Hacker Newsnew | past | comments | ask | show | jobs | submitlogin

Back when I was there, part of my calculus was that cost of living in Seattle was cheaper than the bay. It was about 35% cheaper back then, according to regional CPI data I looked at at the time. Not sure what the difference is today. I believe housing is still substantially cheaper.

I think a few years after I left when more Big Tech opened offices in Seattle, competing companies started paying Bay Area salaries for Seattle living, removing this argument. I haven't watched this closely in recent years.

But fwiw, I was able to save and invest a lot in my Seattle days, despite a salary that was lower than in the bay.



Seattle cost of living is still significantly cheaper than the Bay Area. A lower salary goes even farther given the lack of state income tax, too.


But in a world where Amazon prices are the same, car and gas are the same, cost of living is just rent?


Housing makes a huge difference, but there is also the cost of groceries, dining out, etc.

Basically the housing price difference can mean buying a nice house close to your job vs renting a room in a share-apartment.

Best of both worlds is to save in a high-cost area then move to a cheaper area.


Not sure what you're getting at. Housing is the main cost, and is drastically cheaper in Seattle. Food in Seattle is a bit more pricey.


Housing is just one component, there is a lot of other stuff that has equal price: if you order stuff from Amazon the price is the same, if you buy a new car the price is the same.


State and local taxes can make a significant difference for general goods, and especially car purchases.

Amazon also isn't a restaurant, and while they do sort of sell groceries through Whole Foods and Amazon Fresh, those are again priced locally.




Guidelines | FAQ | Lists | API | Security | Legal | Apply to YC | Contact

Search: