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That's not true, total compensation in the article is ~1.7 more in SF than Toronto, but that includes stock options which are not actually the same as cash. The

by tensor 9y ago

That's not true, total compensation in the article is ~1.7 more in SF than Toronto, but that includes stock options which are not actually the same as cash. The 2x figure comes from an analysis that factors in living expenses and refers to the amount of money you get left over for savings and similar things. Also, that comparison oddly compares living in a frat-like house in SF to having your own one bedroom apartment in Toronto.

curmudgeon9 9y ago
Not to mention the salary difference will get soaked up by real estate differences the moment you decide to buy a house. Not that Toronto real estate is cheap either. I think Google Waterloo is a great value: high CAD salary but low real estate prices (around half of Toronto). The optimal play (if you don't want to permanently live in the US) is to go to SF, continue living like a student and sock away your cash while building your reputation, then move back to Canada and work remote with a grandfathered USD salary.
gsnedders 9y ago
> Also, that comparison oddly compares living in a frat-like house in SF to having your own one bedroom apartment in Toronto. Um, uh… So how do they compare if we assume similar living situation in both? (And yes, I realise that's still a massively subjective question, given questions of neighbourhood, etc., and rent variation within them.)
joshuamorton 9y ago
RSUs =/= stock options. At a reputable public company (FAMG, Twitter, Linkedin, Snap, etc.) you will be given restricted stock units. These are more like cash than options (they may have a vesting schedule, but once they vest, you can sell them immediately for cash value). Also I'll note that you can bump up the SF numbers by 1K/mo for rent (which puts you well into the can easily afford a 1BR apartment range) and still be ahead on savings compared to the canadian salaries.
whack 9y ago
"that comparison oddly compares living in a frat-like house in SF to having your own one bedroom apartment in Toronto." 1. His Excel sheet shows cost of living with 2-3 roommates, across many different cities, including Toronto 2. The frat parties you attended must have really sucked if they were held in 3-bedroom apartments

by tensor 9y ago

curmudgeon9 9y ago

Not to mention the salary difference will get soaked up by real estate differences the moment you decide to buy a house. Not that Toronto real estate is cheap either. I think Google Waterloo is a great value: high CAD salary but low real estate prices (around half of Toronto). The optimal play (if you don't want to permanently live in the US) is to go to SF, continue living like a student and sock away your cash while building your reputation, then move back to Canada and work remote with a grandfathered USD salary.

gsnedders 9y ago

> Also, that comparison oddly compares living in a frat-like house in SF to having your own one bedroom apartment in Toronto. Um, uh… So how do they compare if we assume similar living situation in both? (And yes, I realise that's still a massively subjective question, given questions of neighbourhood, etc., and rent variation within them.)

joshuamorton 9y ago

RSUs =/= stock options. At a reputable public company (FAMG, Twitter, Linkedin, Snap, etc.) you will be given restricted stock units. These are more like cash than options (they may have a vesting schedule, but once they vest, you can sell them immediately for cash value). Also I'll note that you can bump up the SF numbers by 1K/mo for rent (which puts you well into the can easily afford a 1BR apartment range) and still be ahead on savings compared to the canadian salaries.

whack 9y ago

"that comparison oddly compares living in a frat-like house in SF to having your own one bedroom apartment in Toronto." 1. His Excel sheet shows cost of living with 2-3 roommates, across many different cities, including Toronto 2. The frat parties you attended must have really sucked if they were held in 3-bedroom apartments