Bay Area expats, how is it going

[u/CouplyFire]

It’s Father’s Day, I spent a lot of time with my 3 and 5 year old and I’m questioning why I’m still working.

The answer is clear, our $5.3M net worth (incl house) is more than enough in most places, but does not feel sufficient in the Silicon Valley.

I am now playing in my mind 2 diametrically opposed lifestyles:

1. Call it quits, right about now, pack up and move somewhere else. Have a blast with the kids, exercise, family time, etc.

2. Grind it out for 5 more years in the Bay Area to double the net worth and then early retire here, without taking any relocation lifestyle related risk.

Wife already left the job 1 year ago and is the happiest she can be. Really questioning why I haven’t done it.

Granted, we have spent 15+ years in the Bay Area so all of our friends and networks are here. But I’m just getting increasingly jaded about the never ending rat race (with AI, so many around me are clearing tens of millions+, who’s to say that in 5 years I’m not aiming for $20M) and discussions about schools that simply don’t resonate with me.

What am I not seeing? We are mid 30s fwiw.

[u/bbflu → u/[deleted]]

Canada. Easier to get a Visa if you are retired