I find it an odd choice to single out SF for the title (currently "A new grad SDE makes 2x more in SF than Toronto after tax and COL"), given that the data show that Seattle pay after tax and COL is almost 2.4x Toronto.
Not that Toronto real estate is cheap either. I think Google Waterloo is a great value: high CAD salary but low real estate prices (around half of Toronto).
The optimal play (if you don't want to permanently live in the US) is to go to SF, continue living like a student and sock away your cash while building your reputation, then move back to Canada and work remote with a grandfathered USD salary.
Um, uh… So how do they compare if we assume similar living situation in both? (And yes, I realise that's still a massively subjective question, given questions of neighbourhood, etc., and rent variation within them.)
Also I'll note that you can bump up the SF numbers by 1K/mo for rent (which puts you well into the can easily afford a 1BR apartment range) and still be ahead on savings compared to the canadian salaries.
1. His Excel sheet shows cost of living with 2-3 roommates, across many different cities, including Toronto
2. The frat parties you attended must have really sucked if they were held in 3-bedroom apartments