A higher salary is an indicator of a better situation, it isn’t the situation itself.
It just happens to also be one of the easiest indicators to sell to a prospective employee. A great company culture is also a “better situation” but it’s a lot less tangible from the outside.
That's one of the reasons I work where I do. My coworkers are fantastic and I don't get up in the morning hating the fact I have to go to work. Sure I could make more in the Bay (but really not all that much more), but it's hard to beat living walking distance from the office and actually enjoying your place of work.
