[4-years of experience Software Engineer] [Raleigh, NC vs. San Jose, CA] - $115K base Fully Remote vs $ 150k base Onsite

Hi Reddit friends,

I’m comparing my two offers in North Carolina vs in San Jose.

Option 1: Apex, North Carolina

• $115k base salary
• Fully remote
• 1-bedroom apartment: about $1,500/month
• No daily commute
• Lower state income tax
• Lower food, insurance, and general living costs

Option 2: San Jose, California

• $150k base salary
• Onsite 3 days per week
• 1-bedroom apartment: about $2,500/month
• Higher California income tax plus CA SDI
• Additional commuting, gas, car, parking, and weekday meal costs
• Generally higher cost of living

Assumptions:

• Single, no children
• W-2 employee
• Comparing base salary only
• Benefits, bonus, equity, and job stability are roughly comparable
• I would rent rather than buy

My rough calculation using current tax rates:

• NC: approximately $82k take-home, or about $64k after rent

• CA: approximately $108k take-home, or about $78k after rent

if you were me, any suggestions for this? I want to save more money. Thank you in advance