While some people might remain in their hometown or home state for their entire lives, others will do lots of moving throughout their adult lives. While some will move just to experience a new area, many others will move because they get a job somewhere else. Some opportunities or careers will only be offered in certain places, so moving can be a necessity for some.

However, moving for a job is something that requires a lot of thought and quite a bit of planning as well. Whether you are just moving a few towns away, or doing a giant move across the country, here are a few considerations you should make when moving away for a job. These considerations will help ensure that you know you are making the correct choice.

Where Will You Live?

If you are going to move somewhere for work, you will of course need somewhere to live. And you will likely need to secure a place to live before making the move, to ensure you aren’t staying in hotels. There are many choices to make here such as what sort of property you will live in, will you rent or buy, and what neighborhood you will live in.

If you are comfortable buying a home, you may want to consider purchasing a home in a rural community and commuting into the city for work. The existence of USDA home loans can make it easy to get a home in a rural area with no (or a low) down payment, if you don’t have enough savings for a down payment on a traditional mortgage. They are solid options and worth some consideration if you are okay with living in a rural area.

Do You Have Enough Money for the Move?

Moving is one of those things that will likely end up costing you a lot more than you are expecting. Moving truck, transportation, boxes and gas all add up in the end. You could potentially spend thousands of dollars if your move is across the country, and you want to ensure that you budget for it.

While some companies will pay you a certain amount to cover the relocation costs, this isn’t something that every company does for their employees. So you will want to ask the company before you agree to the move if they will help you out with the relocation, if not, you will be on the hook for a lot more spending than you would have otherwise.

What Are You Leaving Behind?

While it is easy for some people to move to a new city, it can be incredibly hard for others. Many of us have friends, family members and other things that are basically keeping us from living somewhere else. Leaving these people or prior commitments can be incredibly difficult and leave you in a bittersweet situation.

Not only that, but some people might really love the place they live, have a great connection with their neighbors or any other number of things. You really need to think deep down if this job opportunity is something you are willing to uproot your life for or if it will end up being a big mistake.

Will You Like the New City?

While you might like the job you are getting in the city you are moving to, will you like the city itself? You will likely only work about 8 hours a day, so you want to ensure that you will enjoy your free time in your new home and not just be confined inside all the time.

Online research about the cities can help figure out some of the things to do and statistics about a city, but you should really visit it a couple of times to see if you like it. Spending a week in a city can be a great way to get a taste of a city before fully committing to a move there.

Think Long Term

Moving to a whole new city is a big decision, and shouldn’t be taken lightly. It will likely be expensive and could potentially be quite a culture shock. As a result, it is important that you don’t rush this decision and really take time to think. Not only think about everything we mentioned so far, but what if you don’t like the job or don’t last there?

You need to be aware of the long term consequences of the move. Don’t just think about the first year in the new city, but the first five years or ten years. Is this a city and/or job you see yourself being happy with for years? Sure, you can always move back if things don’t work out, but that can be incredibly expensive and feel like you just wasted a lot of time and money and got nowhere. However, that risk is sometimes worth the reward for some people.