[fizixer]

I agree. Whenever someone points out high cost of living, they mention high rents.

Is $3000 per month a good estimate for bay area? or am I underestimating.

This is about $2000 a month higher than reasonable rent. This means, your annual cost of living increased by $24,000.

$24,000 per annum is the difference between a small town, and bay area. Am I missing something? Do you pay for apples $20 a lb instead of $2-5 a lb? Is your electricity bill $600 a month instead of $100-200 a month?

What else is expensive in Bay Area other than rent?

If you barely scrape by on $200K in bay area, are you saying you barely scrape by on $176K in a small town?

[jedberg]

Food costs more. When I visit people in other parts of even the state of California I'm shocked at how cheap stuff is at the market.

Services cost more (going out to eat, the car wash, childcare, anything where labor is involved).

[dlhavema]

That's a good question. Eveyone focuses on rent/ mortgage. Do normal goods cost more cost you have to pay all workers more, do costs go up across the board?

[rcpt]

> What else is expensive in Bay Area other than rent?

Childcare, income taxes, transportation.

edit: I don't understand why I'm getting downvotes these things are all expensive.