apartment (although we lived steps away from the beach!) and drove a 10-year old car (which i miss tremendously!!). and then there are all those miscellaneous expenses which depend on your lifestyle:
biggest disadvantages affecting quality of life and overall contentment are healthcare and education:
to sum it all up...life on guam meant less driving, more eating and drinking...and an excess amount of time to soak up the sun. all those memories in between can never be quantified...priceless, to say the least.