Moving to SF from Houston, TX - confused on comparable cost-of-living (2014, homes)

[neutrino78x]

ok, I just picked through the thread again. I don't see any post in which the OP said he had a SFH and kids. Maybe you guys can enlighten me.

[tikkasf]

Originally Posted by neutrino78x

My advice is more helpful is the guy is single. Your advice is for married people with kids who do not want to rent.

Not sure how you came to that conclusion....

[tikkasf]

OP;
Use this web page to get some idea what your CA state tax rate might be for a given salary.


https://webapp.ftb.ca.gov/taxcalc/ca...edirectURL=OTC

[tikkasf]

OP
If you have not already done so, you can you a website called sperling's to do some cost comparisons, click on research tools tab

[neutrino78x]

Originally Posted by tikkasf

Not sure how you came to that conclusion....

The advice I give people is how to live as a single person who does not make the median income for the area. That's important, because the perspective of someone who makes 250k is different from someone who makes 100k, and both are different from someone making an hourly wage like $20/hr or so. The 250k and 100k earners would argue that it is impossible to live here if you make $20/hr or less. I know from personal experience that they are incorrect. So a single person who doesn't expect to make 100k or 250k would benefit more from what I have to say than they would from what you have to say.

It should be obvious that a single person does not need 250,000/year to have the same purchasing power as someone who makes 80k in Texas.

The big difference is housing cost -- when we talk about high CoL, we're mainly talking about housing -- and it should be obvious that a single man doesn't need to purchase a single family home. What would he do with five empty bedrooms? So it's a meaningless comparison. The cost of a SFH is irrelevant to someone who's single. That's something people worry about when they get married and have kids. And of course, many, MANY people live here and get married and have kids and live in San Jose or San Francisco without making 200k or even 100k. But nobody would realize that if they only read posts from the high earning posters. They would be under the impression that this area is populated exclusively by high income earners.

The 250k salary comes into play when you're trying to buy a SFH, not when you're just renting a place as a single person.

I'm still waiting for you to cite where the OP said he currently lives in a SFH and therefore is trying to figure out what salary he needs to match that living situation here. If you agree that he didn't, I expect such an agreement to be accompanied by an apology.

[Ruth4Truth]

neutrino, he'll be fine. They'll give him the money he needs to live in the area. He can live across the Bay and commute in, he'll be able to save money. Not $2000/mo., but he'll be fine. There's no earthly reason for him to live like a student. You're still being ridiculous.

[04kL4nD]

Originally Posted by polkadotsandglitter

Hi folks!

So, there's an offer on the table for me to take my bags and move on over to SF. I'd be with the same company, and I've been asked to name the price. There's plenty of cost-of-living calculators on the web, but I need some real-life opinions as to what a comparable salary is + cost-of-living.

neutrino78x, you really need to work on your reading comprehension. The OP clearly stated he was looking for a COMPARABLE salary/COL. He never once said he was fine with downgrading into a student living type situation. If the OP was a college student asking how to make it work, I -and plenty of others who put themselves through school in shared living situations - would have happily provided that info. If you dig through my posts, I have long told people about what my experiences were like living in West Oakland in a 4BR house with three other roommates in college and graduate school. Nothing in the OP's posts indicates he's going to be a student again with a limited budget.

While you may think you are helping, you are actively spreading misinformation by insinuating that the only reasonable way to live here in to live in shared room situations. The OP sounds like he's in a position to negotiate a salary to put him in a COMPARABLE position in the Bay Area. Is he going to have to make some sacrifices? Probably. But your suggestions are indeed, ridiculous, GIVEN WHAT THE OP ACTUALLY WROTE...

[tikkasf]

I am actually trying not to give OP much advice at this stage. I don't think we are dealing with someone just out of school. I provided him/her with a couple of links that will should give OP good idea of what it cost to get a acceptable place to live to him/her. Since providing those links, I see another posting by OP stating that his/her salary can be negotiated up to take into account the cost of living increase. I have since provided a OP a website source to do a cost of living comparison between different cities and a website to calculate the CA state tax rate per given salary.

[neutrino78x]

Originally Posted by 04kL4nD

neutrino78x, you really need to work on your reading comprehension. The OP clearly stated he was looking for a COMPARABLE salary/COL. He never once said he was fine with downgrading into a student living type situation.

Downgrading from what? What are you talking about? In other words what makes you think he doesn't live in a one bedroom apartment right now? Again, cite where he said he is currently living in a SFH that he owns. Then a comment like this might have some merit.

[04kL4nD]

Cost of living: How far will my salary go in another city? - CNNMoney

To live a COMPARABLE lifestyle in SF, the OP would effectively need to double his salary. You can argue with the calculator if it makes you feel better, but you're being insufferable at this point.