I left California for Las Vegas. Even after a $39,000 pay cut, my house is bigger, my 401(k) contributions went up, and the quality of my life improved.

• Alli Peck made $184,000 as a program manager at an engineering startup.
• In 2021, she and her husband moved to Las Vegas, subsequently quitting her job and taking a 20% pay cut.
• Peck says the move and the pay cut were worth it and she loves her life in Vegas.

This as-told-to essay is based on a conversation with 35-year-old Alli Peck, a mechanical engineer and program manager. Her salary and employment history have been verified by Business Insider. The following has been edited for length and clarity.

I worked in the corporate world for 10 years as a mechanical engineer and program manager.