Six Figures No Longer Enough: $300k+ Needed for Comfortable Life in Major U.S. Cities

• Individuals need to earn $96,500 a year to live comfortably in major U.S. cities, while a family of 4 needs $235,000 combined income • High housing costs and inflation have made cost of living very expensive in big cities • Top 5 most expensive big cities are New York, San Jose, Irvine/Santa Ana, Boston • Less than 20% of Americans earn over $100k individually, so most can't afford a "comfortable" life • Even those earning $100k+ often struggle due to things like childcare, suggesting $300k may be a better benchmark