Depends on several factors. Including (but not limited to): - Before or after taxes? - Are you talking about grossing the most money or having it go the fart

Depends on several factors. Including (but not limited to): - Before or after taxes? - Are you talking about grossing the most money or having it go the farthest? $90k in SF is different from $90k in Austin which is very different from $90k in New York. You always have to account for cost of living in the area and cost of compensation type. (Payments from equity or options are taxed differently than income) My guess would be that you would get a higher dollar amount offer as a talented high level engineer in SF or coding just about anything for bank in NYC. But the money wouldn't go as far as it would in a Austin, Houston , or an Atlanta.