These are the country's most expensive metro areas in which to live

Anyone who's moved from a small town to a big city quickly learns that you can't stretch a dollar as far as you used to. When a 242-square-foot apartment costs $3,000 per month, it becomes pretty clear that cutting costs is a much more pressing need.

Despite the steep costs, some people feel at home in the hustle and bustle of the big city. CareerTrends -- an employment and career research site powered by the Graphiq network -- found the 10 most expensive large metros. The list is ranked by the monthly dollar amount required for a married couple with two children to meet a secure yet modest living standard, as defined by the Economic Policy Institute's 2015 Family Budget Calculator.

The EPI provides estimated costs of childcare, food, healthcare, housing, taxes, transportation and other necessities across 618 locations. This list focuses on large metros with a population of at least 1 million people.

Unsurprisingly, large metros in California and New York are among the most expensive. The 10 most expensive large metros each have a monthly budget over $6,300. We'll run down the list from No. 10, finishing with the most expensive metro of all, which has a monthly budget over $8,800.

#10. Milwaukee-Waukesha-West Allis, WI

#9. Philadelphia, PA

#8. Buffalo-Niagara Falls, NY

#7. Rochester, NY

#6. Hartford, CT

#5. San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA

#4. Boston, MA

#3. San Francisco, CA

#2. New York, NY

#1. Washington, DC