Salaries are paid based on what a very competitive market demands in a place with high cost of living and taxes, but they're a large amount in absolute dollars.

Salaries are paid based on what a very competitive market demands in a place with high cost of living and taxes, but they're a large amount in absolute dollars. Anyone moving to the Bay Area when young and maximizing their savings rate can easily and quickly save a fairly large amount, which can then be invested with an eye to long term growth. Nobody is twisting your arm to use that money to buy a Bay Area house and settle permanently. After a decade, move away and you're suddenly rich.