Dear Dave,
I have job offers from two tech companies. One is in San Antonio and pays $55,000 a year, while the other is in Silicon Valley making $100,000 a year. My friends are advising me to move to California, but I feel like I’d have more money in my budget if I moved to San Antonio. What do you think?
Aaron
Dear Aaron,
The good news about Silicon Valley is you’d be around a ton of really smart people in your industry. I mean, it’s the epicenter of the tech world, right? You’ll learn a ton and have lots of opportunities, so there’s definitely an upside.
The problem is that the Silicon Valley area is one of the most expensive places to live in the entire country. The real estate prices and cost of living are ridiculous! Still, if it weren’t for the cost of living argument, it would be a no-brainer for me. Then, it wouldn’t really be so much about the income and prices as it would be about the career opportunity.
Still, you have to consider the economic factors involved here. With that in mind, it’s not an exaggeration to say you might actually put more money in your pocket at $55,000 in San Antonio than you would $100,000 in Silicon Valley. That’s entirely possible!
I think things are going to come out pretty even — economically speaking — once you adjust for the cost of living. I’m a huge fan of Texas. It’s a great business market and tax situation down there. But really, in my mind the question comes down to your personal comfort level and quality of life. And that’s something you’ll have to answer for yourself!
—Dave
