Cost of living in the Bay Area
11-14-2006, 07:15 AM
#16
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I'm a NY'er in CA. IMO CA is a pretty tough adjustment for us from the east coast. Cost of living is high. If your looking for a change of pace, I can't say that NorCal is your best option. I will be leaving here as soon a I find empoyment elsewhere. It has it's perks. Personally I'm not willing to pay the premium for the perks.
11-14-2006, 08:42 AM
#17
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Rent first. Housing prices are probably going to fall a little. Developers are already offering "rebates" in order to maintain the "sale price".
Mass transit around here SUCKS. BART and lightrail are no comparison to the NY subway, and our bus system doesn't compare to NY's either.
Pick where you're working, then pick a rental as close to there as you can afford to reduce your commute. If you're single, try living in san francisco. If you've got family, decide if you want city, suburban, or what.
What profession are you?
Mass transit around here SUCKS. BART and lightrail are no comparison to the NY subway, and our bus system doesn't compare to NY's either.
Pick where you're working, then pick a rental as close to there as you can afford to reduce your commute. If you're single, try living in san francisco. If you've got family, decide if you want city, suburban, or what.
What profession are you?
11-14-2006, 09:24 AM
#19
bored? change of pace? How about move to a super slow city like FT, CO or LA, NM? Man, I was there few times for work, and talk about boring...
Originally Posted by Gin
I am getting a little bored of ny; a change of pace should help.
11-14-2006, 10:08 AM
#20
Lots of opinions.
I want to dispell some misleading info off the bat:
"most" people do not commute for hours. The local paper did a poll and the average car commute is 30-40 minutes each way.
Mass transit is either not available or awesome, depending on where you live and work and play. BART is limited, but waaay better than the NYC subway in terms of cleanliness, safety, feel, etc. Buses are also a mixed lot.
Because housing prices are falling, potential buyers are waiting, thus rental prices are actually moving up in the double digits (percentage). Went up 8-15% since last year (again based on Chronicle statistics article).
The OP obviously is NOT looking to buy a house, so no need to go there.
As for location, try this: make a reverse "C" w/ your right hand. The thumbnail is SF, the thumb is the peninsula, the "v" is the south bay/san jose, index finger going up is the "east Bay", and the index finger nail is the north bay. These are the key areas of the Bay Area.
Cost of living for a single guy in the Bay Area...I say, you can get by OK, w/ $50K. You're own apartment and all, but won't have much of a savings unless you live coupon frugal. If you make less, then you'll need to consider a roommate to live equivalently.
good luck.
I want to dispell some misleading info off the bat:
"most" people do not commute for hours. The local paper did a poll and the average car commute is 30-40 minutes each way.
Mass transit is either not available or awesome, depending on where you live and work and play. BART is limited, but waaay better than the NYC subway in terms of cleanliness, safety, feel, etc. Buses are also a mixed lot.
Because housing prices are falling, potential buyers are waiting, thus rental prices are actually moving up in the double digits (percentage). Went up 8-15% since last year (again based on Chronicle statistics article).
The OP obviously is NOT looking to buy a house, so no need to go there.
As for location, try this: make a reverse "C" w/ your right hand. The thumbnail is SF, the thumb is the peninsula, the "v" is the south bay/san jose, index finger going up is the "east Bay", and the index finger nail is the north bay. These are the key areas of the Bay Area.
Cost of living for a single guy in the Bay Area...I say, you can get by OK, w/ $50K. You're own apartment and all, but won't have much of a savings unless you live coupon frugal. If you make less, then you'll need to consider a roommate to live equivalently.
good luck.
11-14-2006, 10:37 AM
#21
Originally Posted by BOOOST4
Lots of opinions.
I want to dispell some misleading info off the bat:
"most" people do not commute for hours. The local paper did a poll and the average car commute is 30-40 minutes each way.
Mass transit is either not available or awesome, depending on where you live and work and play. BART is limited, but waaay better than the NYC subway in terms of cleanliness, safety, feel, etc. Buses are also a mixed lot.
Because housing prices are falling, potential buyers are waiting, thus rental prices are actually moving up in the double digits (percentage). Went up 8-15% since last year (again based on Chronicle statistics article).
The OP obviously is NOT looking to buy a house, so no need to go there.
As for location, try this: make a reverse "C" w/ your right hand. The thumbnail is SF, the thumb is the peninsula, the "v" is the south bay/san jose, index finger going up is the "east Bay", and the index finger nail is the north bay. These are the key areas of the Bay Area.
Cost of living for a single guy in the Bay Area...I say, you can get by OK, w/ $50K. You're own apartment and all, but won't have much of a savings unless you live coupon frugal. If you make less, then you'll need to consider a roommate to live equivalently.
good luck.
I want to dispell some misleading info off the bat:
"most" people do not commute for hours. The local paper did a poll and the average car commute is 30-40 minutes each way.
Mass transit is either not available or awesome, depending on where you live and work and play. BART is limited, but waaay better than the NYC subway in terms of cleanliness, safety, feel, etc. Buses are also a mixed lot.
Because housing prices are falling, potential buyers are waiting, thus rental prices are actually moving up in the double digits (percentage). Went up 8-15% since last year (again based on Chronicle statistics article).
The OP obviously is NOT looking to buy a house, so no need to go there.
As for location, try this: make a reverse "C" w/ your right hand. The thumbnail is SF, the thumb is the peninsula, the "v" is the south bay/san jose, index finger going up is the "east Bay", and the index finger nail is the north bay. These are the key areas of the Bay Area.
Cost of living for a single guy in the Bay Area...I say, you can get by OK, w/ $50K. You're own apartment and all, but won't have much of a savings unless you live coupon frugal. If you make less, then you'll need to consider a roommate to live equivalently.
good luck.
I was making about $75,000 when I lived over in the east bay and spent money with wreckless abandone. I never worried about making rent, car payments, etc. In the process I saved/invested, lost etc around $40,000. I ended up with $30,000 after the stocks took a dump and I bolted for home. Mind you that I made less than $50,000 most of the time I was there. I lived and worked in the bay for about 9 years. 3 maybe 4 of them I made over $50,000. If I had wanted to and focused on it and decided to stay there at the $75-80,000 range I could have purchased a house within a couple years.
Its really all about not getting caught up in the gotta have that game....which I didn't. I had to have it. had to drink it. had to eat there. I spent REDICULOUS money on participating in S.F. culture. Stupid.
I would say to get by you should look at $70,000. To buy a house $100,000 up. To live and do.... $160,000.
Anything under $50,000 I wouldn't bother relocating.
Me personally....I got the hell out of the bay. I traded about $35,000 a year for a shorter commute, less people and more peace...not to mention a fiance' and my family. Worth every penny and every tough day of 8months of unemployement. i'm stoked to be back in santa cruz.....the land of insanely high cost of living and low wages!!!! yeah.
11-14-2006, 12:16 PM
#22
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Thread Starter
Join Date: Nov 2002
Location: NyC
Posts: 41
Here's a mini bio:
age = 31
born and raised in NYC
occupation = IT/management level
prior salary = more than enough
reasons for leaving = who knows, its just time for change
Thanks for all the replies everyone.
gin
age = 31
born and raised in NYC
occupation = IT/management level
prior salary = more than enough
reasons for leaving = who knows, its just time for change
Thanks for all the replies everyone.
gin
11-14-2006, 12:41 PM
#24
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Thread Starter
Join Date: Nov 2002
Location: NyC
Posts: 41
Originally Posted by STi-FTW
What exact part of the IT field are you in?
Damn, after typing that out. I now know why i need a change of pace. ny is killing me........
gin
11-14-2006, 01:08 PM
#25
I'd say you'd have little trouble finding a job over here. I'd also so that with that kind of history you should be able to make enough money to do just fine here. I'd recommend living within a half hour of your job. It might cost more but believe me...commuteing will eventually lead to complete and utter hate of your job. My commute in the years I was in the bay was no less than 30 minutes and went as hight as 3.5 hours EACH way. Trust me...it's not worth it.
I'd suggest alameda...or you could always move to santa cruz and work in monterey or san jose. Commute is a bit more than desired though.... 45 min or so depending on traffic. I'd look at places close but kind of away from stuff. And coastal is nice.
I'd suggest alameda...or you could always move to santa cruz and work in monterey or san jose. Commute is a bit more than desired though.... 45 min or so depending on traffic. I'd look at places close but kind of away from stuff. And coastal is nice.
11-14-2006, 03:48 PM
#27
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Originally Posted by Gin
I guess you can catagorize it as systems management. I was the systems manager for my last two employers and headed the support teams for day to day operations of the company and their clients. So all in all, 30+ sites, 1000+ workstations, a few hundred servers?, project management, sarbanes-oxley crap and vendor/client relationships.
Damn, after typing that out. I now know why i need a change of pace. ny is killing me........
gin
Damn, after typing that out. I now know why i need a change of pace. ny is killing me........
gin
11-14-2006, 04:17 PM
#28
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To the OP, if you're moving "just for a change", you should move to San Francisco. It has the most "culture" to experience. Whereas other parts of the bay are more for living, and IMHO it isn't worth staying in the bay area with out some kind of local motivation:
IE, reasons to stay in the BA outside of San Francisco:
- family is local
- incredible job that is local
- close friends that are local
- significant other is local
- going for the big IPO payoff at a local startup
Honestly, if it weren't for my inlaws living so close and my kids, I'd be in San Diego about 6 years ago. Or Hawaii. I live in the south bay and it's seriously boring. Yeah, you can find stuff to do and things are accessible... but if you're not strapped down to the south bay (as I am), you should move to SF, santa cruz, san diego, LA, or some other part of the country.
IE, reasons to stay in the BA outside of San Francisco:
- family is local
- incredible job that is local
- close friends that are local
- significant other is local
- going for the big IPO payoff at a local startup
Honestly, if it weren't for my inlaws living so close and my kids, I'd be in San Diego about 6 years ago. Or Hawaii. I live in the south bay and it's seriously boring. Yeah, you can find stuff to do and things are accessible... but if you're not strapped down to the south bay (as I am), you should move to SF, santa cruz, san diego, LA, or some other part of the country.
11-15-2006, 09:17 AM
#29
Originally Posted by chimchimm5
To the OP, if you're moving "just for a change", you should move to San Francisco. It has the most "culture" to experience. Whereas other parts of the bay are more for living, and IMHO it isn't worth staying in the bay area with out some kind of local motivation:
.
.
If you're coming from Manhatten, then anywhere other than SF will seem like the boondocks.
Even within SF, there's a bunch of districts: sunset, downtown, Richmond, Marina, TL, Hayes Valey, Castro, Panhandle, North Beach, china town, Russion Hill, *** Hill, etcs. Each has unique qualities.
My dream location in the Bay is the Oakland Hills. The view of the Bay is mind blowing...imagine a sunset with a view of the bay, three bridges (including golden gate, and teh City skyline...also being above the fog layer, there will be days when all you'll see are the tips of the bridges and building amidst a sea of white stuff.
11-15-2006, 09:51 AM
#30
Originally Posted by BOOOST4
agreed.
If you're coming from Manhatten, then anywhere other than SF will seem like the boondocks.
Even within SF, there's a bunch of districts: sunset, downtown, Richmond, Marina, TL, Hayes Valey, Castro, Panhandle, North Beach, china town, Russion Hill, *** Hill, etcs. Each has unique qualities.
My dream location in the Bay is the Oakland Hills. The view of the Bay is mind blowing...imagine a sunset with a view of the bay, three bridges (including golden gate, and teh City skyline...also being above the fog layer, there will be days when all you'll see are the tips of the bridges and building amidst a sea of white stuff.
If you're coming from Manhatten, then anywhere other than SF will seem like the boondocks.
Even within SF, there's a bunch of districts: sunset, downtown, Richmond, Marina, TL, Hayes Valey, Castro, Panhandle, North Beach, china town, Russion Hill, *** Hill, etcs. Each has unique qualities.
My dream location in the Bay is the Oakland Hills. The view of the Bay is mind blowing...imagine a sunset with a view of the bay, three bridges (including golden gate, and teh City skyline...also being above the fog layer, there will be days when all you'll see are the tips of the bridges and building amidst a sea of white stuff.