Exactly my point. This says a guy making 30 an hour would need 46 to make the same in California. In the union trades that guy is making more than 46. He’s likely making over 55 an hour.Here's a fun calculator.
Cost of Living Calculator - Cost of Living Comparison Index Tool | Bankrate
Use this cost of living calculator to compare the cost of living between U.S. cities and determine if you will be able to maintain your current standard of living in another city.www.bankrate.com
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Retirement benefits are also higher. You put in 10% of a 60k salary into a 401k and you have 6k a year. That guy in California even at 92k is putting in 9.2k per year.
The guy who works in California/NY/NJ has more $ at the end of this game of life no matter how you cut it.