Tech workers are increasingly looking to leave Silicon Valley

Re:Tech workers are increasingly looking to leave Silicon Va... by jerf on Monday February 29, 2016 @02:46PM (#11197816)

One thing I've noticed about cost-of-living discussions is that people fail to take into account that the cost-of-living isn't some abstract constant, but is still buying something "real". In general, which area has more crime: The 90th percentile cost of living area or the 5th percentile cost of living area? Which area has nice stores with a wide variety of organic fruits and veggies, and which area has stores where they can't afford to replace the floor tiles when they pop out? As you say, you can't just do a cost-of-living calculation blindly.

That said, adding in those factors often makes Silicon Valley come out even worse. I've visited it quite a bit and it is not nicer enough to account for cost-of-living difference, unless you simply can not stand to live somewhere with less than perfect weather. But I think that's special to the Valley.

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Re:Tech workers are increasingly looking to leave Silicon Va... by Merad on Monday February 29, 2016 @03:48PM (#11198357)

> Which area has nice stores with a wide variety of organic fruits and veggies, and which area has stores where they can't afford to replace the floor tiles when they pop out?

It's interesting that you bring this up. In the case of food, at least, lower COL areas (which are typically more rural) have access to something far better than any store - farmer's markets and actual farms.

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Re:Tech workers are increasingly looking to leave Silicon Va... by tedmiston on Monday February 29, 2016 @05:49PM (#11199334)

I suppose I'm lucky to live on the edge of a gentrified neighborhood in the midwest.

There's a "cheap basics" grocery store in a 5 minute walk, a farmer's market in a 10 minute walk, and a Whole Foods in a 15 minute drive.

I don't really care about organic produce, but that flash pasteurized OJ at Whole Foods is really worth the extra $2.

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Re:Tech workers are increasingly looking to leave Silicon Va... by michael_h on Monday February 29, 2016 @03:31PM (#11198212)

Some would describe the 'perfect weather' of the Bay Area as 'tepid' or 'freezing cold'.

It's a nice area for certain, but it makes me wonder about myself when I'm wearing a parka and everybody else is walking around with a scarf or light jacket.

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Re:Tech workers are increasingly looking to leave Silicon Va... by argonaut on Monday February 29, 2016 @03:40PM (#11198293)

Are you talking about SF or the peninsula? Because SF weather is much colder than the rest of the Bay Area.

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Re:Tech workers are increasingly looking to leave Silicon Va... by michael_h on Monday February 29, 2016 @04:02PM (#11198470)

Both, but more so SF-proper I suppose. In the city, I look like an astronaut, but further south I only look like a moderate weirdo, mumbling to myself about people wearing shorts while zipping my coat up over my chin.

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