When I meet Korean residents who have lived in Irvine for a long time, I often hear this phrase.

"Irvine wasn't this expensive back in the day."

Especially those who lived in Orange County since the 1990s always say they should have bought a house back then.

Looking back, it may sound like a privileged complaint, but at that time, Irvine didn't have the strong image of being a high-cost residential area like it does now.

As a planned city, it was clean, had good schools, and new homes were continuously being built, giving it a feel of being less crowded than LA.

But after 30 years, it has become a completely different city.

The biggest reason for the high cost of living in Irvine these days is, of course, housing.

For a one-bedroom apartment, you should expect to pay around $3,000 a month, and new apartments or those in popular areas often exceed that.

If you move up to a two-bedroom, you should be prepared for prices around $3,500 to $4,500.

When I ask older residents, "How much was your rent back then?" the amounts they mention are incomparable to today.

And they always add this line at the end: "I should have bought another house back then." But who knew at that time? If we had known, we all would have bought ten houses each.

These days, even a typical single-family home in Irvine often exceeds $1 million, and depending on the area and size of the house, prices over $1.5 million are not unusual.

Even if you prepare a 20% down payment, you need hundreds of thousands of dollars in cash. Plus, there are property taxes, insurance, and HOA fees.

Yet, people keep moving in. The reason is the Irvine Unified School District.

When I ask Korean families with children why they choose Irvine, the conversation inevitably turns to the school district.

Since the public school quality is generally high, some parents think that the high home prices include a sort of education cost.

The living environment is also convenient. There are Korean markets like H Mart, and it's easy to find Korean restaurants, hospitals, and tutoring centers.

With just a short drive, you can access the Korean business districts in Buena Park and Fullerton, so from a Korean perspective, living in America isn't too inconvenient.

The problem is that even grocery shopping costs money. It's no longer surprising to see a bill of $150 at the checkout at places like Whole Foods, even with just a few items in the cart. Dining out with family can easily exceed $100, including tips.

If you have young children, it adds up even more. With daycare or preschool costs, you could be spending thousands of dollars a month.

When you add in car insurance, electricity, and water bills, it's natural to wonder, "How much do I need to earn to live comfortably here?"

Still, Irvine is a planned city with well-organized roads and parks, good school districts, and plenty of job opportunities.

It remains an attractive place for families seeking a safe suburban lifestyle.

So, when I meet those who settled in Irvine 30 years ago, I feel a bit envious.

Back then, they thought it was just a quiet and pleasant new city, and they bought a house, which has now become a tremendous asset over the years.

Ultimately, the saying "Irvine was affordable and nice back in the day" isn't entirely wrong. However, Irvine has indeed become very expensive as it has become better.