San Francisco or Las Vegas - What would you do? (Mountain View: apartment, rentals)

[irishman_irl]

Hi,

I am living abroad, moving for the 1st time to the US and I have two job offers:

1. Las Vegas - 70k
2. San Francisco (mountain view) - 78k

and I am trying to decide which is the better option.

The role (database developer) is pretty much identical with both companies, except the SF one pays a little more.

Because of this my decision comes down to where is a better place to live, if we go for SF we would like to live a close as possible to the city as mountain view seems a little quiet from my one time visit observation.

We live fairly modest lives, both have cars, like to go out to eat once a week, once a week to the movies etc...

Just wondering if anyone else out there has any experience of living in both cities or has any thoughts / suggestions on this?

Thanks!

[Snort]

A visit to both would settle this in an instant. I'll save you the cost of a trip though- Las Vegas blows.
Skip it.
Mountain View is not city living, but it's a nice town. Free internet through google too! Weather is much nicer in MV than Vegas. You're getting a biased opinion, but I like MV and I hate Vegas.

[aklein]

yeah, but you can get soo much more for your money in Vegas and the offers are basically the same. I would do Vegas build some equity and then move to the Bay Area.

[humboldtrat]

Las Vegas has a lower cost of living than San Francisco or even Mountain View. However, it gets hot in Las Vegas during the summer - 40 to 45 celsius. And unless you like to go to casinos and clubs, there isn't much else to do there.

I hope your job offer is solid. Both California and Nevada have about 12% unemployment.

[capoeira]

The offers are really the same considering the 9.55% state income tax in California vs. the 0% rate in Nevada.

[Mach50]

Have you ever lived in the desert? Vegas is desolate, except for the tourist areas. However, you need to move to a place you can afford, if you can afford it, I'd say SF will be a higher quality of living with so many more exciting things to do.

[olecapt]

Originally Posted by humboldtrat

Las Vegas has a lower cost of living than San Francisco or even Mountain View. However, it gets hot in Las Vegas during the summer - 40 to 45 celsius. And unless you like to go to casinos and clubs, there isn't much else to do there.

I hope your job offer is solid. Both California and Nevada have about 12% unemployment.

You are under the impression that Mountain View teams with culture and night life?

[capoeira]

The Bay area definitely has a lot more to do and much better weather. You also pay for it with a dramatic difference in the cost of living. For a 70K salary, an affordable rent of 25% of salary is $1458 per month. Check that out on Craigslist.

SF:

Peninsula rentals $1400 to $1500

Las Vegas:

Las Vegas rentals $1400 to $1500

For rent in that price range you get a modest apartment on the peninsula or an extremely wide variety of homes in Las Vegas.

Or if you stick with the modest apartment in Las Vegas you can save $1000/month!

Las Vegas rentals $400 to $500

[DMenscha]

I just got back from Vegas and I'd say it's an easy call to go there instead of the Bay Area. Your cost of living is going to be substantially lower in Vegas. It definitely has some quality of life issues, but you would be $$$$ ahead by going there.

[humboldtrat]

Originally Posted by olecapt

You are under the impression that Mountain View teams with culture and night life?

No, but San Francisco has culture and nightlife. If you think the Strip in LV passes for culture, think again. Outside of the strip, there isn't much in LV except strip malls and forclosed homes and condos stretching out to the horizon.