[orange_county]

Make 110k, take home around 4800 month after taxes and maxed out 401k.

Rent $1600 in SF (lucky here). But I still have over $2k month after all expenses. As a single person, I consider myself fortunate.

People will complain about living expenses but they need to calculate the income - expenses plus what the area you want to live in. City living isn't always a viable option for people. Whereas some people love it.

I don't think I can find any urban city that I can live in and find myself in a situation where I can bank more than $2k a month after expenses and maxed out 401k.

SoCal was an option for me. However I hate the suburbs, hate having a car and the salaries for new grads were 50-80k where most rents were still at least $1300.

[zzalpha]

So how does that rent compare to the mean in the area, and what are you renting at that price? Because, as an outsider, that seems remarkably low (the averages for SF that I can find suggest 2-3k for a studio or 1-bedroom).

Also, how does the rest of your budget break down? Math suggests $1200/mo for all other expenses and I'm curious how that's allocated.

[orange_county]

Yea I have been spending a little too much. It's the moving cost and weddings I have been attending that are killing my budget.

Yea rent for studios are between 2k-3k a month. And I'm near downtown with only 20 minute walk to work. I live with my brother but if it wasn't for him, I still prefer to live with other people.

Again, depends on the lifestyle that people want. I know people who want their own place, have a car, maybe even a boat. They will have to work in places that aren't NY or SF.

[zzalpha]

So room mate and no transportation costs. That context helps a lot, thanks!

[solotronics]

Dallas, make 110k and take home 6100 and expenses are about 1.8k including car payment and nice 1k sq/ft 1 bedroom apartment in uptown

it really depends on where you want to live but man its really nice to live where there are no income taxes