[sidlls]

That's not accurate. My gross before moving out here was less than your net. I doubled that with the move. A larger fraction of my take home is consumed by rent. That take home is less than twice my previous take home because of state taxes. Food, utilities and commute costs are all about the same. (Edit) My wife (who's salary didn't change when we moved) and I support a family of four, including private school tuition and service a mountain of school and medical debt and live just fine. And I'm saving twice as much. Our gross household income is in the neighborhood of $200k, give or take.

Although I do agree that the common low $100k range for engineers is a joke. We're underpaid by a significant factor. Just like most other low status workers.

[sheepmullet]

Can you break it down for us?

I pay over $4k/month for a 3 bedroom house.

Private school is what? 8-10k/year per kid? So $32-$40k/year?

[sidlls]

Sounds about right. I mean, I don't want to get too detailed, but our take home after taxes, 401k/retirement, etc. covers the two expenses you mentioned and leaves plenty left over for other living expenses and debt service.

[sheepmullet]

Ahh dual income each on 100k+?

[sidlls]

No, I contribute much more than 50% of our household income. But it is a dual income, and much less than the person I was responding to thinks he'd have to have to live here with a _mostly_ equivalent lifestyle. The biggest hit would be housing. There's no getting around it: either you're rich, or you rent. A home one could buy almost anywhere else for $250k-$300k would cost $1M and up in this area, depending on where it is. My salary didn't increase by a factor of 5, but the cost to purchase housing did. Even so we live comfortably enough, and certainly not in a little 900 sq ft shoebox of an apartment.

[sjg007]

Yeah it doesn't make sense I guess 160k takehone is 250k salary maybe

[nogbit]

let me shed some tears while you see the need to factor in private school.

[sheepmullet]

Please don't troll.

I was asking how the parent commenter could afford private school and still save a significant amount.

By the way most people on a visa have to pay for private school (as it should be - but my point is it's often not a luxury).