Your mileage may vary, but as a professional of that standing, having invested substantial time and intellectual energy to master my profession, my social requirements, for my spouse, my children, my friends, where we go, what we do, are not going to be satisfactorily met by such an income level in New York City. This doesn't even have anything to do with personal preferences in such matters, but ultimately how one lives and provides for loved ones and the natural company one keeps.
Developers are not children. We are professionals and our profession is in fact one of the more highly demanding cognitive professions.
I don't think many people will claim 150k is market price for a staff engineering position in NYC. But it is more than enough to live in Manhattan. Full stop.
If MoMA or another non-profit offers you a salary than fails to support your lavish lifestyle: don't accept it. Hope that helps.
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