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Sure, if you're young and single and saving aggressively, you can still come out ahead in SF.

But Even at half or 1/3 the salary, you'd still come out ahead in many areas across the country, if you have a family of 4. In SF, it's not just the extreme housing costs, but also the 3K-4K/month day care costs (if you can get it), and all the other COL.




This sentence is telling: "Sure, he lives in a great 3,000 sq.ft house that only costs $500/month."

You've discounted the value of that house.

You forgot that the house might be on more than an acre of land, with a stream and some forest.

Your comparison isn't equivalent at all. Add some land, and suddenly you aren't coming out ahead. You can't even pay your bills.


How can you save when you’re paying $4k a month in rent?


Make $20K/month in salary, bonuses, and stock awards.




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