[fennecfoxen]

> To play devil's advocate: someone who is in NC (or a lower cost-of-living area), if they're paid the same as someone in the Bay Area, is effectively being paid more for doing the same work.

They're paid the same in fact, they just spend it poorly (on expensive Bay Area real estate, mostly, but also other services the area makes more expensive.) Why should Google help subsidize SF Bay Area real estate? Historically, the answer is just, "because so many employees are here and we like them here", but will that cut it going forward?

[ketzo]

> they just spend it poorly

What are their other options? It's pretty hard to work in the Bay Area and not spend money on Bay Area real estate. Remote work notwithstanding.

Yeah, yeah, avocado toast and Teslas, etc. etc.; but you can't argue that simply being a human in San Francisco costs more than it does elsewhere, lifestyle aside.

[fennecfoxen]

One other option you may have noticed, as key to the purpose this thread, is to work in North Carolina, and not in the Bay Area.

[ketzo]

i.e. move to a place where their dollar goes further, so that they are effectively paid more.

The argument that "the same salary is worth more in NC" is still pretty convincing to me.