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i realize this list might be kind of odd. let me explain.
i have lived all of my 28 years in the NYC metro region. grew up in NJ, now live in Westchester, NY (just outside of Manhattan).
things i dislike in no particular order:
1. rat race
2. winter weather
3. COL
4. same old
things i like:
1. family/friends/gf
2. proximity to NYC
3. proximity to beach
4. proximity to "decent" mountains
growing up i have always dreamed of living in California. my brother moved to San Diego at 24-25, he is now in his 40's and settled in San Clemente. a lot of things appeal to me about California, most of all the weather and the scenery. i love the outdoors. i love to surf and snowboard and i love sunshine. i do not think i can live in the NE for my entire life, nor do i think i can afford it.
i am also throwing Denver/Boulder in there b/c i know they're beautiful areas with access to some of the best mountains in the country while still having a decent job market.
so, please weigh in and let me know your thoughts.
i didn't throw Seattle in the title but i have often considered that too.
things i dislike in no particular order:
1. rat race NYC and SF = rat race, and they are slightly different rat races. Finance in SF is a satellite office lonely rat race. Otherwise you're in a tech rat race on home turf akin to NYC's corporate/finance rat race, but then you're in a rat race with techies, so it's a different personality. In terms of daily living, SF residents are just as competitive as New Yorkers, but with an entirely different array of "life traits". Be prepared. I've found that the real rat races in this country are NYC, SF, LA, DC, and perhaps Boston. Maybe Miami considering all the poor people compelled to spend money on clothes and cars down there. There's really no "rat race" anywhere else to the same degree. SD and Denver seem like 2 cities in America particularly and culturally opposed to any sort of "rat race"
2. winter weather only NYC, Denver gets snow but its winter temps seem to fluctuate A LOT and being in the plains next to the Rockies is not the same as being IN the Rockies regarding weather; SF isn't "warm" really at any point like SoCal/SD
3. COL SF more expensive than NYC now. It's actually ridiculous. You'll constantly feel like "it's not worth it". Why should any city be more expensive than NYC? For buying a home, SD is also expensive. Denver by far the cheapest, but don't go into Denver thinking at all that it's "cheap"/"a bargain"/"a steal!", it's just that the other cities on your list are outrageous in many respects (and do keep in mind that relativity...is it outrageous for "what it is"? I'd argue that only Denver on this list is a real "deal" for what you get.
4. same old ALL of these cities. NYC to me is the most fast paced and constantly changing, very dynamic (IOW, LEAST "same old"). Followed by SF. Then maybe Denver actually. Then SD, which to me is slowwwww and is really really same old, but it's a same old that people stay for (beautiful weather, slow pace, SoCal life)
things i like:
1. family/friends/gf where are they? CA, even CO are far more isolated to the rest of the country. Frankly, if you're entirely east coast based, moving to CA is akin to moving to London (both English speaking, both drastically different). It's a 6 hr plane ride that isn't cheap. Keep that in mind. You can't just visit people on a whim and you have to be prepared to pay. Going back for weddings is expensive. And exhausting. It helps on the W Coast if most of your family/friends life is also W Coast. It's only a half step removed from being in a different country. And sometimes it can feel like a different country
2. proximity to NYC Ha, Denver is 1.5-2 hr shorter plane ride, but all of your options are about as far as you can get without going to AK or HI
3. proximity to beach Disregard SF. Beautiful area beaches, but COLD. Like Maine water cold even in July/August (when the outside temp is also cold). San Diego is really the ONLY option here for *decent* and more than briefly seasonal beach weather.
4. proximity to "decent" mountains All 4. Denver #1 followed by SF followed by a toss up between SD and NYC, and the latter two are a distant 3rd/4th when compared to CO Rockies/Vail and the Sierras/Tahoe/Mammoth. CA is in a prolonged record drought with limited snow. Keep that in mind too. In terms of day hikes and metro/regional mountains, I'd put SF at #1. You can bike or take transit to 4,000 ft vertical climb hikes that overlook the Bay Area from different vantage points. Maybe followed by SD which has taller area peaks but to my knowledge not necessarily as hike accessible/worthy followed by Denver, especially if you live closer to Boulder or Lakewood, followed distantly by NYC.
things i dislike in no particular order:
1. rat race NYC and SF = rat race, and they are slightly different rat races. Finance in SF is a satellite office lonely rat race. Otherwise you're in a tech rat race on home turf akin to NYC's corporate/finance rat race, but then you're in a rat race with techies, so it's a different personality. In terms of daily living, SF residents are just as competitive as New Yorkers, but with an entirely different array of "life traits". Be prepared. I've found that the real rat races in this country are NYC, SF, LA, DC, and perhaps Boston. Maybe Miami considering all the poor people compelled to spend money on clothes and cars down there. There's really no "rat race" anywhere else to the same degree. SD and Denver seem like 2 cities in America particularly and culturally opposed to any sort of "rat race"
2. winter weather only NYC, Denver gets snow but its winter temps seem to fluctuate A LOT and being in the plains next to the Rockies is not the same as being IN the Rockies regarding weather; SF isn't "warm" really at any point like SoCal/SD
3. COL SF more expensive than NYC now. It's actually ridiculous. You'll constantly feel like "it's not worth it". Why should any city be more expensive than NYC? For buying a home, SD is also expensive. Denver by far the cheapest, but don't go into Denver thinking at all that it's "cheap"/"a bargain"/"a steal!", it's just that the other cities on your list are outrageous in many respects (and do keep in mind that relativity...is it outrageous for "what it is"? I'd argue that only Denver on this list is a real "deal" for what you get.
4. same old ALL of these cities. NYC to me is the most fast paced and constantly changing, very dynamic (IOW, LEAST "same old"). Followed by SF. Then maybe Denver actually. Then SD, which to me is slowwwww and is really really same old, but it's a same old that people stay for (beautiful weather, slow pace, SoCal life)
things i like:
1. family/friends/gf where are they? CA, even CO are far more isolated to the rest of the country. Frankly, if you're entirely east coast based, moving to CA is akin to moving to London (both English speaking, both drastically different). It's a 6 hr plane ride that isn't cheap. Keep that in mind. You can't just visit people on a whim and you have to be prepared to pay. Going back for weddings is expensive. And exhausting. It helps on the W Coast if most of your family/friends life is also W Coast. It's only a half step removed from being in a different country. And sometimes it can feel like a different country
2. proximity to NYC Ha, Denver is 1.5-2 hr shorter plane ride, but all of your options are about as far as you can get without going to AK or HI
3. proximity to beach Disregard SF. Beautiful area beaches, but COLD. Like Maine water cold even in July/August (when the outside temp is also cold). San Diego is really the ONLY option here for *decent* and more than briefly seasonal beach weather.
4. proximity to "decent" mountains All 4. Denver #1 followed by SF followed by a toss up between SD and NYC, and the latter two are a distant 3rd/4th when compared to CO Rockies/Vail and the Sierras/Tahoe/Mammoth. CA is in a prolonged record drought with limited snow. Keep that in mind too. In terms of day hikes and metro/regional mountains, I'd put SF at #1. You can bike or take transit to 4,000 ft vertical climb hikes that overlook the Bay Area from different vantage points. Maybe followed by SD which has taller area peaks but to my knowledge not necessarily as hike accessible/worthy followed by Denver, especially if you live closer to Boulder or Lakewood, followed distantly by NYC.
thank you, this is an incredibly detailed rundown.
I think San Diego might give you the best balance of all the things you are looking for and want to avoid. You have at least your brother close by for family.
Mountains in SD aren't bad but fairly average, mountains near LA are better and taller but still not as good as the one's people in SF and Denver visit.
Biggest downsides will be the Cost of Living imo. Depending on what kind of job you can land it could end up being just as bad as where you are now financially and possibly worse than SF.
I think San Diego might give you the best balance of all the things you are looking for and want to avoid. You have at least your brother close by for family.
Mountains in SD aren't bad but fairly average, mountains near LA are better and taller but still not as good as the one's people in SF and Denver visit.
Biggest downsides will be the Cost of Living imo. Depending on what kind of job you can land it could end up being just as bad as where you are now financially and possibly worse than SF.
worse than SF? i didn't know that was possible.
COL is fairly high here too. i pay $1650 for a 1BR in only a "fairly-decent" area.
COL is fairly high here too. i pay $1650 for a 1BR in only a "fairly-decent" area.
Overall the jobs in SF pay that much better and there are more and better positions to choose from. It just depends on what type of salary/job you get, it could be better, the same, and in some cases worse. I think the deciding factor for SD is the type of job and salary you will be able to get.
According to this calculator $50K in SD would mean you would need about $75K in SF.
Moderator cut: link removed, linking to competitor sites is not allowed
$1650 will get you more in SD than SF for sure.
Last edited by Yac; 03-13-2015 at 07:56 AM..
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