The cost of living isn't so bad once you get used to it. Plus, it's not as if you'll be living on the Upper East or Upper West Sides, where sometimes things cost a little more. You'll be in Nyack--I think it's either Putnam or Rockland County. It's a suburb, but not an expensive suburb like Greenwich or Bedford.
As for salt, a lot of municipalities are also calling for sand. You should see the havoc those salt compounds can wreak on masonry buildings--especially brownstones, 'cause the stone is so delicate anyway. If you ever wanted to go into building conservation, there's a lot of money in telling people not to use salt as a de-icer.
