Question 1

How much salary do I need to match San Francisco purchasing power elsewhere?

Accepted Answer

SF has a cost of living index of ~185 (national avg = 100). A $150,000 SF salary is equivalent to roughly $85,000 in Austin, $80,000 in Denver, or $65,000 in Kansas City in terms of purchasing power — meaning you could earn $65K elsewhere and live equally well.

Question 2

What are the best cities for remote workers leaving San Francisco?

Accepted Answer

Top picks for SF tech workers going remote: Austin TX (no income tax, ~60% lower housing costs), Denver CO (active lifestyle, reasonable cost), Raleigh NC (growing tech scene, ~50% lower), and Lisbon Portugal for international.

Question 3

Do companies pay less for remote workers in cheaper cities?

Accepted Answer

Increasingly yes — major tech companies like Google, Meta, and Salesforce apply location-based pay adjustments. If you relocate from San Francisco to Austin, expect a 25-40% salary reduction at most large companies. Smaller companies often maintain the original salary.

Question 4

What is geographic pay and how does it work?

Accepted Answer

Geographic pay (or location-based pay) adjusts salaries based on local cost of living data. Companies typically use bands: Tier 1 (SF, NYC, Seattle = 100%), Tier 2 (Denver, Chicago, Austin = 75-85%), Tier 3 (smaller markets = 65-75%).

Question 5

What remote stipends are typical?

Accepted Answer

Common remote stipends: home office setup ($500-2,000 one-time), monthly internet/utilities ($50-150), coworking space ($100-400), and phone ($25-75). Total monthly stipends typically range from $100-500 at most companies.

Remote Salary Calculator — Leaving San Francisco

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