[gnulinux]

This is true. I make $150k a year and Boston area rent prices + cost-of-living makes me live close to paycheck-to-paycheck. (I'm not there, but I can save very little even though I try to live frugally, prices are insane!). I simply cannot comprehend how low income people live in major American cities, you'd have to live with many roommates and be very food insecure! Life is hard in the US [1] right now!

[1] In the cities. I'm guessing life in suburbia/rural towns is easier. I lived in a major city my entire life, and living in rural parts of the country not worth it unfortunately. It's my own personal decision, I understand that it comes with significant trade-offs.

[jefftk]

Boston rents are much higher than they should be (build more housing!) but $150k is still quite a lot compared to rents? For example, you can rent a 3br unit 10min from Harvard sq for $3700/month or in East Arlington / West Medford for $2800: https://www.jefftk.com/apartment_prices/#2022-08-18&3

[ch4s3]

At $3700, that's about 25% of someone's before tax income at $150K/yr, But your after tax take home in Boston would be something like $104K/yr. So you could do this and be left at $59,600 for all other expenses and savings. This is very doable with no children, debt, or other financial obligations, but you never know what someone's life circumstances are.

[_yb2s]

You're making twice the median whole household income for Boston... I nearly guarantee you could be more frugal and save fully half your income. You'd have to give up things you don't want to give up, but that most people in Boston don't have either... I say this not as a personal attack, but what I found out about myself after critically evaluating my finances in a similar situation despite being a single father in a HCOL location.

[bdcravens]

Boston's prices, while not as high as SF, are crazy as well. Many large cities like Houston, Atlanta, Chicago, etc, have prices that are around half of Boston.