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Be aware that Silicon Valley is an extreme global outlier in real estate prices.

AYBABTME 8y ago
Not really, there's cities all over the world with conditions that lead to crazy high real estate/housing costs. Most every metropolis ends up with a similar situation. Slightly different settings that all sum up to "high demand low supplies". NYC, London, Vancouver, Hong Kong, Tokyo, ...
- ben_w 8y ago
  SF is an outlier compared to London. From expatistan.com: Monthly rent for 85 m2 (900 Sqft) furnished accommodation in NORMAL area: SF: $3,663 (£2,789) London: £1,766 Difference: 58%
  - foldr 8y ago
    Worth noting that the difference there is exaggerated somewhat by the unusually low value of the pound at the moment.
    - onlyrealcuzzo 8y ago
      Worth noting that tech workers in London make about 1/2 to 1/3 of what they do in the Bay.
      - foldr 8y ago
        It might be worth noting in another context, but tech worker salaries don't determine London rents.
    - ben_w 8y ago
      The unusualness of the pound is about 10%, +/- the usual variations, isn’t it?
      - foldr 8y ago
        Depends on what period you're considering: https://www.macrotrends.net/2549/pound-dollar-exchange-rate-historical-chart https://www.macrotrends.net/2549/pound-dollar-exchange-rate-... If you take 1.6 USD = 1GBP as typical of recent times, then it's more like 20%.
harimau777 8y ago
Is this true when you are comparing similar conditions? Something along the lines of: Large cities with significant multiculturalism, high tech jobs, significant culture (arts, media, entertainment, museums, etc.), public transportation, and openness to various ways of life
- bluGill 8y ago
  Yes. Try moving to Minneapolis, which has plenty of everything you ask for and housing prices are not out of control. If you don't need a large city, Des Moines does well too on the rest of your qualifications.
C1sc0cat 8y ago
Not Compared to London though - London does have a much better transport system so living 60-70 miles away and commuting isn't as bad as it would be in SV.

Not really, there's cities all over the world with conditions that lead to crazy high real estate/housing costs. Most every metropolis ends up with a similar situation. Slightly different settings that all sum up to "high demand low supplies". NYC, London, Vancouver, Hong Kong, Tokyo, ...

ben_w 8y ago
SF is an outlier compared to London. From expatistan.com: Monthly rent for 85 m2 (900 Sqft) furnished accommodation in NORMAL area: SF: $3,663 (£2,789) London: £1,766 Difference: 58%
- foldr 8y ago
  Worth noting that the difference there is exaggerated somewhat by the unusually low value of the pound at the moment.
  - onlyrealcuzzo 8y ago
    Worth noting that tech workers in London make about 1/2 to 1/3 of what they do in the Bay.
    - foldr 8y ago
      It might be worth noting in another context, but tech worker salaries don't determine London rents.
  - ben_w 8y ago
    The unusualness of the pound is about 10%, +/- the usual variations, isn’t it?
    - foldr 8y ago
      Depends on what period you're considering: https://www.macrotrends.net/2549/pound-dollar-exchange-rate-historical-chart https://www.macrotrends.net/2549/pound-dollar-exchange-rate-... If you take 1.6 USD = 1GBP as typical of recent times, then it's more like 20%.

harimau777 8y ago

Is this true when you are comparing similar conditions? Something along the lines of: Large cities with significant multiculturalism, high tech jobs, significant culture (arts, media, entertainment, museums, etc.), public transportation, and openness to various ways of life

bluGill 8y ago
Yes. Try moving to Minneapolis, which has plenty of everything you ask for and housing prices are not out of control. If you don't need a large city, Des Moines does well too on the rest of your qualifications.

C1sc0cat 8y ago

Not Compared to London though - London does have a much better transport system so living 60-70 miles away and commuting isn't as bad as it would be in SV.