Speaking just for NYC, outside of a (relatively speaking) few jobs in investment banking or trading in finance, FAANG tier SWE, and perhaps medical doctors and

Speaking just for NYC, outside of a (relatively speaking) few jobs in investment banking or trading in finance, FAANG tier SWE, and perhaps medical doctors and upper tier lawyers, I don't think Manhattan salaries are high enough to compensate actually living in Manhattan versus the suburbs. This is assuming without roommates. I've worked 4 SWE jobs in Manhattan in my career. The first 3 were at non-tech companies (investment banks) where SWEs were a cost center and paid like a cost center. Nearly all of my coworkers commuted in from New Jersey, Westchester, less expensive parts of Queens or Long Island. My current job (FAANG tier company) is the first job where most of my coworkers actually live in Manhattan, or at least Brooklyn.