$100k salary, packing up from San Francisco
changea dispatch from
chattanooga
TN
35.05°N
85.31°W
Chattanooga became the first city in the country to roll out gigabit fiber internet to every home (2010, via the municipal utility), which jump-started a tech and remote-work scene. Lookout Mountain rises right above town, with Ruby Falls' underground waterfall and Rock City's epic views. The Tennessee Riverwalk is gorgeous. The Choo Choo (old terminal turned hotel) is a fun stay.
the verdict
less monthly outlay than San Francisco
Move to Chattanooga and the monthly math gets easier. San Francisco's rent is the headline; Chattanooga's is a footnote.
a quick ledger.
$1,524/mo
52% cheaper than San Francisco(vs $3,146/mo)
0%
$775/mo less in state tax than San Francisco
vs 9.3% in San Francisco
$6,809/mo
$2,397 more than San Francisco
gross of federal tax. a comparison, not a paycheck.
$322k
74% cheaper than San Francisco
vs $1239k in San Francisco
580k
vs 4.6M in San Francisco
field notes, weather & such.
167
pleasant days a year, in chattanooga.
San Francisco has the edge here, logging 312 pleasant days a year.
But the calendar thins out: San Francisco stays 11.2× busier.
69/100
17% lower than San Francisco
vs 83/100 in San Francisco
Closest outdoor draw: Cumberland Trail, 12.2 mi.
82/100
17% lower than San Francisco
vs 99/100 in San Francisco
8
93% fewer than San Francisco
vs 111 nonstops in San Francisco
cities that play in chattanooga's register:
