How much would you need to make in the Bay Area to live comfortably?

[stlc8tr]

OH MY GOD!!!! Ahahahaha! What kind of money do you need to buy a house around there? I think a point comes where a "job" will no longer provide such income LOL. You have to be straight up rich as hell LOL. Millions and millions is what you need ahaha! That's such BS.

Decent houses are around $1M. You can buy for slightly less depending on neighborhood.

A friend recently bid $1.4M on a tear down that was $1.3M asking. His was the lowest bid. The winning bid was something like 50% over asking.

 

[Drako]

Gauratee you that is fake, even for Tenderloin. 1br 950 sq ft for $1600 is losing money for them.

It's not fake.

The reason it's 1600 is because it has no real kitchen - it's basically one big room and a tiny bathroom.

 

[rudeguy]

It's not fake.

The reason it's 1600 is because it has no kitchen - it's basically one big room and a tiny bathroom.

can I see the TV from the toilet? If so, I'll take it!

 

[Drako]

can I see the TV from the toilet? If so, I'll take it!

If you leave the bathroom door open, you probably could.

 

[rudeguy]

If you leave the bathroom door open, you probably could.

My first place was a studio. I really miss it

But it did have a kitchen! But no shower, just a tub

 

[ponyo]

How is having few hundreds left over each month for savings living comfortably? That's barely getting by and would leave me paranoid. You're one disaster away from being in debt. Paycheck to paycheck living is more like it.

 

[PricklyPete]

How is having few hundreds left over each month for savings living comfortably? That's barely getting by and would leave me paranoid. You're one disaster away from being in debt. Paycheck to paycheck living is more like it.

Agreed. If I was only saving a "few hundred" a month off of a 100k salary, I would feel dumb.

 

[baydude]

It's not fake.

The reason it's 1600 is because it has no real kitchen - it's basically one big room and a tiny bathroom.

I still don't believe it. Do you know how big 950 sq ft is for SF a 1 br apartment? I don't think that even exists in SF unless it's a luxury condo.

 

[Drako]

I still don't believe it. Do you know how big 950 sq ft is for SF a 1 br apartment? I don't think that even exists in SF unless it's a luxury condo.

Oops, I did not even notice the 950 SF part. That has to be a typo - it's probably be 450 SF.

 

[zinfamous]

By comfortable for someone single, I mean own a car, rent a 1 bedroom apartment with no roommates, be able to dine out 1-2 times a week and still have a few hundred for savings every month.

anywhere in the Bay Area, with only those requirements? Easy as shit for like, $30k per year.

anyone who thinks you need 70k minimum has no perspective.

 

[zinfamous]

Now that you mention it, I also forgot to mention expense for going out on dates occasionally. I would expect to pay $50 to din out with friends and $100 for dates if we're seriously dating.

The car would be an introductory luxury car like a Lexus IS or BMW 3 series. No car payments and assuming it's paid off.

lol. such a departure from your OP. You also didn't give a range of options for where to live in the Bay Area.

 

[zinfamous]

Just did some research and I think $100k gross is still too low. If you account for 28% standard deduction for a single tax payer, you'd have $72k after tax for spending. Then if you go by the recommended max allocation for rent at 30%, your max rent is $1800/month. I have yet to find a 1 br apartment in a comfortable location for $1800 a month.

so, basically what you mean by Bay Area = SF only.

OK.

 

[Drako]

anywhere in the Bay Area, with only those requirements? Easy as shit for like, $30k per year.

That's minimum wage now in Oakland.

 

[zinfamous]

That's minimum wage now in Oakland.

I know! he asked, though. ....but apparently the words in the OP do not reflect the needs of the OP.

 

[dainthomas]

If I was in the Green Bay WI Area I would be comfortable with like 60-70K probably.

Look where you'd be though.

 

[BurnItDwn]

Look where you'd be though.

yea, it would be pretty nice, would be only 45 mins away from my uncle and grandmas house instead of 4+ hours. But my job now pays better, and I work closer to a lot more jobs in NW burbs of chicago than I would in Green Bay.

But, Green Bay is an amazing area.

 

[zinfamous]

yea, it would be pretty nice, would be only 45 mins away from my uncle and grandmas house instead of 4+ hours. But my job now pays better, and I work closer to a lot more jobs in NW burbs of chicago than I would in Green Bay.

But, Green Bay is an amazing area.

Don't get me wrong--I love some sausage and beer, but I don't want it for every meal.

Also, the snow. fuck that.

 

[rcpratt]

YACOLT.

Caps.

 

[BurnItDwn]

Don't get me wrong--I love some sausage and beer, but I don't want it for every meal.

Also, the snow. fuck that.

Dude, theres tons of supper clubs up in that area, veal, steak, pork chops, chicken, turkey, venison, pheasant, elk, etc ... all sorts of foods.

The snow is one of the highlights, Wisconsin has the most marked snowmobile trails of any state in the union. I agree that if you some reason you do not enjoy the snow, it is probably not the ideal location for you.

Also, cheese.

PS, for Beer, better off going to MI for similar climate/snow, or staying home by Chicago ...

 

[zinfamous]

Dude, theres tons of supper clubs up in that area, veal, steak, pork chops, chicken, turkey, venison, pheasant, elk, etc ... all sorts of foods.

The snow is one of the highlights, Wisconsin has the most marked snowmobile trails of any state in the union. I agree that if you some reason you do not enjoy the snow, it is probably not the ideal location for you.

Also, cheese.

PS, for Beer, better off going to MI for similar climate/snow, or staying home by Chicago ...

Oh, I like snow. But there's a difference between, "Yay, snow!" and "Fuck you, mortals! I shall punish you with a plague of snow that shall last 5 moons! HAHhahahHAHAhhAHAHA!"

No thanks.

Diet is still very northern-european centric for my tastes. Good, but I like more choices. America--like Wisconsin--does cheddar cheese really well. And I love cheddar, but it isn't the only cheese I like. The rest is kinda....meh. Though, I'm sure going local there you can find some great variety that doesn't make it past the border.

 

[BurnItDwn]

Oh, I like snow. But there's a difference between, "Yay, snow!" and "Fuck you, mortals! I shall punish you with a plague of snow that shall last 5 moons! HAHhahahHAHAhhAHAHA!"

No thanks.

Diet is still very northern-european centric for my tastes. Good, but I like more choices. America--like Wisconsin--does cheddar cheese really well. And I love cheddar, but it isn't the only cheese I like. The rest is kinda....meh. Though, I'm sure going local there you can find some great variety that doesn't make it past the border.

You have a real solid point on the food. I love visiting the area, but I admit I would miss mexican, thai, indian, korean, and just about any food that has any spice in it at all .... though Green Bay does have a expanding Latino population, so Good Mexican places should be popping up in that area sooner or later....

But as far as snow goes, I dislike getting a little bit of snow. I want to get a shitton of snow, not enough to cause traffic but life as normal, I want "spend a month using only snowmobiles, snowshoes, or cross country skiis getting around" every year ....

 

[rudeguy]

Oh, I like snow. But there's a difference between, "Yay, snow!" and "Fuck you, mortals! I shall punish you with a plague of snow that shall last 5 moons! HAHhahahHAHAhhAHAHA!"

No thanks.

Diet is still very northern-european centric for my tastes. Good, but I like more choices. America--like Wisconsin--does cheddar cheese really well. And I love cheddar, but it isn't the only cheese I like. The rest is kinda....meh. Though, I'm sure going local there you can find some great variety that doesn't make it past the border.

Anyone who moves from cali to michigan will freeze and die.

This is fact.

 

[zinfamous]

Anyone who moves from cali to michigan will freeze and die.

This is fact.

I lived in Chicago for several years. I would be fine. But I'm also not stupid enough to go back there.

Also, I know that it is comparatively worse in Michigan. I always enjoyed watching the weather maps, and seeing all that lake effect shit getting dumped on you bastards across the lake in Grand Rapids. HahahHAHAHA!

 

[jagec]

How is having few hundreds left over each month for savings living comfortably? That's barely getting by and would leave me paranoid. You're one disaster away from being in debt. Paycheck to paycheck living is more like it.

Naw, paycheck to paycheck is when you have $0 left over.

I agree that $2-300/month extra is cutting it pretty slim, unless you have tons of savings already, but it's still doing better than a shocking percentage of Americans.

As for living in the Bay area...here's a $1550/month shoebox in a central location, looks like nearby parking costs around $250/month in a garage, add $200/month for groceries and another $200 for eating out, $100 for cell/cable/internet, $200 for gas and car insurance, and $200 for incidentals and we're at a little over $32k yearly. I'll bump that up a bit to account for taxes and provide more of a buffer, and say that I, personally, could live "comfortably" in the Bay area for $50k a year.

That's pretty expensive for a low-key lifestyle, but it's doable.

 

[PricklyPete]

Seems relevant...
http://ww2.kqed.org/news/2015/03/09/you-need-to-earn-142000-dollars-to-buy-a-home-in-san-francisco