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here is my own breakdown ranking cities based on software engineering pay and cost of living: (the data is about 4 months old, as I haven't updated it in a whil

here is my own breakdown ranking cities based on software engineering pay and cost of living: (the data is about 4 months old, as I haven't updated it in a while) https://skilldime.com/blog/see-which-cities-pay-the-highest-software-engineering-salaries-adjusted-for-col/ https://skilldime.com/blog/see-which-cities-pay-the-highest-... I did something somewhat similar, except you can break it down by skillsets, city, remote/non-remote, etc: https://skilldime.com/app.php https://skilldime.com/app.php

burlesona 6y ago
This is a nice list, and your numbers for salaries look at lot better than for the submitted post, but I would question your methodology. While housing is absolutely ridiculous in the Bay Area, the total compensation much more than offsets it without having to live in a tent. I moved from a solid job in Raleigh NC (low COL) to a good (but not especially remarkable) job in SF and my annual savings increased almost 5x. It would take a few more years here before I could _buy_ a house, if I wanted to pay the absurd local prices, but I also have the option to work here for 5-7 years total and then _retire_ to one of the many low COL areas in North America. Living in an apartment for a few years is not that big of a deal when that’s the payoff. I would say being able to retire comfortably to a low COL area in a decade or less a lot nicer option than going straight there and _needing_ to work a full 30-40 year career. Of course you can still work after retiring from SF if you want, but not _having to_ is kind of a big deal.
- pascalxus 6y ago
  leaving the BA after 5-7 yrs working is a good plan. Be careful you don't meet anyone. Because, leaving someplace becomes much harder once you've met someone or you have family in the area. moving 2 jobs/ moving 2 social life's is harder than 1. just keep it in mind
  - burlesona 6y ago
    Yeah, I've moved with my family twice now, each about five years apart. It's not the easiest thing in the world, but it's worthwhile when you have a compelling reason _why_ you're moving. I think in each case so far we've known that our stay would be 4-7 years or so, and thus in each case it's been kind of "bittersweet" but not too hard when the time finally came. It is definitely harder now as my kids are school-aged, though.
waldohatesyou 6y ago
That looks great! Thanks for the reply!

burlesona 6y ago

This is a nice list, and your numbers for salaries look at lot better than for the submitted post, but I would question your methodology. While housing is absolutely ridiculous in the Bay Area, the total compensation much more than offsets it without having to live in a tent. I moved from a solid job in Raleigh NC (low COL) to a good (but not especially remarkable) job in SF and my annual savings increased almost 5x. It would take a few more years here before I could _buy_ a house, if I wanted to pay the absurd local prices, but I also have the option to work here for 5-7 years total and then _retire_ to one of the many low COL areas in North America. Living in an apartment for a few years is not that big of a deal when that’s the payoff. I would say being able to retire comfortably to a low COL area in a decade or less a lot nicer option than going straight there and _needing_ to work a full 30-40 year career. Of course you can still work after retiring from SF if you want, but not _having to_ is kind of a big deal.

pascalxus 6y ago
leaving the BA after 5-7 yrs working is a good plan. Be careful you don't meet anyone. Because, leaving someplace becomes much harder once you've met someone or you have family in the area. moving 2 jobs/ moving 2 social life's is harder than 1. just keep it in mind
- burlesona 6y ago
  Yeah, I've moved with my family twice now, each about five years apart. It's not the easiest thing in the world, but it's worthwhile when you have a compelling reason _why_ you're moving. I think in each case so far we've known that our stay would be 4-7 years or so, and thus in each case it's been kind of "bittersweet" but not too hard when the time finally came. It is definitely harder now as my kids are school-aged, though.

waldohatesyou 6y ago

That looks great! Thanks for the reply!