From Alabama to Palo Alto: Cost of living inquiry

[jaypee]

I'm a hiring manager and, in my experience, what hsw said is not based on reality.
You're looking at a 28-38% increase in salary but your comparable housing cost alone will increase 400-500% so if job satisfaction is your main reason for this move, I'd suggest that you keep looking locally.

[gone down south]

Originally Posted by jaypee

what hsw said is not based on reality.

That's kind of our motto around here.

[mayorhaggar]

Stock options can really affect your income, but yeah, either hsw is some janitor somewhere like Adobe who gets all his "information" from looking through the trash, or he's some techie who doesn't pay any attention to the outside world. He seems to have a Bret Easton Ellis or Charlie Sheen view of Silicon Valley or something.

[yeahthatguy]

Originally Posted by mayorhaggar

Stock options can really affect your income, but yeah, either hsw is some janitor somewhere like Adobe who gets all his "information" from looking through the trash, or he's some techie who doesn't pay any attention to the outside world. He seems to have a Bret Easton Ellis or Charlie Sheen view of Silicon Valley or something.

He's a little off but not that off .. starting salary for grads at some of the old guard companies is the valley is running 80-85k (this was about 1-2 years ago).. At the hot shops, salaries are easily 95-125k... Most of them have more restricted selection from a top set of prestigious schools .... and only pick from the top.. So, their baseline pay is much higher. Oh and did I mention, their workers definitely work more than 8hours a day and thus the difference in pay between the old guard tech companies vs. the hot shops.. You definitely 'work' that much more for what you are paid for . Nothing is free. You shouldn't feel that this 'pace' and the hours are suddenly foreign to these workers though... At many of the major Universities, in their tech degree programs, this is pretty much the pace of things... Long crazy hours in labs ... many times extending into late night hours / weekends /etc . It was how it was for me at University but when I graduated, I decided that is not how I want to live my life .. or at least feel obligated to work.

[emilies]

I made the transition here from Orange County, CA and, yes, it is a major quality of life shock. You really can't underestimate it. Our housing price doubled, among many other inconveniences. At any rate, you should be able get a 2 bedroom in a place like Menlo Park for around $2k (see link below), but it will be in a circa 1950s apartment building that may or may not look like low income housing to you (though some of the residents will be driving BMWs).
WALK TO DOWNTOWN MP - nicely remodeled unit w/ hardwood floors, patio

[80skeys]

Originally Posted by rorqual

Hello everyone,

I am a software engineer in Alabama making close to $90k and have been offered a good opportunity with a startup in Palo Alto. The range being discussed is around 115-125k - the company and the job are great but what concerns me the most is the cost of living for a small family (wife + 1 toddler). I keep reading about sky high rents for 2 bedrooms and super long commutes. But its a choice between non-innovate software work in Alabama but a comfortable and good salary vs cutting-edge work in Palo Alto vs vastly increased cost of living which *may* require some cutbacks.

Ideally I would like to maintain the same quality of life as here in central Alabama and get to do the interesting work. Any comments would be appreciated - thanks !

That's a perfectly good salary for the area unless you want to buy property. If you're just going to rent, then it's fine and, yes the rents are higher than Alabama, but you'll be making a larger salary, right? All other things are about equal.