These days, just thinking about rent makes me sigh. We rent a 3-bedroom house in Buena Park, and the monthly rent is $3,500.

When we first signed the lease, we got a pretty good deal. But as time goes on, the burden of rent feels heavier.

At the end of each month, the automatic payment date approaches. Around that time, I find myself checking my bank balance one more time.

It's not that I don't have money, but seeing $3,500 leave my account every month doesn't make me feel lighthearted. The cost of living in California has risen so much that expenses are quite significant. Even grocery shopping costs much more than before, and school-related expenses for my child seem to keep increasing.

So sometimes, I jokingly say to my husband, "It feels like we're paying a mortgage even though we didn't buy a house." Of course, that's the nature of renting, but the large numbers make it feel different.

However, I recently met our landlord, an elderly woman, and heard something unexpected. She often comes by to check on the house and chat. That day, when I greeted her, she mentioned that she's been having a really hard time lately.

I was a bit surprised. I thought that since she receives rent, her life must be okay. But according to her, California is so expensive these days that it's not easy for her either. Property taxes have gone up, insurance costs have increased, and home repair expenses are much higher than before.

Hearing that honestly made me chuckle a little inside. We are calculating our expenses while paying $3,500 in rent, and yet someone who owns two rental properties is saying she's struggling. It felt a bit strange.

In that moment, I thought, "So what are we supposed to say?"

Of course, when I think about it, it's not entirely incomprehensible. It's said that even if you own a home in California, the maintenance costs are high. I've heard for a long time that property taxes, insurance, and repair costs keep rising. Still, from a renter's perspective, it feels like an ironic situation.

If both renters and landlords are struggling, then who is actually comfortable? It seems like that's the reality of living in California these days. Everyone appears to be doing fine on the outside, but inside, they seem to be living with a calculator in hand.

When I go grocery shopping and stand at the checkout, I have similar thoughts. A few years ago, I feel like I spent much less with the same shopping cart, but now the total quickly adds up. Gas prices, restaurant prices, everything is gradually increasing.

So these days, when I hear about rent, I can't help but sigh. We are stressed about paying rent every month, and our landlord, who owns two rental properties, says she's struggling to get by. Ultimately, it seems like everyone in California is just trying to hold on in their own way.

But what can we do? We have our child's school and my husband's job, and we can't just move right away.

So next month, I will send the $3,500 rent again.

These days, I feel like most people living in this neighborhood have different circumstances but are living with similar calculations.