[panorama]

You can afford any apartment in the city, but spending a ton on rent isn't the requirement everyone makes it out to be. I live in a new building 2 blocks from the Caltrain and pay $1200 a month. Just be diligent about it (as others have mentioned: roommates, location-specific, etc.). Leverage your network if possible. My friend in finance who makes close to 7 figures just got a room in a rent-controlled apartment and pays 800/month in the heart of the Marina.

Have fun in the city, but be mindful about saving as well.

[rgovind]

Can you tell a bit more about this friend and his skillset/role? $1M is a lot of money to make.

[panorama]

Options trader at one of the highest performing west coast firms (I think). Bonuses make up most of that figure.

[anonfunction]

If your friend really does make 7 figures a year he is not helping the current housing crisis in SF by taking a rent-controlled apartment that someone with a lower income might have depended on.

[Zisko]

How would I go about finding one of these rent controlled apartments??

[panorama]

I mentioned it mostly to emphasize the fact that your rent doesn't need to scale with salary, but it's definitely going to be tough finding a rent-controlled place. Not impossible though. His friend moved out (got married), so my friend took that spot.