Should I move to San Fransisco (from Squamish)?

Hey, 

I got a job offer for almost double my salary. The deal is after 1 year remote they want me to move to either New York or San Fransisco. All I do is climb and ski, and coming from living in Squamish and now Vancouver Island (near Mt. Washington/Horne Lake), the prospect of losing close access to skiing and climbing every weekend and after work is scary. I'm looking to this community to help me make my decision. 

So, should I move? Would you do it?

How's the climbing and skiing down in the Bay area? I hear all the good stuffs 3 hours away...

Please help. 

Sincerely, 

Confused Canadian

UPDATE: Holy smokes you people are amazing, thank you. To add some context, if I did move to the Bay Area it would mainly to be in reaching distance to clients, so I could live outside the city and only commute in a day or two a week, making me closer to the mountains. I'd also have to likely travel around the States for a week a month, but I'll just extend those trips when there's good climbing around. Also yes living costs would increase and housing is expensive but we wouldn't buy. I'd just save up for a few years and ultimately head back to Canada to settle down. I spend very little, my biggest expenses are new gear and climbing memberships and ski passes. Hope that helps. Keep it coming really useful advice!!

I think you answered your own question? All the good stuff is 3hours away plus the obligatory 1-2 hours extra of traffic at most times. The good stuff is really good (yosemite, tahoe...) But also wicked crowded (not sure that will be different from Squamish). The housing situation is also insane so your 2x salary may not stretch as you think (median home price in SF = $1.3million = $1.7million canadian, and there aren't significantly cheaper "suburbs"). For other activities (hiking, road and MTN biking, food, beer, cultural stuff) the bay area can be great. But you'll probably do a lot less climbing and skiing.

Run the numbers to see how much living in the areas of interest will cost you. Don't forget to calculate expenses for health insurance. Also, consider that this employment might be activity that requires work visa, as such your gig can be considered temporary and might require extra effort and expenses to deal with immigration issues.

The money may be enticing but that’s probably because you’ll have to move to one out of the two most expensive places to live in America (NY and SF are appalling in housing costs). So, while doubling the salary may sound good in theory, it may not change your lifestyle very much, it might actually reduce it, AND you’ll also lose close access to the outdoors. Additionally, healthcare system is in shambles. Lmao, the country is in shambles.

As the others have said, crunch the numbers and make your decision based on that.

I want to also say, if I had to opportunity to reduce my salary by half and move to Squamish instead (from Boston-area), I would do it in a HEARTBEAT. 

No.  I only read the title and I already know the answer.  My daughter went the other way (to Kelowna).  She's never coming back.  Easy access to outdoor recreation is worth  a lot.

https://www.npr.org/2018/08/01/634626538/san-francisco-squalor-city-streets-strewn-with-trash-needles-and-human-feces

Do your one year remote and then move on to a different company! Or impress them enough that they let you stay remote

One question is the move permanent??? If there is a chance that say after 1-2 years you can move back to being remote? I might consider it just to see how another part of the world lives. I did that with a move to LA. Was great as I climbed at JT, Yosemite, Idylwild, etc. hit the beaches and other SoCal nonsense. I got some good experience then got the hell out. 

Of course at this point moving anywhere is moot until the pandemic is over because the vast majority of people are going to continue working remotely for the better part of the next year.

FrankPS wrote:

https://www.npr.org/2018/08/01/634626538/san-francisco-squalor-city-streets-strewn-with-trash-needles-and-human-feces

With an article title like that you’d think they’ve provide some photos.  Here is a photo taken a couple weeks ago in Denver near the capitol, new luxury condos all around.  You can see the art museum in the background, looking like a spaceship overhanging the street.  (Just to provide context of what a person moving to SF might see).

SFO cost of living is $$$$$$.  Double your salary, double (at least) your expenses. Why bother.  

Guys I'm sure he could find a gated community to keep all the icky people away

You're considering moving to the United States? Now?? I mean Nov 3rd was a relief but holy shit, stay in your civilized country. If I wasn't in indentured servitude for my student loans I'd be gone already.

The climb/ski piece only makes it easier. 

No. People are leaving SF in droves. It sucks. 

Double salary doesn’t help much when cost of living is triple.  

As a prolific outdoor climber I would never move there. Climbing in the Bay Area completely f-ing blows IMPO.  Long drive to anything good.  Seasonal winter closures in the mountains . Lots of good gyms but COVID torpedoed that right now.

I work there seasonally and drive all the way down to LA or back to Bishop to climb every other week. 

Jack Lange wrote:

Do your one year remote and then move on to a different company! Or impress them enough that they let you stay remote

This is what I'm secretly hoping. This or what Allen said, go down for a few years and come back. I'm resigned to the fact I'll ski less but exploring all these epic spots (Bishop, Yosemite, etc) could be worth it. Still open to thoughts though. Feeling conflicted.

The drill for San Francisco is having that good weekend getaway strategy. Leave Thurs night, not Friday, work as much as you need to Friday remote, from the back of your van or your lady's swank Tahoe love nest, then hit it hard all weekend. Work Monday remote, come back Monday night. Spend 3 days in the office.

I know a lot of people who have fled San Francisco since the pandemic. Double salary equates to double or triple cost of living right along with it. Sitting at home in a triple rent district seems and is recognized as extremely fucking stupid, economy-wise. My lady's entire management team, I mean all of them, have moved way out of the city and some of them out of state. Who knows what the new norm will be once all this settles down but I think lower rents in San Francisco as there is solid expectation that work from home, or where ever you are, like the parking lot of a ski resort, can work out well.

And for what you are used to? NYC would be death. Don't even think about it.

If you go use your time wisely. You aren't going to find better Theater or Music anywhere! The food is great! You don't need a car to get around, but having one can be nice or a pain in the ass.

The surfing is good to great! 

I think it sounds fun, either NY or SF. If you're young and don't have kids, why not explore a bit? Of course, these are big cities (if you don't like cities, you have your answer), so they won't be like living in some suburb or rural place. And yes, they have their problems which people will remind you of constantly. But there are a lot of great things about each of them. 

No

Chris L wrote:

Hey, 

I got a job offer for almost double my salary. 

Commuting is hell, you might want to research what an apt. and parking within easy commuting distance to your work will cost.  It might negate the salary increase.

All I do is climb and ski, 

If that's all you do now, but you would like to add wonderful art museums, opera, theatre, and food to your repertoire, SF is a wonderful place.  If not, and if you don't like cities in general, it may make you crazy to live in the Bay Area.

the prospect of losing close access to skiing and climbing every weekend and after work is scary. 

There won't be any skiing or no decent outdoor climbing you can do after work.

The skiing and most of the climbing is a minimum of 3.5 hrs away.  Friday traffic, you have to leave by 11 AM or expect to sit in bumper to bumper traffic for hours.  

On the plus side, the climbing in the Valley, Meadows, Donner Summit, and east side of the Sierra is terrific.  All work conditions are negotiable.  Maybe they would consider a 4 day week with reduced pay but the same health etc benefits.  Maybe they would consider a Friday remote schedule - that would allow you to get out of town Thursday night and work from the mountains on Friday.  Maybe they would consider a  5-6 weeks a year vacation allotment with less pay.  SFO has tons of inexpensive flights Europe and might allow you to do international travel you are not doing now.

I'm actually surprised they want you to move to the Bay Area.  The trend now is for companies to hire specifically with the intention for staff to be remote.  

Expect long drives if you live in SF.

Also, COVID is shutting down a lot of climbing opportunities in CA.  Note, these are only "recommendations" and not necessarily enforced things.  But like, Camping is now(?) a no go.