Currently a Dev engineer in NJ making around 180k TC. Got an offer for a company in San Diego @ around 220k TC. Does it make sense given the cost of living difference in San Diego? Have a kid in elementary school so good schools are important. Have no issues with NJ schools, are pretty good. A house equivalent to one in NJ (current value around $500k) in San Diego (Poway school district) seems to be around $700k to $800k. One major reason for moving out of NJ is the weather.. Please advise. Thx
San Diego weather cannot be beat. Full stop. Housing-wise, if the diff is 200-300k, and that you are selling your current NJ house, you should have enough for downpay and be able to get by pretty comfortably, so i dont think house is an issue here. Overall SD i personally dont think SD is super expensive, especially as you head more inland rather than staying by the shore. Overall, standard of living is great in sd. (Personal experience living in SD for 6 years; never lived in NJ so am biased, though i have been to NJ many times on weekend trips)
Poway schools are really good, in general. I think it makes sense, personally, but I'm also biased immensely, having lived in SD my while life except 2 years of school in the Bay Area.
40k doesn't sound like that much money to uproot your life imo. But I would also prefer SD to most places in NJ. Both have good schools, NJ more so if you are in the affluent areas. Edit: missed the weather bit. Move to SD, you'll be happier. Costs will be similar.
Protip: find a remote job if you want to live in SD. You can get Bay Area TC without the Bay Area bullshit
Thanks folks, very helpful
Yoe? 40k difference will lead to the same standard of living that you currently have. Try to negotiate.
Around 10. Yes negotiating still.
San Diego's biggest expense is housing, if you can afford to buy a house in the area you want (you mentioned Intuit, so I'm guessing Poway/Black Mountain/Rancho) then you can afford to live here. The weather is unbeatable anywhere in the US and personally I think the culture is pretty hard to beat too - whatever your interests are, you can probably find people who share them
But the area of piway / black mountain/rancho, is the weather good there? I heard its super hot, so missing the weather.
Op how did your move go ? Planning to move to sd
It depends on your preference. If weather is foremost then San Diego is unbeatable. There are not much tech jobs around here. It is improving though.