Is 15% a big deal if your expenses drop by 20%?
A company should be allowed to pay for the ‘supposed’ benefits that human interaction brings.
A company should be allowed to pay for the ‘supposed’ benefits that human interaction brings.
Say I make $150k/yr after taxes in Silicon Valley and spend $6000/mo, which is about $72k/yr. Which means I save $78k/yr (and savings compound over time, as do pay raises).
If I relocate, I'm making $128k/yr after taxes and spending $4800/mo, or about $57600/yr. I'm saving $70k/yr, a whopping $8k/yr difference.
I moved to Seattle from a way lower CoL area, but even with the way higher rent, I was saving more dollars/year.
In SF, I had a rent controlled spot and lived with 4 roommates. It didn't matter much because I spent most of my time at work, and had access to a bunch of things in the city and the Bay on weekends. I also ate most of my meals for free at work, and I didn't own a car.
Now, in IL, I have my own 1BR apartment, a car, and spend a lot more on groceries and takeout.
Also, I'm getting a fundamentally different experience. I have more space, but I'd love to go back to city living when the pandemic ends.
If you make $200K, but spend $100K, then a 20% drop in expenses is $20K, and a 15% drop in salary is $30K. Overall you're out $10K even though the percentage drop in salary is lower.
It gets worse if you have a $300K salary.
Seafood, well, Switzerland is a landlocked nation. There aren't any good surfing spots either, but skiing is 1.5hrs to the slope by public transport.