Natalie Alatriste was born and raised in a Latin American family in Miami-Dade County, Florida. In Alatriste's memory, Miami in the 1990s was a vibrant yet not overly crowded city, boasting a multicultural environment where communities of Cuban, Mexican, Haitian, Venezuelan, and Colombian descent coexisted.

However, according to her, the city's appearance changed significantly after the Covid-19 pandemic. An influx of people from high-cost states like New York after the pandemic rapidly drove up prices in Miami.

Natalie Alatriste. Photo: BI

Alatriste worked at a global company, earning approximately 175,000 USD per year, which is considered high in a state where the median household income is around 75,000 USD annually.

Yet, Alatriste stated that she still "felt poor" due to high fixed costs in Florida, especially housing. She lived in a two-bedroom apartment in Coral Gables since 2020, with an initial rent of 2,200 USD per month. By 2025, it had increased to 3,750 USD, despite no changes to the apartment's condition.

Other expenses, such as electricity, groceries, and dining out, also rose significantly. Alatriste noted that a 25 USD cocktail in Miami had become commonplace. Traffic was another major issue; expressways were frequently under construction, causing an 8 km commute to take 30-45 minutes during peak hours.

"The public transportation system is limited, and Florida's hot, humid weather makes walking or taking the bus inconvenient; you'd arrive at work drenched in sweat", Alatriste told Business Insider.

From 2024, she began considering leaving Florida as living costs surged and the political environment in the state no longer aligned with her personal views. "Florida no longer felt like home to me", Alatriste said.

The decision to leave was not easy, as her family still lived in Florida. Alatriste mentioned that she hesitated many times before packing her belongings to move.

In 2025, she moved to Arlington, Virginia, after long deliberation about living costs and personal direction. "The day I left was very emotional, as if I was leaving everything familiar behind", she recalled.

Arlington was a place she had a positive impression of since high school, having attended President Barack Obama's inauguration in 2009. This area, located about 20 minutes from Washington, she found more suitable for her personal pace of life.

Alatriste currently lives with her partner in Shirlington, an area home to many young families in their 30s-40s. Here, she has built neighborhood relationships, joined a book club, and maintained a fitness routine, a contrast to Miami's lively lifestyle.

"Miami has a party-centric culture, so stepping into this new environment was exactly what I had always dreamed of. I finally found it", she told Arlington Today.

Alatriste and her partner. Photo: BI

Alatriste stated that she clearly felt a sense of financial relief living in Arlington. She and her partner rent a three-story townhouse, approximately 232 m2, for 4,350 USD per month. Although the rent is not low, having two incomes and a more reasonable cost of living has made life less stressful, from groceries and car insurance to daily expenses.

After leaving her previous company, she started her own consulting business, working with healthcare companies. According to Alatriste, the environment in Virginia is more favorable for career development, with many organizations and industry professionals concentrated there. She currently has 5-6 clients and has hired her first part-time employee.

"I no longer feel like I'm wasting too much time or money just to maintain a living. However, I still miss my family in Florida and do not rule out the possibility of returning in the future, if living conditions in Miami were to change significantly", Alatriste said.

Yen Anh (According to Business Insider, Arlington Today)