What is the investment banking lifestyle like?

The biggest difference between a San Francisco Lifestyle and a San Francisco Bulge is primarily the types of deals. SF lifestyles see a fair amount of tech IPO / MA, while NY will see a bit of everything.

From a work / life point of view, I Banking is still I Banking. The hours are long, but the pay is hefty. You are less likely to see more than 100 hours per week without SF, but 65 is reasonable and 80 is not unknown. The biggest difference is that SF Banking is less of a “work hard / play hard” culture than New York, but there are still plenty of “bottles and models” if you like that kind of lifestyle.

Regardless, I-Bankers (regardless of city) tend to earn a disproportionate income level and can afford to buy just about anything (see IB Swag - Cured Investment Banking Lifestyle, for example).

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