10 Reasons Not To Relocate For A Job

You’ve finally gotten the dream job offer you’ve been waiting for. The only caveat? You’d have to move to another town or city far away.

But is it worth relocating for a new job?

With remote work becoming more common, fewer people have been moving away for employment, according to a study.

That doesn’t mean that relocating for a job is the wrong choice for you. However, if you’re not getting a relocation package, the costs of living will be higher, or you will disrupt your personal relationships, it might not be worth it.

If you’re unsure whether accepting the job offer is the right step, you’ve come to the right place. In this article, we’ll be discussing 10 reasons not to relocate for a job, so continue reading.

Reasons not to Relocate for a Job

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Every situation is different, and there isn’t always a clear-cut answer that will immediately stand out. However, if any of these apply to you, think twice about uprooting your life and accepting that job offer.

Also Read: Why You Should & Should Not Accept A Counter Offer?

1. You’re Not Getting a Relocation Package

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Almost two-thirds of respondents in Allied’s Job Relocation Survey indicated they received some sort of relocation compensation package in exchange for moving.

Moving can be expensive. A long-distance move can easily cost $5,000 or more, depending on how far you are going and how many possessions you own.

It’s not just the mover’s fee you must pay, either. In your current city, you might know where to get the best deals and have select contractors you work with.

In your new city, it might take some time to figure out where the discount shops are and which contractors (such as landscapers) offer the best services at the lowest prices.

Relocation compensation packages come in various forms. The company hiring you may offer to cover your moving expenses, or they might give you an upfront lump payment that you can use toward those expenses.

You may also receive help with temporary accommodation (renting a place until you find a house you can buy) or sponsored trips that you can use to scout for housing in advance.

Either way, if you’re left to cover all your moving expenses by yourself, will it be worth it? If your new salary is significantly higher, it might, but an employer that values you will likely be willing to offer some sort of financial assistance to incentivize you to come.

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2. The Cost of Living Is Much Higher

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Another thing to consider is the cost of living in the new city or town. Moving expenses won’t last forever, but higher rent and gas prices will.

One of the things that might have attracted you to the new job is the higher salary. However, if the increase is minimal, it might not compensate for the higher living costs.

You should also investigate the costs of groceries and other goods and any additional services you use or purchase regularly. That might include gym fees, for example, if going to the gym is a priority for you, or hiring a personal trainer.

Depending on the health insurance you will be getting, you might also want to look into healthcare and dental care costs in the area.

There’s no use in accepting a higher salary if the costs of living are also higher.

Think about your standard of living. Would you be able to enjoy a higher standard of living, simply maintain your current one, or worse yet, be forced to pinch pennies and cut costs?

Numbeo is a good resource for estimating and comparing costs of living. Use the comparison feature to compare two cities and see how rent and the prices of everyday goods and transportation measure up, as well as the amount of money you’d need to maintain the same standard of living in both cities.

However, since it relies on user-submitted data, it is more accurate for larger cities.

Also Read: Good Signs You Will Get The Job After An Interview

3. You’ll Need to Move Away From Your Spouse and Kids

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Family is the most important thing in the world. Most likely, the reason you’re working so hard in the first place is to provide for your family and give them the best this world has to offer.

If moving means you will have to leave your spouse and children behind, think about how it will affect your relationship with them.

Do you really want to be left out of significant events in your child’s life and be unable to attend school functions? Do you want to be helpless and unable to offer assistance when emergencies arise because you’re miles away?

How will it impact your relationship with your partner? Distance will put any relationship or marriage to the test, regardless of how strong you think your relationship is.

Of course, there are various factors to consider. For example, if you’ll only be away temporarily, that’s different – you both have a set deadline to look forward to, after which you’ll be back together.

You might think you can just move with your family, but that’s not always possible. You’ll need to consider schooling options for your kids, for example.

Also, uprooting your kids from their social circle and current structure might be devastating for them in the long run.

If your parents are elderly, you might also be afraid of moving away from them. Stay and enjoy the remaining years you have with them.

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4. Your Partner Will Be Left With Nothing to Do

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Whether you’re married to your partner or not, things get more complicated when you’re not single.

As I mentioned, if your partner can’t move because of their job, the distance might make things difficult for you.

However, even if they do decide to move with you, you have to consider how it might affect them. You might be overly excited and pumped for your new job – you’ll be busy integrating into the new company culture, getting further training, meeting new coworkers, and generally staying busy.

Your partner, on the other hand, might be left alone to take care of the kids with nothing to do. Even if they were not previously working, they would now be left without the friends and social circle they once had, in an unfamiliar environment.

It will be difficult for them, and they might feel you are neglecting them. If there are no kids to care for, that’s even worse, as boredom and loneliness will set in quicker.

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5. There Are Fewer Opportunities in the Area

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When you get a relocation offer, think ahead and have a plan B in case the new job doesn’t work out. Whether the environment turns out to be toxic or you decide to quit for any other reason, what will you do next?

There’s a night-and-day difference between moving from a small town to a big city and vice versa.

If you’re moving to a large city like New York, Boston, Los Angeles, or any other city with many opportunities, you can be reasonably confident that there will be additional job opportunities in the future (although this does depend on the industry).

However, if you’re being relocated to some small town in a remote part of Idaho or Wyoming, is it really a good idea? If things don’t pan out, you might be left with no job opportunities.

6. The New Position Is No Better Than the Old One

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If you’re going to deal with the stress of relocation, you shouldn’t be moving laterally. Even if the new company is better than the old one, relocation isn’t generally advisable if you will retain the same position and title.

You should relocate if the new job offer gives you a higher rank and position that will boost your resume and further your career advancement opportunities.

7. You’re at a Later Stage in Your Life and Career

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There’s a reason why younger people are more likely to relocate to work, according to Allied’s Job Relocation Survey.

When young and unmarried, it’s easier to take risks and plunge yourself into a new environment. You have fewer attachments, and if anything goes wrong, you still have your whole life ahead of you.

You’re probably renting instead of paying off your mortgage as well, which also plays a role. It’s a lot easier to get out of a rental contract than to sell a home (although you might have to forfeit a month’s rent or so).

When you’re older, however, things get significantly more difficult. You might have a spouse and children, a mortgage to pay off, and other attachments to your community.

If you’ve lived your entire life somewhere, moving to the other side of the country will be a lot more complicated. It’s easier to meet new people when you’re young and single, and it’s easier to pick up the pieces of your life if things fall apart – you’ve barely established yourself in your career.

In fact, you might be doing yourself a disservice by turning down that offer, preventing yourself from exploring new cities and ways of life and going on an adventure. You never know where your career and life might take you if you gather the courage to make that move.

Also Read: Most Asked Interview Questions & Answers

8. You’ll Hate Your Life

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Let’s face it – moving is always challenging. However, there are times when moving will just be too difficult and not worth the pain.

For example, let’s say you’re a city boy or girl with lots of friends, and you always go out on weekends and join social clubs or events. If you move to a dead, small town in Middle America where most residents are middle-aged and there’s nothing going on, you will feel out of place and lonely.

There might be nothing to do except sit at home watching television or playing video games. That might be fine for some, but if you’re an extrovert and need that social interaction, you’ll just be miserable.

Is it worth sacrificing your happiness and contentment for a slightly higher salary?

If you’re only moving for a year and will then come back, it might not be so bad, especially if the higher salary will allow you to save a significant chunk of money. It’s easier to survive tough conditions when there is an end in sight – the proverbial light at the end of the tunnel.

There are other factors you must consider as well. Moving within the same country is one thing, but moving internationally is even more difficult.

Making new friends will be more challenging, not only because you might not speak the language but also because of different cultural norms and expectations. You might find it hard to get along with people or date.

Even simple tasks like going to the grocery store, calling the doctor’s office to book an appointment, or visiting a government office to arrange your driver’s license can become incredibly hard to navigate.

As a foreigner, you may also stand out, which can augment your feelings of loneliness. People may try to take advantage of you if you don’t know how things work, and it will take quite a while to acclimate.

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9. You’ll Lose Money When Selling Your Home

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If the housing market in your city is in a bad state, moving might be a bad choice financially. If you’re going to lose $50,000 on your home sale, does a $10,000 yearly increase in salary make up for it?

There are other options – you may be able to lease out your house while you wait for real estate prices to rise, for example. If you need the money from the sale to finance your new home in your new city, though, that might not be an option.

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10. You’re Perfectly Happy Where You Are Now

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Sometimes, leaving your comfort zone isn’t a must. If you’re happy, and things are just fine the way they are, why fix something that isn’t broken?

Think about your true motivations to relocate. Is it because you are worried others will see your life as dull?

There is sometimes a bit of societal pressure to have things going on in our lives, whether it’s a new job, a new apartment, a kid, an engagement, etc. If all your friends in your social circle are experiencing changes in their lives, you might feel left out – the boring one.

If you’re happy, though, there’s no reason to change things. That’s provided there’s nothing lacking in your current job.

Also Read: How To Answer “Tell Me About Yourself”?

Wrong Reasons Not to Relocate

There are definitely times when moving to a new city is the right choice. It can be hard to know whether your reasons for rejecting the offer are based on fear or other misguided reasons, so let’s look at some wrong reasons not to relocate for a job.

1. You’re Afraid of Being Away From Family When You’re Young

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This might sound a tad contradictory, especially when I waxed on earlier about how family is everything.

That might apply when you have a spouse and children or want to stay near your elderly parents. However, if you are young and are afraid of being away from the place where you grew up for the first time, that’s not a good reason not to leave.

Barring any illnesses in the family, it’s okay to test your independence and be alone for a while. You have time to move back later, and most people can benefit a lot from moving away from their families for a while.

I won’t lie to you – it will probably be a struggle. You won’t be able to rely on your family to help you out whenever you have a problem, and if you’re lonely, you can’t just drop in to visit your siblings or parents.

It does build character, though, and it forces you to learn how to survive by yourself. You’ll also get to develop yourself and discover who you truly are without the constraints you might face when living with or close to your family.

Besides, if it’s the right choice for your career, go for it! Don’t hold yourself back from a massive growth opportunity, even if your family is trying to discourage you from moving away.

If your parents don’t support your decision, explain how beneficial it would be for you. Hopefully, you’ll be able to convince them that it’s the right step to take at this stage in your life.

Don’t feel guilty, either, if you can’t convince them. As an adult, the only person responsible for you is yourself – at the end of the day, you’re the only one you can rely on to support yourself financially.

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2. You Don’t Want to Leave Your Comfort Zone

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It’s normal to be afraid to move out of your comfort zone. When you have worked at the same place for several years, you might be unable to imagine another life.

While you might whine about the monotony and boredom of making the same commute every day and sitting at the same desk, you are also comfortable in this monotony. Work may be stressful, but at least it’s familiar.

That all changes when you move. Changing jobs is always stressful, but moving to a new city is many times more so, especially if you don’t know anyone there or don’t speak the language.

More often than not, though, your comfort zone holds you back from growth. Having the guts to leap into the unknown will introduce you to new experiences, career opportunities, and friends.

You never know where life will take you, and you have only one life to live, so make the most of it.

Again, this only applies if things are lacking in your current job, such as no career advancement opportunities or insufficient pay. However, if your job is great, there’s no reason to force yourself to make a change just for the sake of it, as I discussed earlier.

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3. You Don’t Want to Lose Your Social Circle

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Moving might be more difficult when you have social anxiety and find it challenging to make friends. However, just because you have friends in your current workplace doesn’t mean it’s the best for you financially or career-wise.

Similarly, emotional attachments shouldn’t take priority over your life. When considering the move, don’t let your crush on a coworker, for example, cause you to stay, even if you deny that’s the true reason for swaying your decision.

Also Read: How To Answer “What Are Your Salary Expectations”?

 How to Make the Right Decision?

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Decision-making isn’t easy. In fact, it’s a skill that only gets better with time.

If you’ve always been indecisive, the thought of even making a decision can cause you immense anxiety. You might worry about making the wrong choice, and the thoughts swirling in your head might cause you to stress and lose sleep.

Many people recommend using lists of pros and cons to aid in your decisions. For such life-changing decisions, though, I recommend going a step further and giving each pro and con a rating on a scale from one to five.

For example, needing to move away from your spouse might have a rating of five, while not getting a relocation package might only get a rating of three (with five being a more significant factor not to move).

That way, you can get a clearer picture of how bad relocating would be for you and accurately weigh the two sides of the scale.

I also recommend practicing making smaller decisions if you find yourself too indecisive in general. The more decisions you make without looking back, the easier it will be to make them – like anything, it takes practice.

Get used to deciding what you want and go for it. Most of the time, it will work out – the consequences of making any particular decision probably aren’t as drastic as you might think.

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Wrapping It Up

If you’re not getting a relocation package and the costs of living are much higher in the new city, relocating is probably the wrong choice financially.

You must also consider personal factors, such as the need to move away from your family and how it will affect your emotional well-being when receiving a job offer in another city.

Remember, you can always ask a trusted friend or family member for advice. They may be able to offer a perspective that can help you gain important insight into the situation – a new way to look at things.