Who cares? you know what's in NYC that trumps that consideration? The opposite sex in balanced ratios. Finding your life partner far outweighs salary or living expenses any day of the week.
Ehh...I think that can go both ways. I know folks who live a pretty isolated existence in NYC and others who have an active dating life in SF. The problem is that if you get stuck in a tech bubble of friends, you are going to find yourself short changed when it comes to meeting women.
(Of course, this all applies to meeting women through friends. I don't do the bar scene so can't really comment on it.)
I dated a few (attractive/high status) women in NYC whom I met at meetups about things like rationality and graph theory, the last of whom is now my wife. You really have to actively seclude yourself to have a quiet dating life in NYC (as a straight guy).
But the numbers clearly suggest that NYC is the way to go. The ratio of men in their 20s to women in their 20s is one of the highest of large US cities in SF and one of the lowest in NYC. If you're a guy, NYC is the place to be.
