I'm assuming you manage to make more than 50k. It's when you're making below 30k (which a lot of Americans do) that life becomes hard and you see yourself get demoralized easily. Software engineers et al. (the userbase of HN) are paid well -- the larger majority of Americans have professions that don't pay as well. Sensitivity to financial health is a lot heightened to folks in lower end of the pay spectrum.

I would say a vibrant social life with creative fun friends is way more important the money you make. I was working two minimum wage jobs, around 60 hours per week in order to save money and had a happier life than now when I'm making much more on one software engineering job. Location, social opportunities, family, friends, and culture trump money most of the time. Great advice I heard is make a list of your favorite possessions, then make a list of your most expensive possessions, check for overlap.

Having a vibrant social life costs money, if you have none spare it's hard to keep up with people even just in terms of transport to get to see them.

Also my car is at the top of both lists :)

That's why I put location in there. One of my number one goals right now is to be able to live within walking distance of friends and families. It's currently ranked way above income. I bike to work during the warm months and use public transportation during the cold ones. It does have the disadvantage that I won't take jobs that aren't within range of public transportation or biking, but that's a sacrifice I'm willing to make.