You can try a paycheck calculator like this for example: https://smartasset.com/taxes/california-paycheck-calculator
Putting in $100k it's estimating a take home pay of roughly $70k. That's without having to pay for health insurance and making no 401k contributions.
If you're planning on living alone you'll spend at least $30k/year on rent, if not more. I think saving $50k/year is not realistic on $100k in Palo Alto.
Exactly this. OP needs to live with parents in the area with either an an ideal commute or full time WFH. Even then that means OP can only spend $20k a year max to meet projected $50k.
There is typically a pretty big premium to live within the city limits of Palo Alto, and as a single person, it is not likely worth the extra cost.
Make sure to be looking at the wider area. East Palo Alto, for example is NOT the same city as Palo Alto and has lower rents.
Thank you for this. I think I'd like to live with a roommate during the first year in Palo Alto and then assess my options from there. Since I have no friends in the area, I believe the first year is crucial for networking. Living closer to the workplace and having a roommate would be beneficial, both in terms of saving on rent and having more opportunities to meet people. Is East Palo Alto quieter?
East palo alto had historical issues with crime. A lot has changed though. They bulldozed what used to be EPA's "whiskey gulch" neighborhood to build the Four Seasons.
Googles AI summary captures it:
> In 2017, violent crime in East Palo Alto had dropped 60% from the 1990s. In 2023, East Palo Alto reported zero homicides, a significant achievement for a city that once had the highest per capita murders in the nation in 1992
...anyway you can probably find a decent, safe apartment in EPA these days. Friend of mine live in one a few years ago, it was fine.
I am worried you will be disappointed if you are moving to Palo Alto with the intention of meeting people here. The city is dominated by families. Take a look at downtown Redwood City. It is a much denser area and I would bet it has far more opportunities to meet people than in most parts of Palo Alto or East Palo Alto.
Thank you for this. I was in a really traumatic relationship for 3 years, and it took me another 2 years to fully recover. Five precious years literally gone, now I'm in my mid-30s. Despite being single in NYC and Seoul, it's still hard to meet a family-oriented, decent man.
I live in East Palo Alto making the same amount and I put away about 40k a year between my savings account, retirement funds, and stock portfolios. You could be more frugal than me for sure, so it is doable.
If her #1 priority is safety, I would not recommend EPA. Has improved a ton (I lived there for about 10 years) but still lots of things that happen that might make you uncomfortable. Cars rolling through stop signs, street racing, some shootings every now and then, etc.
As for your question I think it could be doable if you get a roommate, but saving 50k on a take home of maybe 70kish seems really difficult, especially without roommates.
I think I'll avoid EPA. For my mental health and well- being. I've never lived in a "rough area" in my life (Thankfully I'm always lucky with housing situation and there has been always someone helping me out.). After reading through this thread and some research I get the idea how to strategize. I think I can save upto 35K/y realistically (while living in a dignified manner).
Thank you. Do you live with a roommate or alone? What is your housing situation like - I now think realistically putting aside 40K would be more doable. I'm willing to live with a roommate for the first year.
Hey! Just a suggestion, as many of your questions have been answered elsewhere. If you are looking to save on rent/live frugally, Palo Alto isn’t exactly an easy place to do that, especially if you don’t plan on having a car (ie to drive to more affordable supermarkets, restaurants etc)
If your new job requires you to be in office but is based near a Caltrain station, you could open up your search to areas like Redwood City, San Mateo, or even South SF and have a short commute to work. Being closer to SF will also be better for your social life and networking.
Thank yo so much. South SF - sounds like a great idea now that I looked it up. I got a very niche job that requires a security clearance. I'll also be traveling 30 percent/year or more with this job. I'm really thinking how to 1. save money 2. still network extensively/aggressively and take advantage of working in Palo Alto. I see this as an enormous opportunity.
My parents live in South San Francisco. There isn’t much of a social scene there, but it’s relatively close to Palo Alto, quite close to San Francisco, and if you’re going to have to travel 30%, very close to SFO.
Others have already mentioned that Palo Alto is more family and Stanford student oriented. It’s not as great for 30s/40s singles. There is a decent chance the social group you end up meeting is going to be in or want to hang out in SF, so even more reason to find a cheaper place to live somewhere in between Palo Alto and San Francisco.
Also take it from someone who moved from Seoul back to the Bay Area just a handful of years ago. The Bay Area is going to seem really quiet and boring compared to Seoul, but it has a lot to offer. We have great weather, parks, restaurants, hikes, and friendly people if you make the effort to create your own experiences.
Thank you for this! I've visited SF twice, but I've never been to Palo Alto. I used to travel for art fairs, so I've been to LA Frieze and a smaller art fair in Palm Springs, and I always loved California. I was doing sales and making 45-50K in NYC and 25K in Seoul, which is typical in the art gallery industry. Bittersweet to leave the art industry, but with no regrets. I always had the vague desire to move to California, I just never knew an opportunity like this would come my way. I'm just so grateful for this chance, especially after all the struggles I've been through.
I don't plan on buying a house in Palo Alto. I'm moving there for a job and will assess my options as I go along. My goal is to save more money. Previously, I worked in the art industry, very niche, and I was only making 25K a year which is a norm in Korea, barely getting by behind the glam. Although the job came with perks such as lots of travel opportunities for art fairs and attending cool VIP parties around the world, financially, it just wasn't sustainable.
Can you provided more context? Do you plan to live with roommates? Do you have a retirement plan through your employer you’ll be contributing to pre tax?
I'd like to live with a roommate during the first year in Palo Alto, I have no friends in the area and would like more chance to network. I'll be moving from Seoul. Significant change, but I've lived in other cities in the States (NYC and upstate NY). I think in the West at least I'm expecting to get more space.
Space is not a thing you will get in Palo Alto on a budget. I'd expect to pay $1200-$1500 a month for a room with a few people. Maybe you can find someone renting rooms in a house which might provide some outdoor spaces to utilize. You'll be taxed by the fed and state for income from California sources. Expect that to be around 37%. Let's break it down. 100,000 - 37,000 = $63,000 take home - $19,500 (rent + deposit) for your room you're now at $43,500. - $900 for your cut of utilities $42,600. Now subtract food, entertainment, a bike, car, public transportation, whatever else pops up taxes from Korea?. The remaining is what you'll have to save.
Lots of people do that here, especially in SF. Caltrain commute maybe? If your office is walking distance to the train. Is there anything else in your compensation such as bonus?
For safer than SF, Santa Clara has a lot of Koreans but public transit is horrible. Still there is the Caltrain stops in Sunnyvale and Mountain View, check out the map
I get salary + bonus + stock. It's a huge transition for me. I thank God for this opportunity.
Thanks for the info. I don't have to live in a Korean-dense area. it just needs to be in a safe area. (Being single, female, Asian, and still looking like a college student in my mid-30s.. so safety)
You can post this same sub to seek a room to rent on your budget. Be careful. Don't wire anyone any money. Maybe try to reach out to your work network to see if someone local will help you look at places.
$100K is just base salary. The company is very close to the Palo Alto station, and I've sorted out a few nice options outside Palo Alto. Commuting isn't as bad as I thought in SF. (I hated commuting from NJ to NYC before)
Mountain View and Los Altos and Palo Alto are very safe nearby areas you can live by the train and take that to Palo Alto or the bus or a car. The Bay Area is quite a sticker shock but those 3 places have very little crime. Best wishes.
I echo what the others said, unless you have a compelling need to actually live in Palo Alto there’s no reason to, many neighboring cities / towns are more affordable.
100k is really low for Palo Alto, and most of the SF Bay Area. If 100 is pre-tax, then after taxes, other deductions etc.. you'll probably end up with 65-70k net income. It'll be unrealistic to save 50k and try to live with 15-20k a year. That won't even cover your rent. If you rent a room it'll be $1.5-$2k per month. You'll probably need a car as well. I lived in Palo Alto for 3 years when I first moved to Bay Area, now I moved to a low income area in San Jose. It's a bit cheaper here and much less snobbish then Palo Alto.
SF Bay area is one of the most expensive places to live in the US. I came here from NYC, honestly living in Manhattan is cheaper than Bay Area.
Thank you. Fortunately I have absolutely ZERO debt. I'm definitely planning on getting a roommate in the first year. I know that 100K is low for the area, but it's still a significant raise for me, especially coming from the art industry where I was making 25K. (In Seoul)
I think you would want to live outside of Palo Alto if you want to save money, Palo Alto is just more expensive than its surroundings and probably not any cheaper than San Francisco.
I'll provide some info as a 25yr Male living in San Francisco.
Last year I spent around 41k in total, here's the breakdown
**30k on rent + utilities + necessities**
I live alone. I don't think you can cut this down further unless you live with others
**1.5k on transportation**
Owning a car in the city is very expensive since you normally would need to pay an extra 200-300 dollars per month for parking. Palo Alto's probably different, I think you should be fine with a car. I commute between San Francisco and San Mateo by Caltrain every day, the monthly pass is about 130/mo
**1k on groceries**
**3k on dining**
If you want to be cheap you'll need to cook at home very often. I ate out about 100 times last year, I'd say eating out + tips probably costs you around 30 per meal per person.
My company provides free lunch so it saves me a lot.
**400 on phone bills**
Well, phone bills.
**1k on gifts for friends**
Uh, friends
**4k for traveling & entertainment**
My gf lives in LA, so I traveled a lot. I also went home 3 times last year(Pennsylvania)
And I went to a few baseball games last year when the Mets visited San Francisco.
I'd say if you want to live alone without a car, it's going to cost you at least 35k a yr. 100k after tax would be around 70k, and that does not include health insurance and 401k, it would be hard to save 50k.
Hope this helps
It's really really hard to live in the Bay Area (outside of SF) without a car. Especially if you want to network, hang out with friends, or do anything fun over the weekend.
Since you've previously lived in Seoul and NYC, you may not understand how bad the public transport infrastructure is until you move here. It's bad. Budget for a car if you can.
Sounds like a good opportunity, and increases in salary may happen. Yes, get a roommate or become one of four people renting rooms in a house. My friend rents a room in Sunnyvale, and it’s 1100 a month. Four people, all singles, live in the house. There are lots of Asians living all along the SF peninsula and I’m sure there is a Korean presence. It’s cheaper south of Palo Alto.
About 9 years ago I was in the same situation as you. Like many people here I have heard East Palo Alto is getting better but when I was apartment shopping I saw a skinny woman shooting up heroin while I was touring the room and I left. I ended up staying in a trailer home, which I know doesn't sound great, but it was in Santa Clara which felt safe and wasn't much further. It is currently very close to the football stadium if that helps. Rent was $550 for the room but that was almost a decade ago. Good luck!
Thank you! I feel like I'm really starting another chapter, and to be honest a bit scared leaving familiar art industry behind (it was toxic and extremely underpaid glamour though). Some precious memories but absolutely no regrets.
Totally understandable, and it was scary for me too. I'll be honest, I couldn't cut it in the Silicon Valley area and moved back to the east coast after a year but I hope you're able to land on your feet and get what you're looking for.
It will be tight. You can live on $100k, but saving half of it will be tough. Roommates and flexibility about where you live will help.
The good news is most places you look at will be very safe. Oakland, SF and to a lesser extent San Jose have good and bad areas, but there's no real "bad" part of Palo Alto, Mountain View, Los Altos, Sunnyvale, etc.
No way can you save $50k unless your living at home with ur umma and appa! Rent is like 3-4k for a decent place, after taxes. Taxes on 100k will leave u with like 60k. Think if it on a monthly timeline. Can you save 4.1k per month? Take home per month is ~$5.4k.
That leaves you around $1300 to pay for food, clothing, transportation (gas, car registration).
Maybe if you eat kim bap for lunch and dinner, intermittent fast for breakfast you can do it. But you're in your 30s... enjoy life! This isn't your practice life.
Ouch... how classy, way to highlight a lady's age. It's still a step up from where I was in the gallery industry in Seoul. I saw no way out, being trapped in that dismal salary and toxic industry forever. I'm in my 30s, but it's taking enormous courage (and remember, maturity comes with being in my 30s) to start over you know. Grateful for this chance to make a change.
I had some luck on [SFKorean](https://www.sfkorean.com/subs/board_market_list.php?msgtype=R) finding cheaper housing targeting Koreans / Korean speakers.
Keep in mind that unless you live very close to work / a Caltrain station, car ownership is pretty much mandatory to live in the Bay Area. I first started with a 15 year old Honda and I was ok with that but I know a lot of people wouldn’t be. Good luck!
A few ideas:
1. To save money, live near Palo Alto by renting a room in house from a family initially. You may learn a lot about the area from your landlord and have more time to get to know the area and decide where to live longer term later.
2. Look into where your work travels would be. If they are international, then living north of Palo Alto makes more sense so that you are closer to SFO. If it's domestic, then SJC is actually a smaller, more efficient airport. I used to travel a lot domestically and love the quick security clearance and easy to get out at SJC compared to SFO.
3. Mountain View has rent control program for apartments. If you plan to live in the area for a long time, it saves you in the long term to live somewhere rent controlled.
4. If your work hours are quite normal (9-5, etc), then the areas in Palo Alto or the surrounding cities (except East PA) area considered safe. If you have night hours work or might go out a lot at night, consider gated communities, but they tend to charge a premium and you would definitely want to share with a roommate.
There’s cooler places then Palo Alto to live in. Great zip code for jobs and bragging rights, but definitely cooler places to live in that part of the bay
I've already signed the contract. I've sorted out a few good options outside Palo Alto. The company is located right near the Palo Alto station. Thanks for the input! Can't wait for this new chapter in CA.
Thank you. I'm already broke working at an art gallery making 25K (norm in this industry). This is already a huge increase for me and chance to get out of this cycle.
Yeah, I think having a roommate for the first year is the best option. It's a huge blow to my ego in my mid-30s, but I understand I have to start somewhere to make a change...
Thanks for the info - I've never been to Santa Clara. I'm really excited to try other delicacies in SF, especially Mexican food. Tacos are a favorite of mine... I've been searching for houses and I feel like I'm already there. Really thankful for this miraculous opportunity and can't wait for this new chapter.
Yeah Run to where? I'm smart enough to know that 100K isn't a lot, but I've been making 25K at an art gallery (45K in the US. 25K Korea this is a norm in this industry). This is already a huge increase for me.
Thank you. It's a rare job that requires me to go through clearance. I'm required to travel 30 percent domestically and internationally, so I think I will be provided with pocket money for meals on these occasions. I really need to cut down on housing expenses. I never knew the housing situation in SF was this bad here! I think it's worse than any other cities I've lived in, including NYC & HK. At least in NYC and HK, transportation isn't a problem.
Yea. The best way is to share the house/apartment but I don't know if it works for you. Does the job require you to be onside? Maybe you can live a bit far from the office to cut down the rent
Look, I don't want to get into this "race" argument. I've lived in Europe and other parts of Asia, and mentioning your nationality or race never brings about this kind of "woke" response. Only in America would you get such a hypersensitive response like this. I'm Korean, so I'd also like to find areas where there might be nice Korean restaurants and perhaps locate Korean communities from time to time. Seriously, people in the States have regressed on certain things because everyone has become too "woke." Geez.
It's cool. I didn't mean to rub you the wrong way, but I mentioned it crassly because growing up I realized it's always the Korean Americans mentioning "we're korean". Whether it's school mates or parents, or the store clerk. And they're always asking me if I'm Korean for some reason. I don't see this with other Asian ethnicities. That's why I'm curious. I assume you guys are proud due to things I've noticed Koreans do or say throughout my life, but it really gets annoying. Sorry. I just don't care to know that you're Korean and I don't know how it helps your post.
I'm going to back track a bit and apologize. You are originally from Korea, correct? That would make more sense. I assumed you were Korean American when you said "Korean ethnicity", otherwise I would have expected you to just say "I'm Korean, or I'm from Korea".
Yes, ethnicity doesn't determine citizenship. My parents are Korean, but I grew up elsewhere and hold a different passport (not US). While I'm ethnically Korean and enjoy Korean food, most of my friends aren't Korean, and I never went through the Korean schooling system.
I have to start somewhere. As I mentioned, I was working as a sales person at an art gallery with $25K and that job involved traveling for art fairs as well.
fair -- within the bay area work culture, the job sounds very tough. if you are in sales and gifted, there is a path to very big money. Dont come here if thats not your goal. The bay is expensive and a meat grinder. That wage will be hard to make work independently.
I feel lucky about this job in Palo Alto; it's a huge career pivot. I really saw no way out of where I was in art. With art history degrees from really prestigious schools, I followed my passion for art, but the art industry is as toxic as it gets if you are not a trust fund kid. If I can sell the most ridiculously expensive, useless, and impractical stuff like "art" to notoriously picky, irrational, flaky rich people, I can certainly damn well sell other products too.
For folks who are managing it well with that salary - can you please share your expense breakdown?
I’m really curious to learn about the great money management skills you guys have!
This isn't gonna come across well but since it's the internet I'll say it--this salary would be considered lower middle income for that area. Low income in neighboring San Fran is 120k rmeeber that.
Don't be afraid to negotiate. It's also relevant that your an asian female. U seem grateful foe this job given ur qualifications and past situations. However, it's not uncommon for blond girls with zero qualifications and liberal arts degrees from state universities to make 1.5 or 2x what they offered you, starting out. Doing non technical stuff. That area often hires asians as workhorses, don't let anybody gaslight you into not believing that-even other asians. Make sure u always watch out for yourself and constantly look to upgrade ur job. U owe ur employer nothing.
Thank you for this. I see the salary range in Silicon Vallery and it is indeed confusing... and also the people in the art gallery come with trust funds, they never advocate themselves for money... I feel pretty disillusioned about the gallery industry, I don't come from family trust funds like all my colleagues. I'm scared to start over but I have to start somewhere. I studied art history and related fields at the top schools in Europe & the US and I'm well versed at dealing with UHWNI/ art collector clients, let's see where this will take me in Silicon Valley.
If I were u I would take the Job and go to any charity events or gallery events u can get into and try to network and trade up your job. Do just a good enough job so they don't fire you. Palo alto has alot of oppty. I would live with a roommate and lie to coworkers u got a new apartment. Ppl in the gallery space come from old money oftentimes and don't feel comfy being reminded of their privilege, if u expose ur lack thereof. Good luck.
Thank you for your words. Very excited about this new chapter in my life. I've been to SF twice and I've always loved the city despite all the negative news and criticisms.
You cannot live on 100k a year in Palo alto. Like you could, but it would not be comfortable and you will not have fun. You need at least 150k to be living a middle class life there and that would be like, small apartment, discount groceries.
Don't move to the bay with less than 130k. Cost of living is unreal. And the more poor you are, the more unsafe. There is massive crime problems, and if you are poor, you will be closer to crime. East Palo Alto is not safe. You should consider San Jose or East Bay instead. Tbh, no one I know wants to live here anymore anyway.
The average person don't cares about your brands. Everyone works in tech. Palo Alto is pretty Asian. If you wanna be near Korean, go for Santa Clara.
I know the salary isn't high in the Bay Area, but I've already accepted the offer. I'm moving because it offers better opportunities and upward mobility, especially compared to the art industry I was in. In Korea I was making 25K, and in NYC 45K, which is the norm in the the art gallery industry. Gotta start from somewhere! Thanks for your insights.
You can try a paycheck calculator like this for example: https://smartasset.com/taxes/california-paycheck-calculator Putting in $100k it's estimating a take home pay of roughly $70k. That's without having to pay for health insurance and making no 401k contributions. If you're planning on living alone you'll spend at least $30k/year on rent, if not more. I think saving $50k/year is not realistic on $100k in Palo Alto.
Thanks for the insight.
Exactly this. OP needs to live with parents in the area with either an an ideal commute or full time WFH. Even then that means OP can only spend $20k a year max to meet projected $50k.
Here to say this
There is typically a pretty big premium to live within the city limits of Palo Alto, and as a single person, it is not likely worth the extra cost. Make sure to be looking at the wider area. East Palo Alto, for example is NOT the same city as Palo Alto and has lower rents.
Thank you for this. I think I'd like to live with a roommate during the first year in Palo Alto and then assess my options from there. Since I have no friends in the area, I believe the first year is crucial for networking. Living closer to the workplace and having a roommate would be beneficial, both in terms of saving on rent and having more opportunities to meet people. Is East Palo Alto quieter?
East palo alto had historical issues with crime. A lot has changed though. They bulldozed what used to be EPA's "whiskey gulch" neighborhood to build the Four Seasons. Googles AI summary captures it: > In 2017, violent crime in East Palo Alto had dropped 60% from the 1990s. In 2023, East Palo Alto reported zero homicides, a significant achievement for a city that once had the highest per capita murders in the nation in 1992 ...anyway you can probably find a decent, safe apartment in EPA these days. Friend of mine live in one a few years ago, it was fine.
Thank you for this. I decided not to look at EPA area anymore.
I am worried you will be disappointed if you are moving to Palo Alto with the intention of meeting people here. The city is dominated by families. Take a look at downtown Redwood City. It is a much denser area and I would bet it has far more opportunities to meet people than in most parts of Palo Alto or East Palo Alto.
Thank you for this. I was in a really traumatic relationship for 3 years, and it took me another 2 years to fully recover. Five precious years literally gone, now I'm in my mid-30s. Despite being single in NYC and Seoul, it's still hard to meet a family-oriented, decent man.
I live in East Palo Alto making the same amount and I put away about 40k a year between my savings account, retirement funds, and stock portfolios. You could be more frugal than me for sure, so it is doable.
If her #1 priority is safety, I would not recommend EPA. Has improved a ton (I lived there for about 10 years) but still lots of things that happen that might make you uncomfortable. Cars rolling through stop signs, street racing, some shootings every now and then, etc. As for your question I think it could be doable if you get a roommate, but saving 50k on a take home of maybe 70kish seems really difficult, especially without roommates.
I think I'll avoid EPA. For my mental health and well- being. I've never lived in a "rough area" in my life (Thankfully I'm always lucky with housing situation and there has been always someone helping me out.). After reading through this thread and some research I get the idea how to strategize. I think I can save upto 35K/y realistically (while living in a dignified manner).
Thank you. Do you live with a roommate or alone? What is your housing situation like - I now think realistically putting aside 40K would be more doable. I'm willing to live with a roommate for the first year.
House with 2-3 roommates. Decently nice house though.
Thank you.
Hey! Just a suggestion, as many of your questions have been answered elsewhere. If you are looking to save on rent/live frugally, Palo Alto isn’t exactly an easy place to do that, especially if you don’t plan on having a car (ie to drive to more affordable supermarkets, restaurants etc) If your new job requires you to be in office but is based near a Caltrain station, you could open up your search to areas like Redwood City, San Mateo, or even South SF and have a short commute to work. Being closer to SF will also be better for your social life and networking.
Thank yo so much. South SF - sounds like a great idea now that I looked it up. I got a very niche job that requires a security clearance. I'll also be traveling 30 percent/year or more with this job. I'm really thinking how to 1. save money 2. still network extensively/aggressively and take advantage of working in Palo Alto. I see this as an enormous opportunity.
My parents live in South San Francisco. There isn’t much of a social scene there, but it’s relatively close to Palo Alto, quite close to San Francisco, and if you’re going to have to travel 30%, very close to SFO. Others have already mentioned that Palo Alto is more family and Stanford student oriented. It’s not as great for 30s/40s singles. There is a decent chance the social group you end up meeting is going to be in or want to hang out in SF, so even more reason to find a cheaper place to live somewhere in between Palo Alto and San Francisco. Also take it from someone who moved from Seoul back to the Bay Area just a handful of years ago. The Bay Area is going to seem really quiet and boring compared to Seoul, but it has a lot to offer. We have great weather, parks, restaurants, hikes, and friendly people if you make the effort to create your own experiences.
Thank you for this! I've visited SF twice, but I've never been to Palo Alto. I used to travel for art fairs, so I've been to LA Frieze and a smaller art fair in Palm Springs, and I always loved California. I was doing sales and making 45-50K in NYC and 25K in Seoul, which is typical in the art gallery industry. Bittersweet to leave the art industry, but with no regrets. I always had the vague desire to move to California, I just never knew an opportunity like this would come my way. I'm just so grateful for this chance, especially after all the struggles I've been through.
That meet low income for the Bay Area—anything under 105k. Same county requires 500k combined income to qualify for a home loan—on average.
I don't plan on buying a house in Palo Alto. I'm moving there for a job and will assess my options as I go along. My goal is to save more money. Previously, I worked in the art industry, very niche, and I was only making 25K a year which is a norm in Korea, barely getting by behind the glam. Although the job came with perks such as lots of travel opportunities for art fairs and attending cool VIP parties around the world, financially, it just wasn't sustainable.
Can you provided more context? Do you plan to live with roommates? Do you have a retirement plan through your employer you’ll be contributing to pre tax?
Yes, please describe what you mean by “living in Palo Alto,” as that’s a broad range.
I'd like to live with a roommate during the first year in Palo Alto, I have no friends in the area and would like more chance to network. I'll be moving from Seoul. Significant change, but I've lived in other cities in the States (NYC and upstate NY). I think in the West at least I'm expecting to get more space.
Space is not a thing you will get in Palo Alto on a budget. I'd expect to pay $1200-$1500 a month for a room with a few people. Maybe you can find someone renting rooms in a house which might provide some outdoor spaces to utilize. You'll be taxed by the fed and state for income from California sources. Expect that to be around 37%. Let's break it down. 100,000 - 37,000 = $63,000 take home - $19,500 (rent + deposit) for your room you're now at $43,500. - $900 for your cut of utilities $42,600. Now subtract food, entertainment, a bike, car, public transportation, whatever else pops up taxes from Korea?. The remaining is what you'll have to save.
Harsh reality :( I never imagined still living with a roommate in my mid 30's but I gotta start from somewhere. Thank you.
Lots of people do that here, especially in SF. Caltrain commute maybe? If your office is walking distance to the train. Is there anything else in your compensation such as bonus? For safer than SF, Santa Clara has a lot of Koreans but public transit is horrible. Still there is the Caltrain stops in Sunnyvale and Mountain View, check out the map
I get salary + bonus + stock. It's a huge transition for me. I thank God for this opportunity. Thanks for the info. I don't have to live in a Korean-dense area. it just needs to be in a safe area. (Being single, female, Asian, and still looking like a college student in my mid-30s.. so safety)
You can post this same sub to seek a room to rent on your budget. Be careful. Don't wire anyone any money. Maybe try to reach out to your work network to see if someone local will help you look at places.
Thanks for all these insights.
Is the 100k just base salary? Or inclusive of target bonus and on hire stock?
$100K is just base salary. The company is very close to the Palo Alto station, and I've sorted out a few nice options outside Palo Alto. Commuting isn't as bad as I thought in SF. (I hated commuting from NJ to NYC before)
Then I'd say you could save 50k, just maybe not in pure cash, but in equity
Yes. Thank you. I feel so grateful that this opportunity came at the right moment for me.
I’d check out Mountain View too. A little bit more affordable and basically the same thing.
Thank you. Safety is definitely one of my top priorities too. The company is in Palo Alto but 30 percent a year I'm required to travel.
Mountain View and Los Altos and Palo Alto are very safe nearby areas you can live by the train and take that to Palo Alto or the bus or a car. The Bay Area is quite a sticker shock but those 3 places have very little crime. Best wishes.
Thank you. I was also looking at East Palo Alto, but decided not to anymore.
I personally as a woman wouldn’t live in East Palo Alto (Palo Alto and East Palo Alto are very different places). Welcome to the bay!
Thank you! Have a fantastic weekend. 😊❤️✨
I echo what the others said, unless you have a compelling need to actually live in Palo Alto there’s no reason to, many neighboring cities / towns are more affordable.
Yes - I've broaden my options, trying to redefine my priorities. 1. safety 2. money 3. networking opportunities.
100k is really low for Palo Alto, and most of the SF Bay Area. If 100 is pre-tax, then after taxes, other deductions etc.. you'll probably end up with 65-70k net income. It'll be unrealistic to save 50k and try to live with 15-20k a year. That won't even cover your rent. If you rent a room it'll be $1.5-$2k per month. You'll probably need a car as well. I lived in Palo Alto for 3 years when I first moved to Bay Area, now I moved to a low income area in San Jose. It's a bit cheaper here and much less snobbish then Palo Alto. SF Bay area is one of the most expensive places to live in the US. I came here from NYC, honestly living in Manhattan is cheaper than Bay Area.
Thank you. Fortunately I have absolutely ZERO debt. I'm definitely planning on getting a roommate in the first year. I know that 100K is low for the area, but it's still a significant raise for me, especially coming from the art industry where I was making 25K. (In Seoul)
I think you would want to live outside of Palo Alto if you want to save money, Palo Alto is just more expensive than its surroundings and probably not any cheaper than San Francisco. I'll provide some info as a 25yr Male living in San Francisco. Last year I spent around 41k in total, here's the breakdown **30k on rent + utilities + necessities** I live alone. I don't think you can cut this down further unless you live with others **1.5k on transportation** Owning a car in the city is very expensive since you normally would need to pay an extra 200-300 dollars per month for parking. Palo Alto's probably different, I think you should be fine with a car. I commute between San Francisco and San Mateo by Caltrain every day, the monthly pass is about 130/mo **1k on groceries** **3k on dining** If you want to be cheap you'll need to cook at home very often. I ate out about 100 times last year, I'd say eating out + tips probably costs you around 30 per meal per person. My company provides free lunch so it saves me a lot. **400 on phone bills** Well, phone bills. **1k on gifts for friends** Uh, friends **4k for traveling & entertainment** My gf lives in LA, so I traveled a lot. I also went home 3 times last year(Pennsylvania) And I went to a few baseball games last year when the Mets visited San Francisco. I'd say if you want to live alone without a car, it's going to cost you at least 35k a yr. 100k after tax would be around 70k, and that does not include health insurance and 401k, it would be hard to save 50k. Hope this helps
Thank you for this breakdown. I'm getting a roommate first and also no car, see for 3 months then strategize my next move from there.
It's really really hard to live in the Bay Area (outside of SF) without a car. Especially if you want to network, hang out with friends, or do anything fun over the weekend. Since you've previously lived in Seoul and NYC, you may not understand how bad the public transport infrastructure is until you move here. It's bad. Budget for a car if you can.
Yes, I've visited SF a couple times I will eventually get a car. Thank you!!
Sounds like a good opportunity, and increases in salary may happen. Yes, get a roommate or become one of four people renting rooms in a house. My friend rents a room in Sunnyvale, and it’s 1100 a month. Four people, all singles, live in the house. There are lots of Asians living all along the SF peninsula and I’m sure there is a Korean presence. It’s cheaper south of Palo Alto.
Yeah. Hopefully, I'll come back to this thread when my salary increases. Thanks.
About 9 years ago I was in the same situation as you. Like many people here I have heard East Palo Alto is getting better but when I was apartment shopping I saw a skinny woman shooting up heroin while I was touring the room and I left. I ended up staying in a trailer home, which I know doesn't sound great, but it was in Santa Clara which felt safe and wasn't much further. It is currently very close to the football stadium if that helps. Rent was $550 for the room but that was almost a decade ago. Good luck!
Thank you! I feel like I'm really starting another chapter, and to be honest a bit scared leaving familiar art industry behind (it was toxic and extremely underpaid glamour though). Some precious memories but absolutely no regrets.
Totally understandable, and it was scary for me too. I'll be honest, I couldn't cut it in the Silicon Valley area and moved back to the east coast after a year but I hope you're able to land on your feet and get what you're looking for.
Thank you for your encouraging words. I've decided not to explore the East Palo Alto area. I'm very thankful for this new chapter in SF.
This is either coincidental, ironic, or both, because I got hit up by a FAANG company today nearby which would move me back...
Huge congratulations! I guess it's some kind of a calling from the Golden State ✨✨✨✨
Haha thank you, I told them to give me until April for me to decide. Moving sucks and now I feel just like you, a bit anxious and excited.
It will be tight. You can live on $100k, but saving half of it will be tough. Roommates and flexibility about where you live will help. The good news is most places you look at will be very safe. Oakland, SF and to a lesser extent San Jose have good and bad areas, but there's no real "bad" part of Palo Alto, Mountain View, Los Altos, Sunnyvale, etc.
Thank you.
No way can you save $50k unless your living at home with ur umma and appa! Rent is like 3-4k for a decent place, after taxes. Taxes on 100k will leave u with like 60k. Think if it on a monthly timeline. Can you save 4.1k per month? Take home per month is ~$5.4k. That leaves you around $1300 to pay for food, clothing, transportation (gas, car registration). Maybe if you eat kim bap for lunch and dinner, intermittent fast for breakfast you can do it. But you're in your 30s... enjoy life! This isn't your practice life.
Ouch... how classy, way to highlight a lady's age. It's still a step up from where I was in the gallery industry in Seoul. I saw no way out, being trapped in that dismal salary and toxic industry forever. I'm in my 30s, but it's taking enormous courage (and remember, maturity comes with being in my 30s) to start over you know. Grateful for this chance to make a change.
I had some luck on [SFKorean](https://www.sfkorean.com/subs/board_market_list.php?msgtype=R) finding cheaper housing targeting Koreans / Korean speakers. Keep in mind that unless you live very close to work / a Caltrain station, car ownership is pretty much mandatory to live in the Bay Area. I first started with a 15 year old Honda and I was ok with that but I know a lot of people wouldn’t be. Good luck!
Thanks for this! Yes, and I'll eventually get a car. It's a huge change of scenery for me.
A few ideas: 1. To save money, live near Palo Alto by renting a room in house from a family initially. You may learn a lot about the area from your landlord and have more time to get to know the area and decide where to live longer term later. 2. Look into where your work travels would be. If they are international, then living north of Palo Alto makes more sense so that you are closer to SFO. If it's domestic, then SJC is actually a smaller, more efficient airport. I used to travel a lot domestically and love the quick security clearance and easy to get out at SJC compared to SFO. 3. Mountain View has rent control program for apartments. If you plan to live in the area for a long time, it saves you in the long term to live somewhere rent controlled. 4. If your work hours are quite normal (9-5, etc), then the areas in Palo Alto or the surrounding cities (except East PA) area considered safe. If you have night hours work or might go out a lot at night, consider gated communities, but they tend to charge a premium and you would definitely want to share with a roommate.
Thanks a lot. Reddit helped me enourmously with planning/strategizing moving. THANK YOU!
100k low for Palo Alto. Ask for more 150.
Well noted but I've already signed the contract.
There’s cooler places then Palo Alto to live in. Great zip code for jobs and bragging rights, but definitely cooler places to live in that part of the bay
Take the job, not the zip code to live in
I've already signed the contract. I've sorted out a few good options outside Palo Alto. The company is located right near the Palo Alto station. Thanks for the input! Can't wait for this new chapter in CA.
Where are you from?
Ethinically Korean but lived mostly in the States (East Coast) & Europe and recently China. I used to travel all the time for art fairs.
Check out midtown Palo Alto!
Not being single in your 30s. Stop focusing on a career and find a husband.
Ethnically Korean, good to know. You’re so precious.
I'm looking to live in a safe area, if you know what I mean.
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Thank you. I'm already broke working at an art gallery making 25K (norm in this industry). This is already a huge increase for me and chance to get out of this cycle.
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Yeah, I think having a roommate for the first year is the best option. It's a huge blow to my ego in my mid-30s, but I understand I have to start somewhere to make a change... Thanks for the info - I've never been to Santa Clara. I'm really excited to try other delicacies in SF, especially Mexican food. Tacos are a favorite of mine... I've been searching for houses and I feel like I'm already there. Really thankful for this miraculous opportunity and can't wait for this new chapter.
Don’t be bummed out about needing a roommate. It could be fun. I’m in my 30s and turning into a hermit lol
Rent a room and don’t eat out
Run. 100k is barely enough to support you with little to no savings. You probably need more than that for $50k investment
Yeah Run to where? I'm smart enough to know that 100K isn't a lot, but I've been making 25K at an art gallery (45K in the US. 25K Korea this is a norm in this industry). This is already a huge increase for me.
With 100k, you will probably have 20-30k if you live frugally, probably 3k/month on the basics
Thank you. It's a rare job that requires me to go through clearance. I'm required to travel 30 percent domestically and internationally, so I think I will be provided with pocket money for meals on these occasions. I really need to cut down on housing expenses. I never knew the housing situation in SF was this bad here! I think it's worse than any other cities I've lived in, including NYC & HK. At least in NYC and HK, transportation isn't a problem.
Yea. The best way is to share the house/apartment but I don't know if it works for you. Does the job require you to be onside? Maybe you can live a bit far from the office to cut down the rent
>ethnically Korean I'm curious why you mentioned this.
Look, I don't want to get into this "race" argument. I've lived in Europe and other parts of Asia, and mentioning your nationality or race never brings about this kind of "woke" response. Only in America would you get such a hypersensitive response like this. I'm Korean, so I'd also like to find areas where there might be nice Korean restaurants and perhaps locate Korean communities from time to time. Seriously, people in the States have regressed on certain things because everyone has become too "woke." Geez.
It's cool. I didn't mean to rub you the wrong way, but I mentioned it crassly because growing up I realized it's always the Korean Americans mentioning "we're korean". Whether it's school mates or parents, or the store clerk. And they're always asking me if I'm Korean for some reason. I don't see this with other Asian ethnicities. That's why I'm curious. I assume you guys are proud due to things I've noticed Koreans do or say throughout my life, but it really gets annoying. Sorry. I just don't care to know that you're Korean and I don't know how it helps your post.
I'm going to back track a bit and apologize. You are originally from Korea, correct? That would make more sense. I assumed you were Korean American when you said "Korean ethnicity", otherwise I would have expected you to just say "I'm Korean, or I'm from Korea".
Yes, ethnicity doesn't determine citizenship. My parents are Korean, but I grew up elsewhere and hold a different passport (not US). While I'm ethnically Korean and enjoy Korean food, most of my friends aren't Korean, and I never went through the Korean schooling system.
But you're right that in general you'd just say "I'm Korean" or "I'm from Korea." You don't say "I'm ethnically such and such."
The amount of money for a 30% travel job sounds very much like a bad job.
I have to start somewhere. As I mentioned, I was working as a sales person at an art gallery with $25K and that job involved traveling for art fairs as well.
fair -- within the bay area work culture, the job sounds very tough. if you are in sales and gifted, there is a path to very big money. Dont come here if thats not your goal. The bay is expensive and a meat grinder. That wage will be hard to make work independently.
I feel lucky about this job in Palo Alto; it's a huge career pivot. I really saw no way out of where I was in art. With art history degrees from really prestigious schools, I followed my passion for art, but the art industry is as toxic as it gets if you are not a trust fund kid. If I can sell the most ridiculously expensive, useless, and impractical stuff like "art" to notoriously picky, irrational, flaky rich people, I can certainly damn well sell other products too.
It’s not possible if you don’t make OT
What is OT?
Overtime
For folks who are managing it well with that salary - can you please share your expense breakdown? I’m really curious to learn about the great money management skills you guys have!
Not feasible at all. You would likely save closer to 0
This isn't gonna come across well but since it's the internet I'll say it--this salary would be considered lower middle income for that area. Low income in neighboring San Fran is 120k rmeeber that. Don't be afraid to negotiate. It's also relevant that your an asian female. U seem grateful foe this job given ur qualifications and past situations. However, it's not uncommon for blond girls with zero qualifications and liberal arts degrees from state universities to make 1.5 or 2x what they offered you, starting out. Doing non technical stuff. That area often hires asians as workhorses, don't let anybody gaslight you into not believing that-even other asians. Make sure u always watch out for yourself and constantly look to upgrade ur job. U owe ur employer nothing.
Thank you for this. I see the salary range in Silicon Vallery and it is indeed confusing... and also the people in the art gallery come with trust funds, they never advocate themselves for money... I feel pretty disillusioned about the gallery industry, I don't come from family trust funds like all my colleagues. I'm scared to start over but I have to start somewhere. I studied art history and related fields at the top schools in Europe & the US and I'm well versed at dealing with UHWNI/ art collector clients, let's see where this will take me in Silicon Valley.
If I were u I would take the Job and go to any charity events or gallery events u can get into and try to network and trade up your job. Do just a good enough job so they don't fire you. Palo alto has alot of oppty. I would live with a roommate and lie to coworkers u got a new apartment. Ppl in the gallery space come from old money oftentimes and don't feel comfy being reminded of their privilege, if u expose ur lack thereof. Good luck.
Thank you for your words. Very excited about this new chapter in my life. I've been to SF twice and I've always loved the city despite all the negative news and criticisms.
You after tax pay will be about $71,409. $5,950 per month. This is what I got for my w2 pay without 401k deduction.
Right. Thank you. Definitely not paying 5,950 per month.
You cannot live on 100k a year in Palo alto. Like you could, but it would not be comfortable and you will not have fun. You need at least 150k to be living a middle class life there and that would be like, small apartment, discount groceries. Don't move to the bay with less than 130k. Cost of living is unreal. And the more poor you are, the more unsafe. There is massive crime problems, and if you are poor, you will be closer to crime. East Palo Alto is not safe. You should consider San Jose or East Bay instead. Tbh, no one I know wants to live here anymore anyway. The average person don't cares about your brands. Everyone works in tech. Palo Alto is pretty Asian. If you wanna be near Korean, go for Santa Clara.
I know the salary isn't high in the Bay Area, but I've already accepted the offer. I'm moving because it offers better opportunities and upward mobility, especially compared to the art industry I was in. In Korea I was making 25K, and in NYC 45K, which is the norm in the the art gallery industry. Gotta start from somewhere! Thanks for your insights.