Is 50K a year liveable in San Fran? (Palo Alto, East Palo Alto: apartment, rent)

[crayola]

Once I graduate college I figure to be making right around 50K. I want to be able to live some what comfortably. I know San Fran will have the jobs, but if the money I make can't buy me much, forget it. I can deal with a one room apartment, but that's only if in return I have enough for night life, and other daily activities. I'm a college student, so I know how to spend my money wisely, but theres a point when having to protect every dollar just isn't worth the location.

Would L.A. be the smarter choice for an entry level job?

[prairiestate]

If you're looking for a true big city experience, the only city in the country where you can comfortably afford it on $50,000 a year would be Chicago.

[Bluesmama]

It would be tight, and you'd probably have to live a little farther out. Can you live without a car?

There are many migrant labor there who somehow manage to get by living on what I assume is often minimum wage. I don't know how they do it, even with several of them splitting rent. I asked about this on a post awhile back and nobody had an answer.

[hsw]

In Manhattan, most 1st yr financial analysts at investment banks (who earn ?$75K-ish salary and wait until end of yr for bonus) typically share an apt w/several classmates to cut costs....work 80hrs/wk and spend rest of time outside of apt, aside from sleep, anyway...

SF region is a far more powerful, more dynamic economy than LA....strategically smarter from a career standpoint to be in SF/SiliconValley, rather than LA, as SV is world's tech epicenter and SF/MenloPark is a far more powerful financial capital than LA or Chic in terms of major tech investment banking groups (GS/MS/CS, etc all have their top tech bankers based in SF/MenloPark)/hedge funds/VCs/private equity shops...

[sonarrat]

Originally Posted by Bluesbabe

It would be tight, and you'd probably have to live a little farther out. Can you live without a car?

There are many migrant labor there who somehow manage to get by living on what I assume is often minimum wage. I don't know how they do it, even with several of them splitting rent. I asked about this on a post awhile back and nobody had an answer.

There are a couple ways.. either one of their family members bought a little shack before the tech boom that they all still live in, or you have two families renting a one-bedroom apartment as I hear happens in East Palo Alto all the time. (For my part, if I was apartment hunting and found out a place didn't have an occupancy limit, I'd run, not walk.)

[gizmo980]

Originally Posted by Bluesbabe

It would be tight, and you'd probably have to live a little farther out. Can you live without a car?

There are many migrant labor there who somehow manage to get by living on what I assume is often minimum wage. I don't know how they do it, even with several of them splitting rent. I asked about this on a post awhile back and nobody had an answer.

I live in SF proper on that salary (50K), and it's tight but do-able. I share a 3-bedroom with 2 roommates, so my share of rent is only about $800/month... we also live in a weird neighborhood, so the overall rent is cheaper than, say, North Beach or Noe Valley. I do have a car since I commute to the East Bay, and that's probably my biggest expense - but otherwise I live pretty cheaply, and have money left over in a typical month. So yes, it is possible, although I'd recommend getting a job with advancement possibilities for the future. I don't plan to have roommates forever!

[NorthernCalifornia]

50k? definitely.

[rah]

I know people who do it on 25k a year, so yeah, you could do it on 50k.

[gizmo980]

Originally Posted by rah

I know people who do it on 25k a year, so yeah, you could do it on 50k.

Heck, my roommate takes home about $12K a year (after taxes and child support garnishing), and she's surviving! Of course that's mostly thanks to me, since I only charge her $600/month in rent, and rarely ask for a utilities contribution... she also works at a grocery store, so she gets free food all the time. But hey, if she can make things work on that small amount, I think anyone can live here on $50K.

[ripley44mag]

Depends on what you consider livable. If you are a tough guy its pleanty, if you are a wuss you could not live here for less than 200k a year. Ripley