Coding in San Jose: Can You Afford the Wi-Fi and the Ramen?
okay let’s get this straight-you’re thinking about parking your laptop in san jose because "tech Mecca" or whatever. heard they pay mad cash here, right? average salary’s like *$120k according to some spreadsheets i saw while stealing free wifi at Phlora Coffee. but bruh, my nomad ass just paid $7 for avocado toast that’s 70% bread crumbs. let’s unpack this mess.
weather’s... fine. it’s like sunshine that forgot to commit-polite 75°F, never rumpled by sweat or existential dread. you’re a 45-minute existential crisis from sf hipsters or redwoods in santa cruz if you need to scream into trees before your next zoom call.
the math ain’t mathing: rent for a studio is $2,800 on average. that’s more than my entire gear setup-laptop, vpn subscriptions, inflatable neck pillow. and don’t get me started on electricity bills. heard a guy at San Pedro Square Market ranting:
"my landlord raised rent because google’s new intern farted in the general direction of downtown. i’m moving into my prius."
job market’s all binary-either you’re debugging code or serving kombucha to those who do. but hey, campbell and los gatos are cute escape valves if you wanna day-trip somewhere that doesn’t smell like venture capital desperation.
overheard wisdom from a tesla engineer nursing an overpriced oat latte:
"they pay you enough to live... just not here. get roommates or a time machine back to 2010."
verdict? unless you’re house-sitting for a crypto bro or glued to remote gigs (peep the /r/digitalnomad hacks), this place will devour your paycheck faster than a silicon valley incubator idea.
pros: lightning-fast internet, boba shops galore, and if you squint-it’s kinda got grit beneath the tesla chargers. cons: feeling like a peasant in a city where even the squirrels probably own nfts.
final drunk advice from a burned-out startup dev on the los gatos creek trail*: "don’t fall for the salary porn. san jose’s a toxic relationship with good healthcare."
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