I similarly got a ~25% income increase with a new job, about a year after leaving the bay area and moving back to Ohio.<p>I also have a ridiculously lower cost of living - my 15-year mortgage for a nice house on an acre of land is about 1&#x2F;2 of what rent was in San Mateo, and about 1&#x2F;4 of what I know friends were paying for apartments in SF.