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Mohamed Oun
Oakland
#1 of 124
North America

Oakland

CA, United States

Salary & Cost of Living

View purchasing power ranking

How do salaries and expenses in Oakland compare to Osaka?

Purchasing Power Comparison

An engineer in Oakland is 98% better off vs in Osaka

This shows how far a software engineer's salary goes in Oakland compared to Osaka, taking into account both salary differences and cost of living.

Median Salary
$272,450
+$219K (+406%) vs Osaka
Based on 12432 data points from levels.fyi
Net Salary
$169,464
+$132K (+350%) vs Osaka
Tax Rate: 38%

Community Insights

New

Oakland presents a polarized but compelling option for software engineers. Financially, it supports a high standard of living with Rank #2 in purchasing power and Rank #3 in net income, allowing tech workers to comfortably afford the high cost of living (Rank #113). The city offers a distinct alternative to the "tech bubble" of the South Bay, featuring a vibrant arts scene, Rank #21 sunshine hours, and a diverse culinary landscape.

However, the trade-offs are significant. The Safety Index (#117) reflects widespread concerns about property crime and street safety, which is a frequent topic of frustration on Reddit. While housing is relatively affordable compared to local salaries (Rank #24 in affordability), the value proposition is heavily dependent on one's tolerance for urban grit and commute requirements.

Resident Sentiment

Sentiment is deeply mixed and passionate. Many transplants and long-term residents express a profound love for the city's "soul," weather, and people, often stating they wouldn't want to live anywhere else in the Bay Area.

Conversely, there is a vocal segment of residents expressing fatigue and frustration with the crime rates (specifically car break-ins) and perceived lack of city support. A common sentiment on Reddit describes the relationship with the city as complicated—loving the culture and community while hating the administrative dysfunction and safety issues.

Living Environment

Weather•Safety•Pollution•Events

A quick look at climate, safety, pollution, and tech community compared to Osaka.

Rankings

Purchasing Power

Top 1%

#1

of 124 cities

Net Income

Top 2%

#3

of 124 cities

$169,464/yr

Current value

Comfortable Weather

Top 15%

#18

of 124 cities

85/100 weather score

Current value

Housing Affordability

View affordability ranking

How affordable is housing for a software engineer in Oakland compared to Osaka?

Avg. Property Price
$6,998 / m²
68% more expensive than Osaka
View detailed property prices on Numbeo

Salary Converter

Enter your annual gross salary (before taxes) to see what you would need to earn in Oakland to maintain the same standard of living.

$

Do you have kids?

Cost of Living
127% more expensive than Osaka
View detailed cost breakdown on Numbeo

Top Paying Companies in Oakland

OpenAI logo
OpenAI
Anthropic logo
Anthropic
Coupang logo
Coupang

The Good

  • Weather: significantly warmer and sunnier than San Francisco, avoiding the famous fog (Ranked #21 for sunshine hours).
  • Cultural Vibe: distinct, artistic, and diverse community that feels less dominated by "tech bro" culture compared to SF or the South Bay.
  • Food Scene: widely praised as incredible and diverse, with high-quality options often within walking distance.
  • Nature Access: excellent proximity to regional parks, hiking trails in the hills, and Lake Merritt.
  • Commute to SF: convenient access to San Francisco via BART and the Ferry, making it a viable base for SF-based jobs.
  • Housing Space: generally offers more square footage, yards, and amenities for the price compared to SF, despite high costs overall.

The Bad

  • Safety Concerns: consistently cited as a major drawback, with high rates of property crime, particularly car break-ins ("bipping"), and a low safety index (Rank #117).
  • South Bay Commute: extremely difficult and draining for those working in Silicon Valley/South Bay, as public transit options like Caltrain are not easily accessible.
  • City Services: frequent complaints about blight, trash, and slow 911 response times or under-resourced police services.
  • Cost of Living: while cheaper than SF, it remains expensive (Rank #113 for COL), leading some to question if the "discount" is worth the trade-offs.
  • Noise & Blight: street-level issues including illegal dumping and sideshows (street racing) are common complaints.

The Verdict

You'll love it if...

Software engineers who work remotely or have a job located in San Francisco, as the BART/Ferry commute is manageable. It is ideal for those who value diversity, arts, and weather over a polished suburban feel and want more living space than SF offers.

Candidates who thrive here are often those seeking a "real city" vibe with a strong sense of community and are willing to engage with urban challenges in exchange for culture and food.

Skip it if...

Anyone with a daily commute to the South Bay (Silicon Valley), as the travel time is often described as soul-crushing.

It is also not suitable for those who are highly sensitive to crime, visible blight, or street noise, or those expecting a pristine, manicured environment. Families or individuals prioritizing maximum safety stats (Rank #117) over cultural amenities may find it stressful.

Updated 11/29/2025

Weather8.5/10+93% vs Osaka
Safety31-53%
Pollution40-17%
Events0
8.5/10TechCities weather score vs 4.4/10 in Osaka

0–10 composite (higher is better) combining temperature comfort, sunshine hours, rainy-day count, and humid days. See methodology for weighting and data sources.

Weather snapshot

Average High
19°C(vs 20°C in Osaka)
Average Low
11°C(vs 13°C in Osaka)
Sunshine Hours
2,950h/yr+940h/yr(+47%)
Hottest Month High
24°C(vs 32°C in Osaka)
Coldest Month Low
7°C(vs 2°C in Osaka)
Rainy Days
48/yr-69/yr(-59%)

Community & Quality

Oakland community pulse

Oakland has 0 Luma events listed.

Osaka has no listed Luma events for comparison.

Home Affordability

Top 16%

#20

of 124 cities

≈3.3 yrs to buy 80m²

Current value

Pollution Score

Middle of the pack

#48

of 124 cities

40.3/100

Current value (lower is better)

Community Events

Bottom 19%

#102

of 124 cities

0 events on luma

Current value

Tax Rate

Bottom 18%

#103

of 124 cities

38%

Current value (lower is better)

Cost of Living

Bottom 12%

#110

of 124 cities

74/100

Current value (lower is better)

Safety Index

Bottom 7%

#117

of 124 cities

31.3/100

Current value

SWE Affordability
3.3 years
5.5 years quicker than Osaka
Muggy Days
0/yr-87/yr(-100%)
Cloud Cover
33%(vs 45% in Osaka)