Let's say this person making $160k takes home ~$90k after 401k and taxes and such. And let's say their rent is 50% of their take home ($45k/year or $3750/month)

Let's say this person making $160k takes home ~$90k after 401k and taxes and such. And let's say their rent is 50% of their take home ($45k/year or $3750/month). 1. That's ~$300/mo more than the average 1 BR apartment [1], so seems reasonable. 2. That leaves another $3750/month for non-rent spending money, which itself, more than most Americans earn in salary. (note: this leaves a LOT of room to spend more in rent if you need a 2br, 3br, etc) So yes. San Francisco is expensive. But if you feel like it's a struggle while earning $160k, you probably have a lot of fat you need to cut in your budget. [1] https://www.rentjungle.com/average-rent-in-san-francisco-rent-trends/ https://www.rentjungle.com/average-rent-in-san-francisco-ren...