Why would you want to relocate to a city in the middle of a desert? Well.. not exactly in the middle. Phoenix, Arizona is located on the upper edge of the Sonoran Desert, but you get the idea.
Is it because you are moving from a cold area of the US and already fed up with ice and snow? Is it because you love to indulge in authentic Mexican food. (Raise your hand if you’re a taco lover.)
Or is it because you look forward to starting a new life in a vibrant city close to Las Vegas and the Grand Canyon?
Only you know the answer to the question. It truly depends on your specific reasons. What we can do for you is to guide you through some things you need to know before you move there.
So before you start packing your sunscreen, sun hat, and sunglasses, let’s take a look at:
All you need to know about Phoenix
You’ll never get lost.
Isn’t it fun to get lost in a new city and discover hidden gems while at it? Well.. you won’t have that chance in Phoenix. Downtown Phoenix is one of the easiest cities to navigate in the US. Even if you are way too bad with directions, the streets are fixed in a way that you always know if you are heading north, west, south, or east.
Here’s a little tip if you want to get lost on purpose: don’t look for South Mountain. It’s a major orientation spoiler. And if you do need some help with getting around, once again, look for South Mountain. Easy.
Transplants are everywhere.
You know that feeling when you move to a new city and you feel out of place? It won’t be the case once you move to the capital of Arizona. People from literally everywhere consider themselves lucky to call Phoenix home.
You can rest assured that you will find only a handful of native Phoenicians. The rest are from New York, Chicago, Minneapolis-St. Paul, Los Angeles, Florida… You name it!
In Phoenix, the feeling of belonging is guaranteed. Everyone you meet will be clear proof that you will soon fit right in, just like they did.
The other great thing about the city is that you won’t miss your local food as much. There are plenty of great restaurants that can offer your favorite food, whenever you crave it.
Own many pairs of jeans? No problem!
You see… Phoenix is not the place to wear fancy clothes year-round. If you have many pairs of jeans to pack, don’t feel guilty. The Valley of the Sun is the perfect place to wear them. You can pretty much wear them everywhere since Phoenix is one of the most informal cities in the nation.
Just don’t overdo it and wear pajamas everywhere. Who are we to judge though?
A desert love-hate relationship.
Deserts are beautiful. Even if you hate them at the moment, our guess is that you will fall in love with them over time. Go see the Desert Botanical Garden and you’ll see what we are talking about.
Watch out for scorpions!
While there are not a lot of snakes, scorpions might be lurking in close distances. Especially if you live near a mountain. To be on the safe side, make sure you check your shoes and invest in a blacklight.
The Mexican food is TO. DIE. FOR.
Any chance you are a big fan of tamales, tacos, quesadillas, and other delicious Mexican food? Then you will enjoy all these special dishes in various restaurants all over Phoenix. Make sure to read online reviews and look for recommendations from locals.
Over 300 days of sunshine per year!
When you move to Phoenix, you might get tempted to get a tan as soon as possible. But think again. If you don’t want to be singled out as a “foreigner”, try to blend in by not bathing in the sun.
Locals try to stay out of the heat and use sunscreen every day. Maybe you should do the same once you head to the Valley of the Sun.
A change of climate
Phoenix has a hot desert climate that is typical for the Sonoran Desert. It is the hottest desert in North America and one of the hottest in the entire world. But you already knew about the heat before you made up your mind to move there, didn’t you?
So be prepared to embrace those sunny days while in Phoenix. Once the long, hot summers and short, mild to warm winters are gone, the rest of the year has pleasant weather.
If you don’t like rainy days, you’re in luck as well. Phoenix averages about 8 inches of rain per year, so don’t even bother packing your umbrella. You won’t need it.
Living costs and economy
Compared to the national average, the rent, utilities, transportation, food, and other monthly costs in Phoenix are much lower. The real estate costs are also less expensive compared to other big cities in the US.
The economy of Phoenix used to be mainly based on cotton, cattle, citrus, climate, and copper. Nowadays its economy is still based on agriculture and natural resources. But other industries such as real estate, finance and insurance, manufacturing, retail trade, healthcare, tourism, and technology affect its economy.
Moving to Phoenix with a car
The bus systems and the light rail are pretty limited in Phoenix. Especially when it comes to their size. Moreover, public transportation is mainly functional for Phoenix tourists. Since you are going to move to this vibrant city, you will need to have at least one car.
Keep in mind that you will have to register your car and submit all the documents that are required to your local Arizona Motor Vehicle Division (MVD) office in person.
Shipping your car to Phoenix, Arizona
Imagine you are moving from Chicago to Phoenix – that’s quite a distance to cover, especially when you have to orchestrate the entire move. Hence, shipping your car is better than driving it yourself. That’s a no-brainer. The question is, how do you find a reliable shipping company that will take good care of your car from start to finish.
This task may seem hard to some and a piece of cake to others. It depends on whether you have shipped a car before or not. If you are new to this, don’t worry.
Many people ship their cars from Chicago to Phoenix, from Florida to Arizona, and all over the country every day.
All you have to do is research as much as you can, read online reviews, and request multiple quotes. Once you make up your mind about 2-3 companies, give them a call and ask questions about shipping your car to Phoenix.
We at Corsia Logistics make sure to guide you through all the steps. We strive to make the shipping process as simple as possible. Feel free to contact us and request your free, no-obligation quote today. Thank you!
