Right, I get the salary is 2-3x, but does that translate to a much bigger house? Better schools for your kids? Holidays to St Moritz?
Or is it more like, 2-3x most of which goes into rent, health insurance and local taxes?
Or is it more like, 2-3x most of which goes into rent, health insurance and local taxes?
I was a bit shocked at first how dated silicon valley looks at least compared to the price. And the commute is soul killing. Public transport is worse then British trains, with the added problem that the stations are in useless places.
But the weather is great and the job opportunities for software engineers are fantastic. Dating also sucks I have heard.
Taxes in California are high, though not higher than in the UK.
Bigger house? Better schools for kids? Not really. Maybe if you're in the top 5% of engineers.
Holidays? You can do pretty much anything you want anywhere you want for holiday. Almost everywhere in the world is cheap compared to living costs in the Bay Area.
As sibling notes, all of these firms pay nearly all insurance costs for the employee. Employee contribution will be a few tens of dollars per month typically.