Not that salary expenses is a big problem for top tech companies, but remote workers don't warrant US west-coast comps either.

> but remote workers don't warrant US west-coast comps either

I mean, we don't really need that west coast comp either? If I was pulling my old FAANG comp here in Spain, I'd be in the top 0.1% of earners...

Why don't we need it? I wouldn't mind being in the 0.1% or 0.0001% of earners in a place.

Sure, who doesn't want unlimited money? That's decidedly different from "needing" it (I could in no way manage to live on the West Coast on a Spanish salary, for example)

Well then why do the people who do earn that much there need it?

Sky-high cost of living (property prices, mostly). Shitty apartment with a commute in the bay costs $3,000/month. Starter home in Seattle costs a million plus.

It's also a vicious cycle: high tech salaries in those areas have driven up the cost of living.

> Shitty apartment with a commute in the bay costs $3,000/month. Starter home in Seattle costs a million plus.

The prices in Madrid/Barcelona are not exactly far off already (through no fault of high tech salaries).

Why not? Doesn’t that depend on the worker output?

Hatred of the labor theory of value. This isn't my judgement on it. Just my guess why certain people with certain interests argue against it

One might argue that it should, but as a remote worker in a low cost area I don't mind making 20% less than my NYC/Bay colleagues as I can still live like a king in my midwest city on regionally adjusted swe comp.