[jonny_eh]

> Rent-net-pay-ratio is about the same for Vancouver/Seattle

Doesn't that mean that Seattle is the same as Vancouver financially? If so, why not stay in Vancouver?

[marvin]

No, because absent taxes, your disposable income has increased by the same percentage as the increase in salary. Taxes make the increase in disposable income even more pronounced.

This math mistake is the key to the fallacy that a cost-of-living increase zeroes out an increase in salary.