Cant decide between Irvine or SF (San Diego, San Francisco: apartments, rent, new home)

[drums]

My husband has been offered two jobs, one in Irvine (for a little below 100,000$ per year) and one in SF ( a little below 110,000 per year).

Our priorities are
1) a diverse neighborhood- Is irvine as broad minded and diverse as SF?
2) outdoor stuff to do
3) safety
4) lesser commute times
5) bigger houses - can you get 2 bd apartments below 2000$ in less than 30 minutes commute time in orange county?
6) how is the health care system in irvine?

It is quite difficult to make a decision especially because the job in SF offers 10% more.
Any inputs will be welcome. thanks

[harhar]

1) a diverse neighborhood- Is irvine as broad minded and diverse as SF?
No

2) outdoor stuff to do
Yes, there is a lot to do next to Irvine. Hiking, camping, the beach. But then again you could do that in SF.

3) safety
Irvine is very safe

4) lesser commute times
Depends where you're commuting from. If you're in SF then you might be able to use the BART or bike or walk to work. In Irvine that would be impossible.

5) bigger houses - can you get 2 bd apartments below 2000$ in less than 30 minutes commute time in orange county?
You should be able to find something.

6) how is the health care system in irvine?
I think from what I hear (no experience) that a lot of the "South County" hospitals and doctors are generally good.



With your questions its easy to see why it would be a difficult choice. However I'll add too things. Housing costs, lifestyle.

1. I think SF housing prices are still up there, whereas Irvine housing and the nearby areas are NEW construction and getting more and more inexpensive. Sometimes offering incentives to purchase a new home.

2. When I think of SF vs. Irvine I think of two drastically different cities.
SF to me is gritty, urban, dense, busy, albeit energetic, liberal, lively, soulful, eclectic, with more city things to do. /Whereas Irvine I think of, sterile, conservative, safe, gated communities, nouveau riche, laid back, but always working.


Personally, neither really appeal to me. I think it's all about where your at in your lives. If you're going to start a family it might be easier in Irvine. If you aren't then SF would be good to soak up some culture and would provide plenty of things to do.

[TSO2.0]

Talk about ying and yang as far as cities go!

[aggrofish]

I lived In SFfor 1 year, have lived in Newport for the last 7 and work in Irvine. Personally, I hated SF. The city is dirty, the weather is horrible, the beaches are filthy and at least to me people were either one extreme or the other...no middle ground.

If you're dead set on the bay area I'd look at places just south of SF on the peninsula like san mateo, but again that's just me.

OC, for me, is 10x better than SF. Then again, I'm a straight male in my 30s.

[OC Investor2]

Originally Posted by drums

My husband has been offered two jobs, one in Irvine (for a little below 100,000$ per year) and one in SF ( a little below 110,000 per year).

Our priorities are
1) a diverse neighborhood- Is irvine as broad minded and diverse as SF?
2) outdoor stuff to do
3) safety
4) lesser commute times
5) bigger houses - can you get 2 bd apartments below 2000$ in less than 30 minutes commute time in orange county?
6) how is the health care system in irvine?

It is quite difficult to make a decision especially because the job in SF offers 10% more.
Any inputs will be welcome. thanks

1. Irvine is very diverse, but more conservative then SF.
2. Outdoors opportunties are equal. However you may have to drive a bit more to access them in OC. On the flip side, the weather in OC is better so you will get to enjoy them for a bigger part of the year.
3. Irvine is consistently ratedd one of america's safest cities. SF - not so much.
4. If you live & work in Irvine, your commute wiull be less the 20 minutes.
5.You can rent a nice 2BR in Irvine for $2k.
6. Several good hospitals in the area. Hoag hospital opening a new branch in the former Irvine medical facility in the south part of the city. Many excellent doctors in the irvine, Newport, south county areas.

[lovingthegreen]

Originally Posted by aggrofish

OC, for me, is 10x better than SF. Then again, I'm a straight male in my 30s.

I'm a straight male in my 30s and to me San Francisco is 10x better than the O.C. (and I've been to both and have lived in San Francisco and San Diego)

[drums]

thanks everyone

[Mach50]

Originally Posted by lovingthegreen

I'm a straight male in my 30s and to me San Francisco is 10x better than the O.C. (and I've been to both and have lived in San Francisco and San Diego)

I am also a straight male (married with a child) in my 30's who thinks SF is 1000x better than OC and I have lived in both.

[bhcompy]

I'll take Irvine over SF. You can't beat the weather if you're an outdoors type person.

As far as specifics, fairly diverse, but not in the traditional black/mexican way people seem to consider "diverse" around here. It is heavily asian and some indian(as in the far east variety) on top of white. Very safe, perennially at the top of that list. Outdoors activities are great: you're close to the beach, close to the mountains, and close to the desert. Commute can be good and it can't in both places, but your budget should fit. Hoag is a very good hospital and UCI Medical Center is also very good(and part of the local university).

[BayAreaHillbilly]

Salary wise, due to the +10K SF edges OC but not by much when total cost of living is considered.

1) a diverse neighborhood- Is irvine as broad minded and diverse as SF? - Advantage SF
2) outdoor stuff to do - a wash (OC better for ocean sports, SF better for running, hiking, etc)
3) safety - Advantage OC
4) lesser commute times - Minuscule Advantage SF
5) bigger houses - can you get 2 bd apartments below 2000$ in less than 30 minutes commute time in orange county? - Advantage OC
6) how is the health care system in irvine? - a wash