I would also add a 4th point that the lifestyle in the bay area is very different. I find it far higher in cities like London than in the Silicon Valley -- this is of course very subjective, but it closely mirrors the opinions of those who graduated with me. The closest city to London here is SF (which pales in comparison IMHO), and living there may require a very lengthy commute unless your company is actually in the city.
Of course, if you love nature, the bay area has its perks :) but be ready to spend a lot of time in a car.
> Of course, if you love nature, the bay area has its perks :) but be ready to spend a lot of time in a car
I going to have to contest this point. I live and work in San Francisco, and I do not even own a car. I bike to and from the startup I work for every day. Many people in SF do this.
Not counting buses, taxis, or lyft, I haven't even been in a car for about 5 months.
You're right, SF is very nice for this. I was mainly thinking of the South Bay definition of Silicon Valley. Finding a nice job in SF will give you a very different lifestyle / quality of life than one down in the physical valley.
Of course, if you love nature, the bay area has its perks :) but be ready to spend a lot of time in a car.