24 ms·

Ask HN: If you could live and work somewhere, where would it be?

• CptArmchair 10y ago
  Barcelona, best beaches with a fantastic city as a backdrop. One of the best City's in the world. Great food, great nightlife, amazing vibe in general.
  • pzh 10y ago
    The pay is shit, though, if you don't bring a remote job with you. For comparison, prepare for sth like 40k EUR vs SV's $200+k.
    • diggan 10y ago
      Well, where the cost of living is cheap, the salaries will follow as well (or the other way around). Unless you work with a company in Barcelona and live somewhere else, you're not gonna be poor (money-wise) as a developer there.
      • pzh 10y ago
        The point is that corporations practice geo-arbitrage all the time, and you'd have to be a fool not to do it as well. Those $200k salaries are probably not going to last forever, and it makes sense to maximize your earnings while you can. For that reason, I wouldn't settle for a 40k EUR salary (especially in a state where 50% of that will go toward failed social policies).
        • expertentipp 10y ago
          In case one is more location- than salary- driven, i.e. wants to live in a non-ugly European city with decent infrastructure and human living costs (not where fast-food pizza costs EUR 20) the salary EUR 40k (gross, annual) would be considered a really good deal. Some remote companies let the employee to choose the location but in this case they adjust the salary to local market... and yeah the fact of very high social contributions in some EU countries on failed social policies and with indistinct perspective of getting something out of it in the future is really soul-sucking.
      • deleted 10y ago
        [deleted]
  • joelrunyon 10y ago
    This would be my answer too. I liked the beach vibe, but the actual beaches in comparison to some are sort of "meh." That said, the BCN mix of options puts it in my top 3 cities in the world easily.
    • StavrosK 10y ago
      I'll second Barcelona too. Fantastic city, great people, very relaxed, amazing nightlife.
• deleted 10y ago
  [deleted]
• merb 10y ago
  Japan (not sure which city), at least for a while but only for a while (not sure if I could keep up 10 years there). I love the culture.
  • dvcrn 10y ago
    Culture yes, but depending on the company, the working environment is not that awesome :p Also it's very easy to feel isolated as a foreigner and seeing thousands of people squishing themselves into the trains every morning doesn't make it better. Though the startup scene here is changing very strongly and bigger companies from all over the world open offices here and consider Japan as the 'gateway into the asian market'. Give it a try! The dream of moving to Japan is really not that difficult, especially if you're doing IT.
    • timr 10y ago
      it's very easy to feel isolated as a foreigner and seeing thousands of people squishing themselves into the trains every morning doesn't make it better. I'm here now, have been for six months (on sabbatical; studying Japanese half-time). It's interesting...sometimes I feel isolated (as anyone would when you don't speak or read the language fluently), but folks here have been quite friendly and supportive. I've found it easier to make friends here than in SF (where I've lived for eight years). Inasmuch as you can generalize an entire country, people here are forgiving and curious and friendly...just shy/introverted and overworked. The foreign people who do best here seem to be the folks who are a) at least a little bit outgoing and well-adjusted, and b) don't have unrealistic prior expectations of what "Japan" is. So many weirdo, socially isolated expats come here expecting one long manga/anime/kawaii/samurai adventure that will fix their broken lives, and they're disappointed to find a country of normal people who work hard, have families and lives, and mostly don't do any of those things. Love the food and the baths and the transit though. Wish they would adopt insulation. And decent cheese.
      • dvcrn 10y ago
        Let me elaborate on the isolated part a bit maybe. I speak almost fluent Japanese but the problem comes more in the very strong cultural difference that you are mostly not even aware of unless you are indeed fluent and surrounded by people that tell you your mistakes (which doesn't happen often). It is (IMO) very hard to make 'good' Japanese friends (not talking about occasional drinking buddies). People seem nice but (especially in Tokyo) often don't tell you what they really think or feel. Being direct and honest about certain things is just not the way things are done here, that starts already at the language level and why you would rather say that something is difficult than not possible (それは難しいです・・・, pretty sure you heard that already a few times.) Being direct as a foreigner and speaking in a direct way can work but is thus because of the difference in talking and nuance further isolating you and giving you the 'foreigner / 外人' stamp on your forehead, maybe without you really realizing that it's happening. A side-effect of that is that you get considered as, well, a foreigner. Maybe someone who is fun and weird to hang out with but not actually someone who could become a deep friend. Then of course you have the other group of people that are strangely open and direct to you, but more than often that's the kind of people that only want a foreign boyfriend or someone to practice english with and nothing else. Sure, everyone is indeed very very friendly and supportive but that can easily be confused with the polite nature that's rooted deeply in this country. That can also come over as shy and introverted, but if the majority of the people comes over as shy and introverted it's maybe not the people that's different but rather you. Not saying at all that it's bad here. I am still really enjoying my time with a rough 4 years in total but it definitely depends if you want to be fully integrated or always wear that foreigner hat.
• esalman 10y ago
  Boulder, CO.
  • dogismycopilot 10y ago
    I'm here. It's not that awesome.
    • adpirz 10y ago
      Mind if I ask why? I've visited a few times recently to see friends there and each time I go, I feel more and more drawn to the area. Love the accessible and amazing hiking, etc, and tech scene seems decent enough. Would love to hear a counterpoint though.
    • smashingx 10y ago
      I live in Boulder too, and I would rate Boulder 8 out of 10. There is good vibe, nice people, lots of bike paths and lots of places to go during the spring and summer time, but for some reason the ladies here are kind of stuck up, and to work in Boulder you need to be a superhero or close to that.
    • avenoir 10y ago
      I moved to Denver about a year ago. It's all subjective of course, but I really struggle to understand the benefits of living in Boulder outside of a more vibrant tech scene and being a nice cozy town. The rent is ~$300-$400 more expensive. The trails are absolutely packed with people. There is beer pong and loud parties on every corner in the summer. Yes, it's a little closer to skiing resorts, but we're talking extra 20 minutes. Yet, whenever I talk to folks there they seem to enjoy it while I can't help but feel out of place surrounded by college kids everywhere.
      • saryant 10y ago
        If you aren't on the hill or a in a tiny handful of bars on Pearl, you never run into the college kids. They mostly stay south of the creek, with the exception of the dive bars on Pearl (and Absinthe House, but that place is a dump anyways). I've lived here for three years, go out every weekend and never once have I seen anyone playing beer pong.
• ironmagma 10y ago
  Switzerland. Strong economy, often considered one of the happiest countries in the world [1], considerate culture, and lots of natural geographic beauty. [1] World Happiness Report http://worldhappiness.report/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2016/03/HR-V1Ch2_web.pdf http://worldhappiness.report/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2016... (pp 13)
  • smashingx 10y ago
    That's weird, I remember talking with a swiss person and he told me that the country is beautiful and usually population is pretty intelligent but they also have a high suicide rate.
  • sawmurai 10y ago
    True that! Moved here from Germany in may working as a backend developer. The people are awesome and once you get used to the language it just feels like home :))
    • alinalex 10y ago
      1. In which area of Switzerland did you move? 2. Which languages should you know besides english? 3. How did you find the job: online, recommendation? 4. Did you move with family or alone? 5. How many years of experience did you have?
      • sawmurai 10y ago
        1. Zurich city 2. English is enough for working in IT. Live gets a lot easier if you know German in German-speaking Switzerland, French in western Switzerland or Italian in Tessin (southern Switzerland) 3. I searched online and was approached by Hays. Then I had three interviews with three offers and took the best fit. 4. I moved alone but my girlfriend already lived here which made it easier of course 5. 10 years in total, 1.5 years as project manager in an agency, 8 years in a big utilities company. Had a side business for web development since 2009. Looking back I would say getting that job was even easier than finding a new job in Germany. Developers are searched for so you can easily apply to open vacancies even if they do not explicitly search for foreigners. I can recommend jobs.ch as a source for jobs.
• jraby3 10y ago
  Tel Aviv, Israel. Perfect weather and beaches. Beautiful girls. Amazing tech companies and funding. Unbelievable nightlife.
  • avmich 10y ago
    I'd add, the mindset is similar to small startup culture in SV. Great place, with unique quirks :) like periodical bombardments from Gaza strip...
  • siscia 10y ago
    Cost of living?
    • josh_fyi 10y ago
      Expensive. Not as bad as San Francisco!
  • hackathonguy 10y ago
    Tel Aviv is fantastic - great vibes, good weather year-round, awesome tech scene. Cost of living is relatively high - a 1 br apartment in a central location can rent for $1500. High salaries offset that, though.
  • carlob 10y ago
    What about the politics?
    • kelvin0 10y ago
      I hear the settlements are beautiful this time of the year. Seriously though, it looks like an interesting place and quite polarized in many ways, I might be wrong.
      • partisan 10y ago
        I don't have a dog in this fight, but why wouldn't this apply to the US, for example? Sunny with a chance of drone strike and subsequent white wash, for example. Have you followed the elections lately? Or the riots in various cities? Or the record-breaking murder rate in Chicago. Seems weird to me to bring this up here.
• dvcrn 10y ago
  Seoul. The city is so damn modern and the energy of Korea is amazing. It's so easy to get dragged into the fast-paced, high-energy lifestyle just by being exposed to other people long enough. Transportation is cheap, it's very easy to reach other places in Asia and Korean people are very friendly (IMO). If you like technology and shiny new things, Korea is definitely the place to be.
  • ajkjk 10y ago
    Do you know the language? Is it necessary to in order to feel that life is as fast-paced as you mention?
    • holydude 10y ago
      Absolutely. I would not say Korea is a good place to be in as a developer. Mostly dominated by Korean corps. Some companies started my foreign ethnic koreans. They are good and nice places but pay is ...mediocre. Koreans are also a bit racist but if you do not mind it's fine.
      • dvcrn 10y ago
        > but pay is ...mediocre. sure, it's no Silicon Valley but you can get decent/well paid jobs with a bit of trying. My salary was even slightly better than what I made in Germany before
        • holydude 10y ago
          I saw small/medium company offering 60k $ for normal position. How much do you make ? What kind of company ?
      • sb8244 10y ago
        I studied abroad in Korea and asked about expected salaries for SE from the Korean CS Dept. They said 60k would be incredibly high and 30-40 would be normal. That is also in million won which doesn't translate perfectly to a dollar, actually less. However, if you are working remote you could probably be taking in a nice US salary and live very very well. 100k and you'd live like a king/queen there.
• madiathomas 10y ago
  Silicon Valley. High pay compared to where I stay. Companies based at Silicon Valley are working on interesting products. Developers in South Africa with University degree and 10 years experience and higher, earn less than $100k per annum. No startups working on interesting products here in SA also. You are stuck with big banks if you want to make money.
  • itake 10y ago
    my $0.02 on this is you can work in SV for 6-12 mo, then if you play your cards right, you can transition into a remote role with your current employer. Myself and other friends have done this resulting in 6-fig salary anywhere we want to live.
    • abhimskywalker 10y ago
      Could you please elaborate a little on "play your cards right"?
      • toodlebunions 10y ago
        Be a good employee. Be valued. Be demonstrably more productive when you work from home. Etc
        • itake 10y ago
          this ^. to add: Identifying a good company is also key. I work for a small startup and am currently the only senior backend developer. I think being 20% of the company and 100% of the backend helped my situation. If you got a job at a large tech company, I suspect many wouldn't be as flexible. If you want to work for a large tech company, I would find out if they have any current remote workers.
    • madiathomas 10y ago
      That sounds like a very good plan. You get a Silicon Valley pay but a cheaper cost of living.
• cm2012 10y ago
  I live in NYC, but would probably want to live in San Diego or some other warm pretty place in the usa.
  • partisan 10y ago
    I'm a NYC native who spent some time in San Diego for work. I was just reminiscing about the weather there. I spent many weeks there over the course of a year and had nothing but perfect weather to contend with. And the food was great. I'm not sure I could live there, however. The downtown area is limited and a little run down. It also seems like you have to drive everywhere. The salaries don't reflect the cost of living. The IT market was a little anemic, but remote work could make these last points moot. It's worth a visit all the same.
• deleted 10y ago
  [deleted]
• 3131s 10y ago
  For the last four years I've been in Cambodia, which I will always return to as a home base. But in the future I'm also interested in extended stays in Uruguay, Iceland, Czech Republic, Finland, Mongolia, Laos, and a few others.
  • ams6110 10y ago
    Eclectic choices. Are you Cambodian by birth? If not, how did you end up there?
    • 3131s 10y ago
      I'm from Minnesota in the US. I felt like I was stagnating in the US. I wanted to pursue computer programming but I didn't study it in college and didn't quite have the skill set to succeed professionally at that point. My original plan was to buy a van, drive around warm parts of the US, and live cheaply while I studied for a year or so. Then I realized that I would have a lot more runway if I went abroad. Three weeks later (on the day of my 25th birthday) I was in Cambodia... for absolutely no planning whatsoever things have turned out very well. While low cost of living was originally the main reason I chose to live here, now there are many things that would make it hard for me to go anywhere else. I have become a different person here and living a very simple lifestyle (80$ per month apartment in an ultra densely populated neighborhood, no hot water, no AC, no TV, walking everywhere, eating only healthy food, exercising daily, etc.) has fixed most of my numerous neuroses :)
      • herbst 10y ago
        Thats very interesting. I am currently in cambodia (siem reap heading to battambang tomorrow) and my frist impression is that this is not suited well for online workers. But the last part of your comment explains it. For me its really hard right now to let away some luruxy i am used too. Kudos!
        • 3131s 10y ago
          The enormous hassle for me is transferring money in and out of the country. My internet service in Phnom Penh is fairly steady fortunately. Let me know if you need any advice, translations, or whatever while traveling!
• kchoudhu 10y ago
  Granada or Cordoba in Spain. Would need central air conditioning in summer though.
  • e_py 10y ago
    These two are nice places indeed. But salaries there are so low and in Cordoba there are not many IT jobs so unless you are going to work remotely I wouldn't go there.
  • dasboth 10y ago
    +1 for Granada. Probably my favourite place I've visited to date, but the job market doesn't sound great. If you can get a remote gig though, what a place to live.
    • kchoudhu 10y ago
      My business goes where I go, so all I need is a stable internet connection. The really difficult problem for us Americans is staying in the EU for an extended period of time (90 of every 180 days only). Other options I'm inclined to try: Santiago in Chile, and maybe one or two of the smaller tiny towns dotting the Chilean coast as you head south to Patagonia.
• diego_moita 10y ago
  Victoria, BC, Canada. Fantastic food, great lifestyle, amazing scenery, close to 2 big cities (Vancouver, Seattle), best weather in Canada, a growing technology industry... The only downside is that in 10-20 years it will probably become overcrowded.
  • joshvm 10y ago
    What's the cost of living in Victoria? I was there last year and loved it (equally Van was lovely), but the rent looked almost as outrageous as London.
    • turar 10y ago
      Ha, you haven't even seen the super-low salaries yet.
• iammiles 10y ago
  Montréal. Having visited for a few weeks I fell in love with the city and the province.
  • partisan 10y ago
    Montreal in the summer is really incredible. It feels like a big city with all of the amenities. I've never been there during the winter, but thought of several feet of snow makes me not want to live there.
• Apreche 10y ago
  I'm already there. It's NYC. The only thing I would change is to give us some tropical weather.
  • jacques_chester 10y ago
    You'd change the weather, but not the rent and taxes? :)
  • varjag 10y ago
    Been there only once for a couple weeks, but it's the best city ever, hands down. A hub of many industries and the urbanite heaven. Having visited many of the usual suspects referred in this thread plus some, nothing compares really.
    • cylinder 10y ago
      Believe me I don't mean this with any offense and condescension. But you do need to live in NYC for a few years to decide. Most who do this will end up leaving, but some really love it and give 100% effort to never leave it. I would say it really depends on your job/career here. Good place to try either way and it will open one's eyes and also help one figure out what they want in life.
      • varjag 10y ago
        No doubt true, but same stands for about any megalopolis out there. In the end it's up if the place has right chemistry for you, and yes, if you can support the lifestyle to match. There's little point to live in NYC outside of Manhattan ;)
        • omarchowdhury 10y ago
          So by your admission, the 6.8 million people living in the outer boroughs are living pointless lives?
          • 10y ago
• lucaspiller 10y ago
  I recently moved to Vilnius, Lithuania, mainly because I have friends and family (my wife) here. There is quite a good local tech scene (for the size of the city), but I work remotely as the pay is higher and I don't like offices. Compared to other EU countries it is relatively cheap, but still has a pretty good quality of life. I'd say if you are earning a western salary, as long as you like winter, you can have a better quality of life than living somewhere like the UK (where I'm from). There are direct flights to most European capitals, so if you want to work semi-remote that's an option too. There are lots of lakes and it's not too warm (max 35c for a few days a year), so it's nice to chill out here in the summer.
• aroc 10y ago
  Vancouver, BC. Supernatural beauty. Immediate access to incredible outdoors. Great food and cafe scene. Fantastic arts and music scene. Clean. One of the greenest (carbon footprint) cities in the world. Fantastic transit system. Fast growing technology sector. + all the benefits that come with being a Canadian city.
  • owenwil 10y ago
    Totally agree! I'd move to Vancouver, BC in a heartbeat, but work out there can be hard to find.
    • parthdesai 10y ago
      And cost of living.
  • JonoBB 10y ago
    Can you explain we what you mean by "all the benefits that come with being a Canadian city" please?
    • parthdesai 10y ago
      As an immigrant living in Toronto, I would say people. I have never been to states, so you can tell me if i'm wrong or not but Canadian people are really helpful, polite and courteous. You don't notice it till you go out of Canada. Also as a brown person, i have never had a single incident of Racism here.
      • StavrosK 10y ago
        I've been to both Vancouver and the states, and people were helpful in both places. Vancouver felt more European than, say, LA or NYC, though, it was much more relaxed.
    • btbuildem 10y ago
      No guns and free healthcare are two things that come to mind.
• Xcelerate 10y ago
  Well, it depends. Do I have a remote job with all of the computational resources and salary I could possibly want? Then Asheville, North Carolina. Beautiful scenery, great food, plenty of high quality coffee shops, and close to family. If "close to family" wasn't a factor then: San Francisco, Seattle, Lyon (France), Barcelona, and London (for a little while). It's hard to beat the benefits of the massive tech ecosystem in SF. It would be nice if some of that ecosystem moved to the South. Chattanooga and Nashville are nice cities that I wouldn't mind living in either.
  • adpirz 10y ago
    Lived in Nashville for three years, fantastic city, lots of big city comforts in a navigable and manageable size, although I know it's going through some rapid expansion.
  • thenewwazoo 10y ago
    As a southerner who has moved West, I contend that the South needs to fix a huge amount of its culture before there will be the thriving mix of industry and creativity you can find in cities like SF, Seattle, and Boston. Let's not forget that the south has not been the engine of the American economy since slavery was (de jure) abolished. The South's peculiar mix of dominionism and right-wing fervor makes strange bedfellows of fundamentalists and rapacious capitalists. Low taxes starve infrastructure and the social safety net, and those are what drives stability. Without stability, entrepreneurialism cannot happen. Without entrepreneurialism, the closest you get are places like Austin and RTP: big, established companies moving people for tax reasons that does nothing to foster innovation. Atlanta really should be the next big tech hub, but it won't be so long as the regressive politics and systemic racism of the south remain unaddressed. Charlotte would be great except that things like HB2 make the prospect of moving to NC a complete nonstarter for many in the already-marginalized LGBTQ population. The list goes on.
    • bwb 10y ago
      Well said. I grew up in Arkansas, now in Colorado.
    • 10y ago
• rsoto 10y ago
  Hiroshima, I just love the city. Although I would certainly not work there, as the working conditions are a bit stressful. I'll try to focus on my SaaS and have a nice, steady income to turn my dream true.
  • dreamcompiler 10y ago
    Seconded. Hiroshima is a beautiful town. Small enough to be walkable and large enough to be culturally vibrant. It has lots of water and great bicycling. And even more (!) history than most Japanese cities.
  • dasboth 10y ago
    Out of all the places I visited in Japan earlier this year, Hiroshima is the one where I'd happily live. Well, if we forget about the working culture and the language barrier... :)
• morgante 10y ago
  Hong Kong. I love the food, culture, and fantastic public transportation. It has a nice mix of Asian and British influences. The city has tons of energy and is always alive. Plus, despite being a huge metropolis, there are tons of hiking opportunities nearby in beautiful natural areas. Unfortunately I'm not alone in loving it so real estate is crazy expensive (even more so than NYC/SF).
  • knocte 10y ago
    I'm living in HK myself. Haven't been to SF but I think, while I agree HK prices for apartments are ludicrously expensive, I don't think they reach the rate of SF, from what I've compared.
    • morgante 10y ago
      Hong Kong has the second most expensive real estate in the world, per square foot. [0] That being said, HKers have done a better job of adjusting to this by making (tiny) apartments available whereas in SF you're forced to pay more for a bigger space. [0] http://www.worldatlas.com/articles/the-most-expensive-cities-in-the-world-for-real-estate.html http://www.worldatlas.com/articles/the-most-expensive-cities...
  • vinceyuan 10y ago
    Food, public transportation, beach, hiking in HK are good. But housing in HK is super expensive. You can't find a room in any other cities smaller than HK. People feel desperate because of the super expensive housing. The city's economy is kidnapped by real estate. I am living in HK and thinking about leaving.
    • morgante 10y ago
      Yup, that's really why I'd only consider living there if I'd acquired a decent amount of wealth already (at least $1M USD). Hopefully the boom will end at some point making it affordable again, but I don't hold out much hope for that.
• sqrt 10y ago
  SF, Oakland, or Berkeley. My family and friends are in the Bay Area. The weather is nearly unparalleled. The food variety is solid. Transit is not that bad, if you compare the cities I mentioned to the rest of the US. I guess the tech scene is decent, but the other factors I mentioned mean a lot more to me. (I would almost prefer it if the area weren't as much of a hotspot, actually...)
  • d1ffuz0r 10y ago
    Berkeley is really cool, esp downtown area
    • ryanSrich 10y ago
      Insanely expensive though, as is the entirety of the bay area.
• formula_ninguna 10y ago
  No where in particular and everywhere at the same time because the beauty is in moving around.
• maverick_iceman 10y ago
  Santa Monica, California. Beautiful warm weather, next to the beach, big city (LA) - everything that I love.
  • StavrosK 10y ago
    Multi-hour commutes, though :(
    • EduardoBautista 10y ago
      Don't live hours away from your job.
      • StavrosK 10y ago
        And your school, and your supermarket, and the good restaurants, and everything. I don't think many people who live in LA would argue that you have to drive for hours to get anywhere in the city.
        • CuriouslyC 10y ago
          I lived in west LA and I managed to find a place walking distance from restaurants and a supermarket, and one short bus ride to Malibu/Venice. It is doable.
        • hawkice 10y ago
          I lived in Santa Monica and didn't even need public transport, walking was enough.
      • turar 10y ago
        In Santa Monica, does that translate to "don't be poor"?
• d1ffuz0r 10y ago
  Moscow, NYC, Madrid - the most convenient places for traveling
• nunez 10y ago
  For me, that place was Texas. I finally made the move to Dallas and my fiancée and I couldn't be happier. Great weather, great cost of living, great economy, great driving and great people.
• rajathagasthya 10y ago
  London. A great city with amazing history and culture, tons of things to do, other European cities are hours away if you want to travel and has a good tech scene. Add to that, it has a fantastic public transport system and no language barrier. And of course, you can watch Premier League games every weekend!
  • dijit 10y ago
    I don't know if you've lived there or not, but I'm going to assume you haven't and give you my experience over 3 years. 1) Public transport is good, when it works. It often doesn't. 2) Public transport is good, until you have a job that has structured hours- which is most jobs, as evidenced by the INSANE rush hour. 20 minutes in some guys armpit feels like multiple hours. 3) You can't afford to live somewhere nice. I mean, I earned quite a bit more than the average and was spending 50-60% of my take home salary on rent. And I lived in a bad neighbourhood. (because I wanted to live alone). 4) Pubs have the same problem as the transport system, super crowded at rush times.. spills into the streets, especially in the west end/theatreland. That said, if I had the money to live well in London, it would be a great place to live.
    • dasboth 10y ago
      That's a fair account of the reality of life in London. Of course the abundance of jobs, great tech scene and endless things to do are all true, but it's not all as good as it sounds. I'd add one more: 5) Forget going to Premier League games every weekend, it's near impossible to get a ticket if you don't know a season ticket holder!
    • branchless 10y ago
      You have responded correctly to the only person suggesting London so far. Just don't do it. Shitty quality of life due to absurd land costs. Of course people will say you should live like a student in shared accommodation when you have a good job aged 35. Forget it.
• karliky 10y ago
  Madrid or Barcelona, Spain
  • joelrunyon 10y ago
    BCN would be my answer. Lived there for 6 weeks this summer. Hard to say how it will look in 10 years, but it's an amazing place.
    • adnam 10y ago
      How do you think Barcelona might change?
• andrewhyde 10y ago
  Melbourne, Australia needs to be on your list. Pros: Most livable city in the world. Great startup scene. Phenomenal transportation options. Great universities. Fantastic street art everywhere. Amazing food. USD vs. AUD is quite good for USD right now so it is pretty affordable. Cons: Internet not blazing fast. Beaches elsewhere in Australia are much better (it is on a bay = no waves).
  • chrishare 10y ago
    Pros: Weather is nice. Cons: The weather can turn sour in 15 minutes.
  • tomhoward 10y ago
    Great to hear you've had a good time here Andrew! I feel the need to add... Melbourne does have great surf beaches within about 1-2 hours’ drive: Bells Beach (which hosts an annual World Surf League tournament [1] and was depicted - falsely - in the 1991 Patrick Swayze & Keanu Reeves movie Point Break [2]), Jan Juc and Fairhaven on the west coast; Gunnamatta, Point Leo, Cape Woolamai to the east. These beaches can offer world-class surfing for serious surfers. However, the weather is quite cold in winter and it's not a tropical climate, so they're not very pretty beaches and not much fun for ordinary leisure beachgoers, except for the warmer months of December to March. The beaches in Sydney and further up the East Coast to Far North Queensland are much more pretty, and for much more of the year, as are those in Perth and up the Western Australian coast. [1] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rip_Curl_Pro https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rip_Curl_Pro [2] https://www.google.com/webhp?sourceid=chrome-instant&ion=1&espv=2&ie=UTF-8#safe=off&q=What+beach+was+Point+Break+filmed+at%3F https://www.google.com/webhp?sourceid=chrome-instant&ion=1&e...
  • praneshp 10y ago
    (As an Indian) Pros: The MCG (As an Indian) Cons: India usually loses/struggles in boxing day tests.
    • BigJono 10y ago
      Every few years I consider moving somewhere else, and then I remember I won't be able to go to the cricket and footy at the G anymore, or the tennis, or the formula one :( Melbourne has got to be one of the best cities in the world if you enjoy sports.
• tomdeleu 10y ago
  NYC. I think it's just a very inspiring place. But it's soo expensive so I'll add a second; Barcelona. Why? Affordable, inpiring as well, and nice weather / beach...
• swah 10y ago
  While I would love to live on those places, I'm almost sure living close to either mine or my wife's parents is a better strategy for overall happiness and mental sanity... But maybe in 15 years?
  • cylinder 10y ago
    Heh, yeah. It is hard enough to have a dog without family around, I don't know how people do it with kids. If grandparents are willing to help you save a ton on childcare and both parents can continue to work, which increases your income and savings. Fortunately my wife's family lives in a great city. Unfortunately, it's 17hrs flight from my family.
    • swah 10y ago
      Mine is always around 8 hours (same country, no direct flight) :)
• dasmoth 10y ago
  Outside of cities, I'm pretty certain that I could be happy in most of the not-stupidly-hot world. In practice, probably England/Wales for family reasons.
• akvadrako 10y ago
  In a glass dome on Mars because the stars would look amazing.
• bevax 10y ago
  One place? I could limit my choice down to three for different reasons. * Kazan, Russia. A big city with a great architecture, interesting people and a broad mix of cultures. Also, part of family is not too far away. * Finland, mostly because I am interested in their education system and my child gets into that age… Otherwise it's also a tech hot spot, plenty great people and projects originated there. * Crete, Greece, great climate, kind people, beaches, mountains (awesome nature), terrific food.
  • StavrosK 10y ago
    I'd like to second Crete, but there are some caveats (nightlife is a bit pretentious, if you care about that). Thessaloniki, Greece, is my choice (since I can live anywhere I want and that's where I live).
  • dijit 10y ago
    Spent a few months working in Helsinki. Aside from the cost of living (mostly rent), I can say it's truly a wonderful place. I would go back if there was a decent job waiting for me.
  • dmichulke 10y ago
    I advise Kazan (here pronounced caution) though: Average low in Jan/Feb: -13 deg. C (~ 8 F) Record low: -47 deg C (~ -52 F) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kazan#Climate https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kazan#Climate
    • mlvljr 10y ago
      Come on, these records are more of a joke, practically speaking :)
    • uiri 10y ago
      Not that much worse than Minneapolis: Average low in Jan: 7.5 F (~ -13 C) Record low: -41 F (~ -41 C)
      • vram22 10y ago
• gravypod 10y ago
  Middle of nowhere with an internet connection. I'd be pretty happy in Alaska but living in Alaska is very expensive.
  • Broken_Hippo 10y ago
    I dreamed of living in Alaska since I was a child, actually. I didn't get to Alaska, but that's OK. I live in Norway, which hits into another long dream (living in a foreign country). I don't yet live without neighbors - I'm in the 3rd or 4th largest city. I occasionally stay in a little primitive (no power/water) in the woods, and we have some plans of moving to a less populated area. We just have to stay within a reasonable commute to the city for work.
  • theli0nheart 10y ago
    I would love the same, but the the possibility of a sudden-onset life-threatening health issue and lack of proximity to a high-quality medical facility makes this a non-starter for me.
    • michaelhoney 10y ago
      Even five kilometres from a small town can feel like wilderness. These days a town of 5,000 people can have enough to sustain life (medical and otherwise).
• askar_yu 10y ago
  Istanbul, Turkey. Warm climate, fantastic food and friendly people. Modern city with developed infrastructure. I lived there between 2011 and 2013 and enjoyed every bit of it. Upon leaving, I knew that I would go back to live there again because I loved it so much. However recent events and overall political direction Turkey is taking is killing that wish within me. I really hope things get better in Turkey.
  • jedilance 10y ago
    How did you handle the stress of traffic jam?
    • askar_yu 10y ago
      After one year, moved to a closer place to work (in a walking distance). Most companies in Istanbul have shuttle services, so even when I had to commute it was not that bad.
  • bwb 10y ago
    Agree, my wife and i love it but with violence kicking up and the political climate getting more authoritarian we are skipping visits.
• lukevers 10y ago
  Scotland (if I have to pick a city, Edinburgh). I don't really know what the job market is there for software development though. NY is great because of the huge market, but after traveling all over the UK (and Scotland twice), both my wife and I would love to live there. There's not nearly as many people as there are here in the US (which is a plus), and it's beautiful everywhere.
  • rossng 10y ago
    Edinburgh has lots of interesting technology companies: Rockstar, SkyScanner, Amazon, Codeplay etc. The University of Edinburgh has an excellent CS department and hosts the UK's national HPC facility, ARCHER. It's one of the few cities in the UK that I would be tempted to move to from Bristol.
    • dasboth 10y ago
      > one of the few cities in the UK that I would be tempted to move to What are the others, out of interest?
      • rossng 10y ago
        Good question. Cambridge and Oxford have interesting technology but very high cost of living. Bath is close to Bristol and part of the same city region. I'd prefer to avoid London due to air quality, cost and commute. I would consider other cities (e.g. Manchester, Sheffield, Newcastle) if I find interesting work.
  • K0nserv 10y ago
    I moved to Edinburgh from Stockholm about a year and a half ago. Can confirm it's a great place to live and Skyscanner(where I work) is a great place to work. Tech scene is noticeably smaller than Stockholm, that's the main downside for me.
  • trprog 10y ago
    >I don't really know what the job market is there for software development though There is a lot more work in Glasgow it seems. We are considering moving and I get the odd email from some Scottish recruiters I spoke too. Thus far I think virtually 100% of the jobs they have sent my way have been based in Glasgow.
• legends2k 10y ago
  Hyderabad, India. Great food (lots of multi-cuisine restaurants), warm for more than 9 months in a year, cold otherwise but not freezing cold and a happening tech. scene. The work isn't top-notch yet, but it's improving.
• gpvos 10y ago
  Canary Islands (assuming I can find work there). 20 degrees all year round is the perfect weather for me.
  • e_py 10y ago
    +1 Sadly there is not much development there :(
    • chrishn 10y ago
      Can you elaborate? I have seen quite a few "digital nomads" recommending Las Palmas.
      • e_py 10y ago
        Well not to much to elaborate. The top industry there is tourism, there is not much work in IT industry. Working remotely seems the only option I guess
  • deleted 10y ago
    [deleted]
  • vram22 10y ago
    How's the Internet speed and cost and uptime there?
    • pvaldes 10y ago
      Internet is acceptable in the major Canary Islands cities, take in mind that they use it extensively for reservations. A lot of hotel beds are booked by internet each day. On the other hand there are some arbitrary limits in all country related with telephonic monopolies (not exclusive to Canary Islands). The problem is the massive and often very noisy tourism. Good luck trying to concentrate to make a deadline in Carnaval or in a small apartment in front of the beach. If you choose the zone carefully, neither too isolated nor to close to the hot-turism spots, could work. Food is cheap, rental vary from very expensive to relatively cheap. Life can be cheap except if you need to exit often from the islands and take a fly, or when need to buy a new car (must be imported and there is only a single guy in the island that can sell you this brand), or need something special.
• jomkr 10y ago
  Amsterdam. Love the people and the culture, the night-life is great (no, not that sort!), cycle everywhere - never stuck in traffic jams. Reasonably easy to fly back to visit family/friends in London. Downsides: Expensive, I can't speak Dutch.
  • Fifer82 10y ago
    Me too. If I think about not working in Amsterdam, I get miserable. What a place! There is a wee cafe on the Singel which does BLTs which are so good, that it the only food that i care about, everything else is mere mass. These BLTs though... Yes, I'd move for the BLT alone!
    • jdking 10y ago
      Greenwoods? Yes Amsterdam for me as well!
    • Fnoord 10y ago
      Just wanted to chime in (replying to GP as well), if you don't speak Dutch, you can still visit Amsterdam or even work there. Especially if you work in IT. The Dutch generally speak English very well, especially in the bigger cities. Living in Amsterdam is expensive, and its a city (not my preference). I live in Amsterdam Area instead; much less crowded, and also cheaper to live (although either way difficult to get an apartment). That is a downside. Amsterdam expensive? Depends, apartments are expensive (but not as expensive as SF). The tourist area (center), sure, it is expensive. If you want cheap food and don't mind making your own, go to a Turkish grocery store. You can get tons of vegetables very cheap. PS: Food-wide, there are many local shops of high quality depending on your preferences. I can highly recommend Maoz falafel although there are also less well known shops selling good falafel. The salad bar has unlimited refills. Although the stores are so crowded/popular I never end up going to refill more than once.
    • lawnchair 10y ago
      Just wondering which cafe?
• mathgeek 10y ago
  It would be right where I am, which is where my extended family is. With a wife and kids and being in my 30's, I've learned that who you're with is more important than where you are.
  • Insanity 10y ago
    Similar situation here, and I absolutely agree with you.
  • cylinder 10y ago
    is your wife's family in the same location as yours? if not, how did you select?
    • mathgeek 10y ago
      Although we're both from the area, my parents have passed on and my sister is the only one who's not within a two hour drive (including most of my wife's family).
• DyslexicAtheist 10y ago
  Vienna. In the heart of Europe and just short drive away from every one of these: Italy Croatia, Slovenia, Hungary, Czech Republic, Slovakia, Germany, Switzerland. ranked best place to live [1] https://www.theguardian.com/business/2016/feb/23/vienna-named-worlds-top-city-for-quality-of-life https://www.theguardian.com/business/2016/feb/23/vienna-name... I'm not saying that the best thing about Vienna is the highway that get away from it (LOL), but as a foreigner it's the perfect "beach head" to explore the continent (and Eastern EU is crazy fun, people are more can-do than can't-do. There are a billion other reasons such as history, culture, cuisine, outdoor & sports ... Taxes are high (like everywhere in EU) but you get decent healthcare. Also salaries in IT are good especially if you are freelancing pretty identical to Germany. (avg > €60,-/hrs). Another one of my fav is Berlin. Salaries not as high but fantastic software / start-up ecosystem. City is very affordable compared to other parts of Europe so lower salary is not huge issue. disclosure: I'm Austrian (though have lived outside Austria the past 20+ years) EDIT: typos
  • CuriouslyC 10y ago
    Why not Budapest then? Still fairly central, much cheaper, nice spas and amenities, closer to eastern Europe, and IMO the food is better
    • StavrosK 10y ago
      Good luck learning Hungarian, though :P
    • ido 10y ago
      Much worse infrastructure, if you care about such things. Probably not as good a place to raise children (especially with the politics of the recent decade or so).
      • bb101 10y ago
        I have to disagree. I know people who passed over good job offers overseas in order to remain in Budapest and raise their children. Good schools, affordable housing, a cheap & heavily utilized public transport system, respect for history and culture, forest/nature a max. half hour from anywhere in the city, and ironically, the recent politics have resulted in a safer climate compared to other cities in Europe.
• andreyazimov 10y ago
  Bali
• beowulf_cluster 10y ago
  Somewhere in Scandinavia. I don't know much about the area other than they score among the highest on self-reported happiness indicies[0]. I'm curious about what cultural differences are responsible for that result, and I suppose I'd like to enjoy them for myself. [0]: http://www.medicaldaily.com/world-happiness-report-scandinavia-worlds-happiest-countries-378453 http://www.medicaldaily.com/world-happiness-report-scandinav...
  • deleted 10y ago
    [deleted]
  • zoren 10y ago
    Living in Copenhagen, Denmark I'm not sure that moving here necessarily will make you more happy. Maybe the results would be different if one looked at what makes expats happy when moving to a new country.
• rdlecler1 10y ago
  I'd go to SF/Silicon Valley and look to buy a small starter apartment. Higher wages can pay into high housing costs -- which translate into major savings if you move to a low-cost city. You're also going to be close to some of the world's best talent which should help you hone your craft.
• bnmfsd 10y ago
  I always remember the answer from my boss to this question 4 years ago. I'm living in Europe and I'm working in the tech industry. We were in a business trip in Asia with people from different countries and everyone had his own different answer. My boss, living and working in SF Bay Area, answered: "The Bay Area. I'm already living and working in the best place."
• bookofjoe 10y ago
  Charlottesville, Virginia. Spectacularly beautiful area; small (40,000 city/100,000 Albemarle County which is huge in terms of land area); University of Virginia (20,000 students) anchors a wonderful college town vibe; very high-end options (Wegman's/Whole Foods/Apple Store 1 hour away, etc.); 2-hour drive/2.5 hours train from Washington D.C.; growing tech hub reputation/community (little Austin); airport with lots of flights is 20 minutes from anywhere in town with ZERO security lines; cost of living trivial compared to Washington/NYC/LA/SF; no traffic jams ever; nice people. I grew up in Milwaukee, then lived age 18-35 in LA with a year in Tokyo, moved here at age 35 in 1983: I wouldn't dream of living anywhere else.
  • mathgeek 10y ago
    I lived in Greensboro for a time, and the similarities are quite large. While the tech community there is less developed, you're 90 minutes from Charlotte and have everything you listed above within a half hour drive.
  • jhwhite 10y ago
    I live in Charlottesville! I moved here 11 years ago. At the time it was suppose to be for 3-5 years but I fell in love with the area and never left. I do work on the West End of Richmond now but I still live in Cville.
• Fnoord 10y ago
  Switzerland. High living standard and good wage, multiple languages to speak (German, French, Italian, and English), neutral in the world (so I don't have to bother with wars children disguised as adults are organising), great public transport. Beautiful landscape, I'm very fond of mountains, YMMV (yes, I've been in SV/SF, also very nice). Alas, my parents weren't Swiss, but they were from a reasonably liberal (in the sense of 'liberty') country which has a quite a bunch of the elements Switzerland has so I could've roll'ed it far less fortunate. Only downside for Switzerland is the weather, but its a double edged sword. Sure, its generally cold. If you just work out regularly its not that bad. The air however is crystal clear which is an advantage for me given I'm a former smoker and have COPD and asthma in my close family.
  • snovv_crash 10y ago
    Salaries are high, but cost of living is also really high. If you are from the US, expect to eat out less and have a smaller house/apartment, but have nicer (and longer) holidays.
    • cylinder 10y ago
      Which is not so bad always. I know of many Americans who went to higher col places but saved more than before. High prices push you to be more disciplined with spending: pack your lunch, use less energy, take public transportation, buy less useless junk out of boredom, etc. Also, when you're surrounded by accessible natural beauty and loads of travel destinations close by there's less of a need to spend frivolously. Obviously if you're already very frugal and disciplined it's another story. But IMO high living standards are more important to me than cheap prices, otherwise I'd go to SE Asia or something like that.
    • Fnoord 10y ago
      I would assume the balance is less ideal than US. Then again people from US compare to EU while in EU you get pension, insurance, and generally a social system to protect the weak (which might be you one day). Quite frankly I wouldn't mind not having much money to live on. My living standard doesn't evolve around e.g. eating out. I want my own apartment (for two), a cheap car, a good laptop, a reasonable good smartphone, and some interior stuff (the usual plus some expensive kitchen equipment as outlier). That's pretty much it. You don't need a high income for all of that. The only expensive one is the car and that's something you save up for (long term investment). Health is the most important to me; from which everything sprouts. I've been in Switzerland a couple of times. The air in Switzerland is night and day compared to where I live (NL), and I don't even live in a big city. If enough IT people move to Switzerland (I know some known figures who have) something nice can brew there. For example, Google has a lab there. Even if you can't get an IT job there's non IT jobs available, including low wage / low education. Perhaps Norway is a better country in that regard. Postal service delivery, for example, earns a lot compared to NL. The weather is Scandinavian, but due to the Mexican Gulf temperature near coast is higher than Sweden and Finland (this also keeps fishing trade alive in winter). Relatively clean air, and they're also neutral (tho less than Switzerland). Obviously it'd be a backup plan. I don't think you can get a visa for that anyway. Another option could be remote work.
• fishnchips 10y ago
  Ireland. Lived there for seven years and I loved both the people and nature. We eventually left to allow kids more time with their extended family, but we miss IE so much. IT jobs are plenty and even though they don't pay as well as in SV, you can still afford a comfortable two bedroom apartment somewhere central, or a house 30 minutes (cycling) from the city centre. This is for Dublin where most jobs are. If you manage to find a good job in Cork or Galway you're even better off.
• wordpressdev 10y ago
  Dubai: because it is the nearest most happening place (in terms of innovation) where I currently live. Although, it is very expensive to live especially if you're self-employed.
  • vinaybn 10y ago
    AFAIK dubai has sales teams from different companies situated there but no real innovation. Could you please elaborate?
    • wordpressdev 10y ago
      Dubai is doing a lot in the areas of digital technology, healthcare, solar energy etc. There is a vibrant startup culture and entrepreneurs from other countries are setting up shop in Dubai via the free zones. Some resources on this: http://www.dic.ae/ http://www.dic.ae/ https://angel.co/dubai https://angel.co/dubai http://www.forbes.com/sites/suparnadutt/2016/08/22/is-dubai-the-next-big-tech-startup-hub/#aece33e3c33c http://www.forbes.com/sites/suparnadutt/2016/08/22/is-dubai-... http://www.forbes.com/sites/elizabethmacbride/2016/12/29/dubai-has-300-million-to-entice-the-best-startups-to-worlds-fastest-rising-city/#f3d127035d9f http://www.forbes.com/sites/elizabethmacbride/2016/12/29/dub...
  • jordache 10y ago
    Culture is so blah!
• alkonaut 10y ago
  For year-round stay: Southern France. Good healthcare, good food, nice weather. Alternatively (And this is something I'm actually going to try for software dev in 2017): winter on the Canary Islands and summer in Sweden.
• ThomPete 10y ago
  Already here. New York. If you like urban life, as long as you can pay your bills it's the best and most interesting city in the world. It also helps with a good view :) http://000fff.org/uploads/PH6.jpg http://000fff.org/uploads/PH6.jpg
  • huangc10 10y ago
    This makes me want to pack my bags and head east...Good for you man!
  • Xcelerate 10y ago
    Okay, I'm jealous of that view... that's literally my ideal apartment. And you've provided a great counterargument for everyone who says you can't have children in a city. As someone who just finished grad school, there's no way I could afford that though haha
    • ThomPete 10y ago
      It's not cheap thats for sure and my wife isn't working. But New York although expensive is surprisingly child friendly and have experienced a surge in the number of people with kids (think like 30% in the last 5 years.) Once they hit Kindergarten there is plenty of good schools for free. I am hoping to be able to stay here for many years and have my boys be real New Yorkers.
      • Xcelerate 10y ago
        > But New York although expensive is surprisingly child friendly That's great to hear! I'm really hoping the trend back toward the cities (and away from the suburbs) continues in America. I think walkable cities are much better than driving everywhere.
        • ThomPete 10y ago
          Yeah and you walk A LOT in New York which I really like.
• rockyj 10y ago
  Berlin. Live here and love it. Reasonably big, multicultural city with excellent public transport. You can go anywhere within 1 hour by public transport (average 25 mins). Eat any cuisine anytime, tons of startups, meetups and social events. All backed by excellent German education, innovation + social support.
• stevesun21 10y ago
  Hainan, China. Better air quality and weather.
• known 10y ago
  Nice
• mstade 10y ago
  Anywhere, anytime. I'm generally based in Stockholm, Sweden; my home town and just generally a lovely place to live. It's certainly not the cheapest, but everything works really well and internet is fiber by default nearly everywhere these days, 4g if wireless. People are friendly and the city is clean and beautiful. Driving sucks, but public transport is great and runs all the time, so not a big deal. I can take a ferry to get downtown, which is winning in my book. Plenty of flight options out of Stockholm to go anywhere in Europe as well, including a short hop to London, Frankfurt or Helsinki, which will basically take you anywhere. That said, I'm now currently in Florida, because January almost anywhere in Sweden is cold, wet, and dark. I'll be working from here for a while before heading back, at which point I might just go somewhere in south Europe for a while. My point is, I absolutely love Stockholm as a base of operations and summer in Sweden is unbeatable in my opinion and I couldn't see myself anywhere else, but I need the freedom to go where I want/need to be. Being tied down to an office building again isn't something I could do and still stay happy – maybe if I start a family of my own, but I have no such interest. My life is generally more expensive and messy now, but I'm much, much happier.
  • jobigoud 10y ago
    Interesting. How does bandwidth work? For example when you are in Florida do you rent a place just for a few weeks (can't stay more than 3 months) and register with an ISP or do you stay at a hotel? I'd love to have that freedom, I already work remotely, but I can't really be offline for multiple days unless it's on purpose for vacations.
    • mstade 10y ago
      Typically I go to places like coffee shops and such that might have decent wifi. It takes a couple of days of scouting to find a few good spots, but there's always some. I also generally get a prepaid contract or hotspot with whatever local cell provider is the fastest and/or has the best coverage. I almost exclusively go to places where I know internet isn't going to be an issue, for when I'm working. I do a bit of research beforehand when necessary, but it's generally not.
• PixZxZxA 10y ago
  New York. I fell in love with the city during my first visit this summer, and even if I don't get to live there in the future, I really hope to get an internship there or anywhere other in the US really.
• micro_cam 10y ago
  I ended up in Montana. (Bitterroot Valley between Hamilton and Missoula specifically). Granite big walls and boulders to climb, powder to ski in winter, microbreweries and relatively cost of living.
  • trafficlight 10y ago
    Oh hello fellow Montanan. I grew up here, so it's a little different for me.
• sadadar 10y ago
  I honestly love living in the Bay Area. There is a community for everyone that fits their style, weather is good, food is great, lots of culture opportunities, great for kids, all types of environments in driving distance, international airport, best development community in the world, expensive as all get up. Live in Oakland and it's hard to imagine living anywhere else.
• simonebrunozzi 10y ago
  I'm from Italy originally, and now live in SF. I would go back to Italy in a heartbeat if I were retiring, or if I were a software developer doing remote work. Great people, great food, great history/culture, etc. I'd probably pick Venezia (Venice), one of the most stunning places in the world. One of the tourist-free areas, of course. The problem with Italy is when you have to deal with people for work. Terrible. A nightmare. I would never do that again.
  • meekins 10y ago
    I'd pick some city in Veneto or Friuli-Venezia Giulia regions for remoting for the exact same reasons you mentioned. I was actually offered an on-site dev job around there once but had to turn it down due to economic reasons and other commitments back home.
  • seibelj 10y ago
    I love Boston, but if I could live anywhere else it would be Amsterdam.
  • smcl 10y ago
    That is funny - I work with a few Italians outside Italy and they have said the same thing, socially Italians are lovely, but business-wise they get irritated by their fellow countrymen
• rocky1138 10y ago
  Taipei, Taiwan. The friendliest people you will ever meet, living and working in the most convenient country you will ever visit. Everything for daily life is within walking distance but if you do need something a bit further out, public and private transportation is exceptionally cheap and effective. The weather is fantastic year-round (save for heavy rains sometimes coming from the ocean) and taking a weekend to visit Kenting in the south by high-speed rail is a treat. I'm already saving up to do it.
  • jenoer 10y ago
    My fiancé is from Taiwan and recently moved in with me in Europe. I've been there a couple of times and can not agree more with what you say! We want to live a couple of years together in my country and eventually switch to Taiwan once I feel comfortable with leaving my family and current life behind (and when she has (western) working experience & study that will grant her instant "You worked/studied in the west? Take our money!" privileges) We will live like king and queen together!
    • cylinder 10y ago
      Will it ever feel comfortable? I'm in the same position as you, on the brink of moving far away (not Taiwan), but the anxiety of going somewhere new (possibly permanently!) so far from family always restrains me.
  • gervase 10y ago
    I would only disagree with your characterization of the weather; mid- to upper-nineties with extreme humidity during the summers is not "fantastic". I'm sure someone from Austin or Atlanta would be fine, but as a native of coastal California, I found the weather a real challenge to deal with, necessitating 3-4 showers per day. Additionally, the excellent public transportation meant that spending time walking outdoors (to the subway, etc) was much more likely than in a city where you are just walking from your office to your car. Just my 2¢. Other than that, I agree. Well, and also the giant, flying cockroaches. They're pretty bad too.
  • jobigoud 10y ago
• coldcode 10y ago
  Hawaii, either Oahu or Maui. Provided I could afford a decent place to live. There is something about green that I love. Other green islands like Dominica would work too, though internet on some islands is not great.
  • jotato 10y ago
    Have you been to Kauai? Think Maui, but fewer people.
• deleted 10y ago
  [deleted]
• profpandit 10y ago
  South Goa. Summer in Winter Beaches Low Traffic Afternoon siestas
• aloukissas 10y ago
  Already live there: Los Angeles. Why? * Booming tech scene, with a healthy startup/VC ecosystem. * Best weather + location (benefits of sun + proximity to the ocean are well-documented, e.g. http://www.livescience.com/37819-health-benefits-living-near-ocean.html http://www.livescience.com/37819-health-benefits-living-near...). It's no surprise that people from SF and NY are flocking here ;)
  • jobigoud 10y ago
    I come to Los Angeles a few times a year for several weeks and I really like it. I'm normally based in a mid-sized European city. In L.A. One thing that surprised me is the proximity of the mountains and Griffith Park for hiking, that's fantastic. Beaches very close, awesome weather, movie theaters everywhere, lots of diversity, etc. Oh there are issues of course, lots of homeless, not bicycle-friendly, etc. But it is definitely on my short-list of cities to consider living in.
    • aloukissas 10y ago
      The west side (Santa Monica/Venice/Marina del Rey) where most of the tech companies and startups set base is extremely bicycle friendly.
• tim333 10y ago
  London. Dunno - I kind of like it here. It's quite an international melting point. I hope brexit doesn't muck things up too much.
• hugs 10y ago
  Mill Valley (Marin County), California. Because of the Dipsea Trail. (One of the best hike/run trails on the planet.)
  • uiri 10y ago
    I have to agree with you on the Dipsea trail. However, public transit is infrequent and the commute to the city (nevermind the South Bay) looks pretty bad.
    • hugs 10y ago
      The goal would be to not have to commute everyday. But if I did, take the ferry from Larkspur to the SF Ferry Building.
• habosa 10y ago
  Philadelphia, PA First of all, it's very reasonable. About 40% cost of rent compared to SF or NY and food/entertainment are also much cheaper. Second, I think it's secretly the best food city (per dollar) in the country. Everything from the $7 cheese steak to a $50 dinner is great and you never wait in lin or fight for a reservation. Third, easy access to the whole east coast. Amtrak to NYC or DC before lunch. Fourth, great history and a vibrant culture. The city is also very pro-growth and seems to get better all the time. No NIMBYs. Sixth, very solid infrastructure. Decent public transportation, great hospitals, world class universities in the city, etc. Finally, I like the people there. They have a reputation for being tough but it's just a veneer.
• rdl 10y ago
  If it were down to "had to work as an employee for companies in the local area", I'd have a house in Woodside or Atherton, CA and work on the Peninsula or SF. I hate the government of California and a lot of other things about being in California, but for 10 years of betting on local companies only, SFBA is the safest bet. Bellevue/Kirkland/Redmond is my second choice, and I like Washington outside of Seattle more than anywhere else in the US. Since I now have my own company, I'm fine with it -- if I had to work for Microsoft, another startup in WA, Google Kirkland, or something like that, I'd probably stay. Best overall blend of startups, sane government, qualify of life, great culture, environment, etc. If I had the flexibility to leave, I'd be interested in: Beijing. Kharkov. Israel. Berlin. Hong Kong. As it is, I just got back from a trip to Kharkov, and if I had to hire a lot of ops/admin/tech people, it would be really really tempting. I'm also interested in Utah and Tennessee in the long run, and Montreal.
  • mrfusion 10y ago
    Where do you recommend in Washington?
    • rdl 10y ago
      Broadly, eastside -- Redmond, Kirkland, Bellevue, etc., but also looking at Snohomish County. I nominally live in Redmond now. I don't like Seattle proper, but do like the Seattle area. (What I'm really looking for is a 5-10 acre property in King or Snohomish County which has gigabit Internet, is not in a city with restrictive building codes, permits shooting (hard in King County), ideally borders a hill or non-buildable land on one or more sides, is on a decent road, ideally isn't too far from SEA or downtown Bellevue and Kirkland, maybe is zoned Ag (I'd be happy to do hobby farm ops on site), and is "affordable". That's possibly overdetermined, though.)
• davidmr 10y ago
  I'm genuinely surprised that this post is up to 214 comments and nobody has mentioned Paris yet. I have no idea what the practicalities of a life in Paris are, but it's still at the top of my list. In maybe half a dozen visits, I've found Parisians to be quite friendly for city dwellers (very much counter to the stereotype). If I approach situations in my severely broken French, people figure out quite quickly that their English is better than my French, and like most everywhere else in Europe, nearly everyone under 40 speaks excellent English. Maybe it's one of those things that looks better to an outsider than it is, but the pace of life is very attractive to me. I'm far less surprised that nobody has mentioned Chicago, but it's not bad here. For a large city, it has most everything I want: great art, great restaurants, etc. The cost of living here is obscenely low relative to NYC or SF. For far less (monthly rent vs. mortgage payment) than friends who rent one bedroom apartments in either city, we own a modest, but very nice detached house in a nice neighborhood smack in the middle of the city. Between the recent dramatic uptick in shootings and the truly shitty weather in the winter (though spring and summer are glorious), it's pretty hard for it to bubble up to the top of anyone's list.
  • blueline 10y ago
    nobody who is posting on HN will be living in englewood or east garfield park, so the relative effect of crime increases in chicago is almost totally irrelevant to their decision. It's a problem I want desperately to be solved too, but not because I'm deluded into thinking it's going to affect me in any way. Other than the cold/hot weather, there's nothing more I could want out of chicago. As you said, the cost of living in comparison to other big cities is incredible.
    • davidmr 10y ago
      Maybe you and I have different interpretations of what affects us, but I'm still affected if I live in a city with a dramatically increasing murder rate, even if I'm not likely to be murdered. I have friends working in trauma care at hospitals, for the police and fire department, I volunteer my time in neighborhoods I don't live in, etc. More than that, I have a hard time saying that the problems of people just a few blocks west of me aren't a) my problems already, and b) likely to become bigger problems for me in the future. Maybe it's all just misplaced liberal guilt, but I find it hard to ignore.
• pmontra 10y ago
  Anywhere with temperature between 25 and 30 C year long, no authoritarian government, reasonable services. Remote working.
  • jobigoud 10y ago
    That's also my wish list, and I add "English, French or Spanish as primary language". That temperature range means Mediterranean weather, so the list of cities is the following: Barcelona, Marseille, Cape Town, Adelaide, Perth, Los Angeles, San Diego, San Francisco, Santiago de Chile.
• smkellat 10y ago
  Pago Pago, American Samoa. Moderately good looking area, plenty of sharks in the harbor. Lots of sun. I would need a satellite Internet connection to do anything tech-based. There would be no hope of corporate espionage. Would never be able to have time zones meet up for a teleconference ever again. This would be as far south as I could go on the planet without being an NSF scientist assigned to McMurdo and still be within US jurisdiction. Technically would count as a very legal tax haven within the US defense umbrella. I wouldn't be paying the IRS but rather the territorial government. Yep, just need a good working satellite connection since the local broadband isn't that great and I would be good to go.
• tych0 10y ago
  I'm amazed nobody has said Denver, Colorado yet. The combination of big city plus mountain geography is very unique in the US, but also anywhere in the world I think (I've heard suggestions that Zurich is similar r.e. geography, but the city isn't as big). If you like being outdoors, this is the place. The culture here is exactly that: to be outside all the time skiing, cycling, climbing, hiking, etc. The only downside is that it's quite expensive :(
  • jordache 10y ago
    Expensive? Relatively to Wichita KS?
  • shostack 10y ago
    Visiting friends there in a week or so... Any suggestions for what to do in winter there that isn't some outdoors sport or something that requires being outside for long periods? Our friends have a young baby so we have a limiting factor in our group. Also, what is the tech industry like there and what neighborhoods are up and coming but still super safe?
• trgn 10y ago
  Leuven, Belgium: small, international city, everything in arm's reach, looks stupendous, young&sexy vibe, great college town rhythm, close to everything worthwhile in Europe, high-tech job market, top notch culture in Brussels (20min trainride, 4x an hour). Expensive for Belgian standards, but it's a blueprint for aspirational cities of the 21st century: human-scaled, wealthy, georgeous, diverse economy, and centrally located in the global village. Philadelphia, PA: best urban core in the US: compact downtown, wonderful residential areas surrounding it (old city, fairmount, society hill), great 19th century grandeur, close to everything worthwhile on Eastcoast, top notch culture. Primarily here because it is affordable and allows you to live a luxurious city life on a normal income. Lugano, Switzerland: italian flair in Switzerland. No jobs, but you won't care in a place that looks like the riviera nestled in the Alps. Great for outdoors people, heavenly in all seasons.
• jfroma 10y ago
  I moved four months ago from a very crowded city to an small town in the province of Córdoba, Argentina called Mendiolaza. We have beautiful landscapes and it is near (25kms) the big city. I am a software developer like you and I work from home for a company based on Seattle. Anyway I am not here to convince you to move to this city in particular but please consider low populated areas with green spaces. This move has changed the life of my two kids, they went from being all day in their rooms playing with ipad, videogames etc to play outside, riding bikes, climbing trees, etc. Each one have like 10 friends they see every day. I feel they have more self-confidence since they can go outside alone for hours. It has affected me as well, everything seems to be faster in an small town. There isn't queues when you go buy something, the services are better. Example the car wash in this town will pick up my car, wash it and bring it home. If I ask for a pediatrician home visit, the doctor will be in my front door 30 minutes after I call, compared to 4 hours. There are less places for food than in the big city, but it is more handmade and better. The people is friendlier and there is honesty and trust among the neighbors. First time I went to buy something I ran out of cash and they didn't have debit/credit, the owner say "no problem, pay me tomorrow" even if I insisted to cancel the operation. It took me a while to found a good internet service, I tried 3. Right now I have a 20M connection. Anyway I think it has been the best decision I made in 2016. I am very happy to live here.
  • l33tbro 10y ago
    Thanks for this summation of small town living. I find it pretty inspiring actually. One question, do you honestly ever feel like you're "missing out" or feel a sense of isolation by being so far away from a denser place? While I think cities are over-rated, I do feel that there is a variety to my immediate environment that I'd be missing if I moved to a small town and had a family. I strongly suspect this could be a false perception though.
    • jfroma 10y ago
      To be honest I haven't had this feeling but maybe it is just because how I am and because I am 30 minutes away of Cordoba, which is the second bigest city in Argentina and has good nightlife etc. Most of my friends and family live there. I tweeted few weeks ago that I moved here and found another guy in IT few kms away. Also the first week I invited two neighbours to a bbq (asado!) and turns out one of the guys worked for HP. Not enough for a meetup yet but I am considering havig some beers with them. My wife didn't want to move out few years ago, two weeks after living here she told me that she was very happy to live here and she suffer every time she had to go to the city. My 11 daughter has done more friends here in two months than in her entire life living in the city and my son 4yo son is about to learn to ride a bike. My advice will be at least to try it out, it will change your life for ever.
• md2be 10y ago
  Miami - only sub-tropical in the US. Not sure why tech and VC scene have been absent.
• illamint 10y ago
  I love and live in NYC right now, but I wouldn't mind moving to Salt Lake City, UT. Political climate is a bit silly, but the outdoor recreation is just amazing. Skiing, mountain biking, climbing, fishing... all in your backyard. Cost of living is pretty low, but salaries/job diversity seem pretty low along with it, so I'll probably stay with NYC for a while.
  • autotune 10y ago
    What are your like and dislikes about NYC?
• haskal 10y ago
  Mumbai, India.
  • sh87 10y ago
    Totally. Except its crowded. And expensive with the >10 year debt to buy an apartment. And the insane traffic on undrivable roads and the daily squeeze in the local trains. Hardly any tech scene here although tons of mediocre IT work. And yeah the corruption you face to to even set up a LLC is mindnumbing. Apart from these, its just great. Great weather. Super supportive people. If you have the drive, you can get it done here. Relatively safer than other parts of India.
  • smashingx 10y ago
    no for me, that place looks awful, unless you are from india.
• daodedickinson 10y ago
  Wyoming. Only problem would be air quality.
• miguelrochefort 10y ago
  New York or San Francisco. With their salaries, I could retire at 30 instead of 65.
  • cylinder 10y ago
    Have you looked into the rent and taxes in NYC? As a determined single person chasing FIRE you probably could pull off some arbitrage by renting a room somewhere far, but a more reasonable lifestyle and raising a family, I doubt it.
    • miguelrochefort 10y ago
      Looks fantastic to me. New York City: - Gross income: $150,000 - Net income: $95,000 - Rent: $25,000 - Money left: $70,000 Montreal: - Gross income: $35,000 - Net income: $27,000 - Rent: $6,000 - Money left: $21,000 Would you switch place?
      • cylinder 10y ago
        Sure, Montreal is pretty lame IMO. Assuming you're in software why don't you make the move? As a Canadian citizen you can easily get TN status at the border.
        • miguelrochefort 10y ago
          Lack of a degree makes things more complicated.
          • cylinder 10y ago
            You can get it with a "post-secondary certificate" combined with three years experience.
      • hackerboos 10y ago
        Median developer salary is more like $45k in Montreal [1] and $93k in NYC [2], according to Payscale. [1] - http://www.payscale.com/research/CA/Job=Software_Engineer_%2f_Developer_%2f_Programmer/Salary/720cacaf/Montr%C3%A9al-QC http://www.payscale.com/research/CA/Job=Software_Engineer_%2... [2] - http://www.payscale.com/research/US/Job=Software_Engineer/Salary/df029197/New-York-NY http://www.payscale.com/research/US/Job=Software_Engineer/Sa... Money left NYC: $40,000 Money left Montreal: $23,250 The apartment difference is going to be considerable. It's very cheap to rent in Montreal.
• tempo-lempo 10y ago
  Bern
• thomasthomas 10y ago
  San Diego. Best coastal city that has warm weather year-round in America in my opinion. Warm climate coastal city is my preference though. For the east coast that really only leaves charleston and savannah. Those two aren't big enough though. LA is too big for me. SD is perfect.
• halfw0rld 10y ago
  My opinion is pretty generic as I would go to SF, since I am living there. Even though it may feel that the hype is fading I think that it's just the beginning. Although each individual is different and I would try to think of other things you want to see in your everyday life as well. Do you like nature, lots of greenery? Or do you prefer fast paced city life? The choices are on the table and you just need to pick the one for you. You can see what kind of answer does this tool give you https://teleport.org https://teleport.org I tend to use this site if I plan to travel somewhere. Next month I plsn to go to Sydney to get a taste of a remote lifestyle as well. All in all I think that San Francisco is the best place to go as a developer. Loads of developers and open-minded people who all have a startup-like mindset which really inspires me and has made me much more confident so far. If you don't like the city you eventually go to, you can always move. You sre never stuck in one place. Good luck on your searches :)
• anon1253 10y ago
  Iceland. Clean water and air, plus practically "free" electricity. Developed utilities and infrastructure. Small and mostly friendly population. The natural beauty there gets to me every time I visit. There is nothing like seeing a bright aurora, or driving through something seemingly other-worldy. And…it might possibly survive nuclear or climate catastrophe.
  • handzhiev 10y ago
    +1. And I'd rather not go to Reykjavic but to some of the smaller cities. Much calmer and more charming.
  • pier25 10y ago
    The food though...
• CM30 10y ago
  If I could work anywhere? Well, in the middle of the countryside miles away from absolutely anything. Always preferred rural life to city life. It'd probably be much cheaper in regards to prices and rent too. I honestly don't care what country, so long as it's at least relatively modern in its conveniences and isn't a dictatorship of some kind.
  • jobigoud 10y ago
    > in the middle of the countryside miles away from absolutely anything. This is usually synonymous with low bandwidth though.
• nathan_f77 10y ago
  My wife and I are quite happy in Chiang Mai, Thailand. I think I could probably stay here for 10 years. The cost of living is very low, and the climate is pretty nice all year. There's a lot of good restaurants and cafes, and lots of variety. You can find some pretty good Mexican, Indian, Italian, Japanese, etc. There's a lot of 24 hour coworking spaces and cafes to work from, and it's always very safe to walk home at 3am. The crime rate is very low. There's also a lot of meetups and things to do. There's a lot of cinemas with movies in English (and Thai subtitles). There's bowling, ice skating, archery, paintball, and lots of parks and hiking trails. Major downsides are the "burning season" which lasts for a few months every year, when the air is full of smoke. Also, the traffic is pretty dangerous. It's nowhere near as bad as India, Cambodia, or Vietnam, but it's pretty bad. Another downside is the lack of live music, theater, etc. You have to go to Bangkok to see any international bands, and they don't come very often. If visas and money weren't an issue, I have a big list of places that I would like to explore before moving somewhere long-term. Examples: Hong Kong, Taiwan, Andorra, Austria, Sweden, Estonia, Dunedin (NZ), Arrowtown (NZ), New Haven (CT), San Luis Obispo (CA), Portland (OR), or Denver (CO). Maybe New York.
• deleted 10y ago
  [deleted]
• xj9 10y ago
  Seattle, WA. I've been in love with the Pacific Northwest since I visited my great-great-grandparents in Eugene when I was a kid. When I visited Seattle as an adult, I knew I had to live there. tech + ocean + mountains = ️
• bigmickey 10y ago
  Brilliant question I also would like the answer to. For context, I have lived and worked in Ireland, UK, US, France, Germany, Cyprus, Japan and Singapore. I really like Singapore for the low tax, great weather, amazingly safe and crime-free environment (particularly appreciated by my wife) and tech-heavy leanings - although if you are a political blogger it might not be the place for you! It is also by some measures now the richest country on the planet (GDP per capita). It has a reputation for being expensive but if you are willing to live without owning a car (really not necessary in Singapore) and not buying a property (artificially expensive for a non-local) it really isn't that bad - certainly cheaper than central London or Manhattan. Hope this helps :)
• mindcrime 10y ago
  I'm pretty content where I am now (Chapel Hill, NC) but if I had Ludicrous Money I'd love to have a condo in downtown Chicago. I wouldn't want live in Chicago year round, mind you (too cold in the winter), but I love spending time there. I'm also partial to the Portland, Oregon region, as well as New Orleans. Both of those would be pretty high on my list of potential places to live, if I ever left Chapel Hill.
• vithlani 10y ago
  Paris, France. The amount of history, architecture, food, fashion, art and bookworms crammed into it is mind blowing....
• ud0 10y ago
  Unites States of America. You are closer to more opportunities as a software dev than any where else in the world.
• jotato 10y ago
  Hanalei, Kauai (Hawaii) it is my favorite place to be. The town is friendly. I love all the farms, and there are plenty of outdoor activities to do. Sure, it rains a lot. (Some houses are on stilts and the only road out of town floods over a few times a year) But IMO, it is worth it. Now to find an IT job where I can work remote...
• russelluresti 10y ago
  Ideally, I'd work remotely and move around whenever I wanted. If I had to pick a city, I'd pick Helsinki or Oslo. Scandinavia is beautiful, socially progressive, has great education and health services, and is conveniently located to the rest of Europe. You just have to deal with the cold for 9 months out of the year.
• nnd 10y ago
  Stay in the same place for 10 years? Sounds like jail.
• justincooke 10y ago
  I just currently locked down a 12 month lease in Saigon, Vietnam. I've been visiting here often the last couple of years and keep feeling pulled back to the city, so decided to commit to being here for most of the time the next 12 months. It's a "big" city in Asia without being massive. (Bangkok, Tokyo, Manila, etc.) Great coffee shop scene, rooftop bars, restaurants, and friendly expat entrepreneurial community/vibe. In fact, Obama came through a few months ago and gave a talk at one of the co-working spots to some of the local entrepreneurs! Here are some good write-ups on entrepreneurship in Saigon: https://www.virgin.com/entrepreneur/the-worlds-best-start-up-hubs-ho-chi-minh-city-vietnam https://www.virgin.com/entrepreneur/the-worlds-best-start-up... https://www.coworker.com/lab/14-reasons-why-saigon-is-the-ultimate-playground-for-bootstrapping-entrepreneurs/ https://www.coworker.com/lab/14-reasons-why-saigon-is-the-ul...
• padiyar83 10y ago
  Bangalore. Great startup scene, amazing talent. The IT spirit of the city almost feels like silicon valley in 90's. Also a lot of pubs and bars and thousands of places to eat makes the city just a amazing place to be in.
• ivcha 10y ago
  Belgrade, Serbia. A very nice city with balanced weather. Amazing nightlife. Emerging opportunities in tech and startups.