So you want the Gilmore life. Don't we all? Pack your bags because Stars Hallow is based on a real Connecticut town called Washington Depot. That's right, and while you give your boss your two weeks' notice and start packing the kitchen, we've run the numbers to give you a look at what it would cost to live like Rory and Lorelai IRL.
Lorelai and Rory's house:
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To get the two-bed, two-bath house that Lorelai and Rory shared in the center of town, you're going to be shelling out around $400-450k. If you don't have the deposit handy, that's okay. You can rent a three- bedroom house for $2,500/month.
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Coffee and food at Luke’s:
If you're looking to grab the daily Gilmore grub, head to Marty's Cafe. Coffee costs $2, and the average meal runs around $10. No word on if they promise the same level of snark (but it's probably BYO).
Business courses at the local community college:
Lorelai attended night school to get her business degree. If you want to keep up with your career development, the closest community college is Northwester Connecticut Community College in Winsted. According to their price calculator, a full year's tuition will cost around $8,198.
Rory’s book habit:
Rory was an avid reader, so avid that in the pilot we are told that Dean watched as she read Moby Dick without looking up, even though a guy got nailed in the face with a basketball — blood everywhere — right in front of her. It's safe to say she read a book/day. At an average of of $15 per book, that would bring you to a monthly book total of $450. Now, Rory grabbed most of her books from the library, and you should, too.
There's one book that should be on your bookshelf for a truly Gilmore home, and it's the Condensed Oxford English Dictionary. When Christopher, Rory's dad, rolls into town on his motorcycle, he takes Rory to the bookshop and tries to buy her the Condensed OED, but his credit card is declined. Check the balance on your card before you snag a copy for a cool $379.95 on Amazon.
Sending Rory to Chilton:
The pilot episode of Gilmore Girls centers around Rory getting into Chilton, an elite prep school and her mother's struggle to pay for it. Much of the show is about Rory's education, so it makes sense that it's one of the pricier items on the list. Chilton was based on Choate Rosemary Hall in Wallingford, CT.
Although Rory's grandparents paid for Chilton, we looked into tuition prices anyhow. For day students, tuition is $37,840. If you're over the mother-daughter familial bonding, you can also opt to board your child. The good news is that it only costs $48,890 per year, which means you could spend a cool $195,560 just on your kid's high school education. Time to call Richard and Emily!
Dance classes at Miss Patty’s:
True, Rory and Lorelai weren't much for dance classes, but they were missing out. Miss Patty was on Broadway once! Now, no idea on the Broadway status of the real life Miss Patty, but here's what we know: There is a dance studio in town called Pilobolus Contemporary Dance Studio (admittedly, the name is not as catchy). They offer kids' classes as well as classes for adults and teens. If you pre-register for a 10-class session, it's $100 cash or $105 with credit card.