People in the world of Altered Carbon make their living in just about every field imaginable. The society is highly stratified with little movement between classes. Most people are lucky to wear a second sleeve of decent quality.
Ads are everywhere. Sophisticated AIs scan people and deliver full 3D personalized and unavoidable ads. People can purchase ad blocker subscriptions for their ONIs (optical neural interface - a device that replaces cell phones) but not everyone bothers.
Money
To keep things simple, we imagine the relative cost of everyday items is the same as in our world. Credits replace dollars or Euros and is the single currency across the Protectorate. Most people pay for things via a DNA scan linked to a bank account, though hard currency in the form of polymer notes is still used in some places, most notably on the lowest levels of the city.
A cup of coffee costs between 2-3 credits. A haircut costs between 30-80 credits. You can assume those and other day-to-day items cost the same, and professions pay roughly what they do in our world.
There are a few things that aren't so easily quantified. To help, here is a chart in credits:
Sleeve (50+, health problems or has a disease or disability) | 2,000 - 5,000 |
Sleeve (middle-aged, decent health, no enhancements) | 10,000 - 15,000 |
Sleeve (premium, young, possible cosmetic enhancements) | 15,000 - 45,000 |
Sleeve (ultra premium, young, attractive, top-line enhancements) | 46,000 - 150,000 |
Sleeve lease (monthly) | 2% - 5% of sleeve value. 250 credits per month storage fee |
Synth (basic, inhuman) | 8,000 - 15,000 |
Synth (mid-level, more human) | 16,000 - 50,000 |
Synth (top of the line, shapeshifting) | 300,000 + |
A clone | 400,000 + storage fees |
Needlecast backup (meth only) | 2.5 million initial set-up, 50,000 per backup (daily) |
Neurachem (consumer-grade, boosts one attribute) | 7,000 - 13,000 |
Neurachem (military-grade, boosts one attribute) | 15,000 - 25,000 |
Neurachem (hacked, boosts one attribute, comes with side effects) | 3,000 - 15,000 |
Cybernetic limb | 5,000 - 45,000 |
Ground vehicle | 5,000 - 15,000 |
Flying car | 7,000 - 125,000 |
ONI | 50 - 300 |
ONI ad blocker (monthly subscription | 35 |