Boston v/s Houston ??

Travel Info
I have been living in Houston for the past 4 yrs. Moved here from Asia (and no - am not chinese) but have had a very difficult time finding like minded company. I am tired of living in the south & want to move to either the North East or West. But as CA is expensive, I'm planning to apply for an MBA in the northeast. I've heard mixed opinions abt ppl living in the snow zone against ppl living here in this deadly heat. But apart from the weather, is there anyone who's lived in both places and can compare other aspects of life in the 2 cities. I've been to Boston twice & find it really friendly & pretty. What do the others have to say ? Any other cities worth checking out ? Don't say NYC coz travelling in subways is just not my thing.

Travel Tips

Unfortunately Boston - actually you should consider it "Boston/Cambridge", also has a subway which is the best way to travel (Boston traffic is in places worse than NY's) although, notwithstanding FineWhine's comment, it is also dirtier than NY's -- at present, although that could change, of course.

But believe it: if you come to live in Boston (or NYC) you will well appreciate that you do not absolutely have to have a car.

A subway is one of the prices to pay for a city that - unlike Houston - is densely settled with lots of cohesive, walkable neighborhoods. All of the world's greatest cities are like that.

Boston also has a much, much greater variety of things to do and places to see within 150 kilometers.

Boston has much better fish and beers; Houston has (with a couple of exceptions) better barbecues and (of course!) tex-mex..

Boston is VERY politically blue, Houston is red.

Notwithstanding a couple of small neighborhoods in Boston, Houston has worse violent crime.

As far as friendliness, generally New Englanders are far more sincere; in Texas one is far more likely to be greeted with a phony grin and greeting.

You do not say where you come from in Asia other than you are not Chinese and what you mean by "like minded company." Because of all the universities the Boston area has small educated elite populations from India and Japan or of Indian or Japanese heritage, as well as a small group of Iranian expatriates. It has a larger population of a broader demographic of Vietnamese and the USA's 2nd largest concentration of Cambodians.

Unfortunately, the cost of living, all things considered, is about the same in Boston as it is in San Fran, CA.
Others

Boston is historic, Houston is crime ridden and dirty.
http://www.mytravelscenes.com
Houston and Boston are totally different. The cost of living in Houston is much lower than in the city of Boston. Boston is diverse with lots of History. If you want to move to the Boston Area move to a suburb, rent/houses in Boston are expensive.. There are also so many great schools to get MBA's in Boston and the Boston area.

However, people are more laid back/conservative in the south than they are in the north east...

You get used to the snow. It's really that big of a deal... We all love to snowboard/ski/winter hike.. etc... :)
I've never even been to Houston so can't help with that, but I did want to address a couple of other things in your question.

You don't want to live in California because it's expensive, however Boston is rather expensive as well. To rent a place in the city will be $1500 a month and up, unless you want to live in the suburbs. However, living in the suburbs means likely taking the subway which you also say isn't your thing.

I live in Boston and love it. People here are very open-minded (I'm not sure what issues you're having with people in Houston, but Boston people are very laid-back). This would be a great place to come for an MBA as education is a top industry here, so it would be a wise choice in those terms. The people are friendly, and it is pretty, just like you said. I think you'd love it here, based on your past experiences.

I'm just concerned about those two points you mentioned. Get on craigslist to get an idea of what it would cost to rent a place here. Though you said the subway isn't your thing, but the Boston T system is actually rather good. You can view their website at www.mbta.com for maps. But if you definitely don't want to use the subway, cost will be your main concern here.

(For reference, I live in the suburbs and pay $1000 a month for a one-bedroom place, and I have a 30- to 40-minute subway commute from Malden Center to Back Bay on the orange line.)
Boston is a beautiful city but also much more expensive than a southern city like Houston. Boston is a fun city with lots of diverse people and historic places. Downtown area is beautiful and I don't think you could go wrong moving to Boston. It is a busy city but you won't find as much hustle and bustle like in NYC or other cities.
I'll start by saying I never lived in TX, although I have several friends there and have visited various parts for long periods of time. I can honestly say if my friends weren't there, I'd never go back (unless someone invents a "beam me down Scotty device, then I'd go to the crab houses on the Gulf for dinner and zip right back up here). I don't care for that state at all, for a multitude of reasons.

Yes, we have snow here in MA, and yes winter is definatly too long a season but the other 3 seaons, not to mention the lovely change in seasons is something I would really miss. I remember one trip down for 3 weeks before Xmas through New Years. This was outside Houston. The nights were freezing but then every few days it would go from say 40 to 80 during the days, which were all bleak and dreary. A winter of that and I'd rather have some snow truthfully. And I'll never forget my friend cranking the AC so they could light the fireplace for Christmas.

Our seasons are more clearly defined, and our Fall's and Springs just glorious. Like most things it's a trade off. Snow is a pain and in a bad year we all hate it, but this winter for example, the biggest storm was less than 6 inches. So it's not all blizzards.

Everyone I know speaks of "southern hospitality" but personally I find it nicer up here to generalize. I definately find people more educated (sorry but), less prejudice, and more open-minded about most everything. Also from a cultural standpoint, there is no comparison. We just have SO much more here on every level, from museums, events, concerts, festivals, you name it. And I think the landscape here if far nicer. So I would without hesitation choose Boston over Houston. Plus all the towns out there are soooo spread apart....takes forever to go anywhere else. Here it's much closer/consensed.

It is definately true that it's more money, but if you work you earn more too. Just not sure if you are going for your MBA if that will factor in. And btw, as a person who worked and lived in NY, and who refuses to set foot on a subway, I took the Boston T for years and it is a totally different type train. While it definately isn't my idea of fun (I much prefer my convertable now!!!), it isn't as fraction as bad as the NY subway. It is much cleaner and a gazillion times safer. It just can be time consuming and frustrating.

But as cities go, Boston is a VERY livable one, very easy to get around and there is always something to do. If you can, I'd come out here!