Nominal salary tells you how much money you receive. Cost-of-living-adjusted salary tells you how much that money can actually buy. A $200,000 salary in San Francisco and a $140,000 salary in Austin can provide nearly identical purchasing power. Tax differences are not included.
Where Should I Live?
Nominal vs COL-Adjusted Salary
| # | Location | Median (Nominal) | COL Index | Adjusted | COL Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Menlo Park, CA | $156,021 | 138.5 | $112,651 | #3 (-2) |
| 2 | San Francisco, CA | $140,000 | 138.5 | $101,083 | #9 (-7) |
| 3 | Los Angeles, CA | $140,000 | 138.5 | $101,083 | #10 (-7) |
| 4 | New York, NE | $139,714 | 90.8 | $153,870 | #1 (+3) |
| 5 | Waltham, MA | $135,814 | 146.5 | $92,705 | #19 (-14) |
| 6 | Mountain View, CA | $134,000 | 138.5 | $96,751 | #14 (-8) |
| 7 | Sunnyvale, CA | $133,350 | 138.5 | $96,282 | #15 (-8) |
| 8 | Cambridge, MA | $131,893 | 146.5 | $90,029 | #22 (-14) |
| 9 | San Jose, CA | $130,000 | 138.5 | $93,863 | #18 (-9) |
| 10 | Irvine, CA | $125,000 | 138.5 | $90,253 | #21 (-11) |
| 11 | Cupertino, CA | $124,151 | 138.5 | $89,640 | #23 (-12) |
| 12 | San Diego, CA | $120,000 | 138.5 | $86,643 | #24 (-12) |
| 13 | Santa Clara, CA | $120,000 | 138.5 | $86,643 | #25 (-12) |
| 14 | Thousand Oaks, CA | $119,908 | 138.5 | $86,576 | #26 (-12) |
| 15 | Bellevue, WA | $116,741 | 114.6 | $101,868 | #8 (+7) |
| 16 | Princeton, NJ | $116,310 | 113.7 | $102,296 | #7 (+9) |
| 17 | Fremont, CA | $115,710 | 138.5 | $83,545 | #28 (-11) |
| 18 | Redmond, WA | $115,106 | 114.6 | $100,441 | #11 (+7) |
| 19 | New York, NY | $115,000 | 125.1 | $91,926 | #20 (-1) |
| 20 | Boston, MA | $115,000 | 146.5 | $78,498 | #30 (-10) |
| 21 | Fort Lauderdale, FL | $113,081 | 102.8 | $110,001 | #4 (+17) |
| 22 | Seattle, WA | $110,000 | 114.6 | $95,986 | #16 (+6) |
| 23 | Houston, TX | $108,014 | 92.7 | $116,520 | #2 (+21) |
| 24 | Austin, TX | $100,277 | 92.7 | $108,174 | #5 (+19) |
| 25 | Chicago, IL | $96,000 | 92.3 | $104,009 | #6 (+19) |
| 26 | Peoria, IL | $91,322 | 92.3 | $98,940 | #12 (+14) |
| 27 | Atlanta, GA | $90,000 | 91.0 | $98,901 | #13 (+14) |
| 28 | JERSEY CITY, NJ | $89,678 | 113.7 | $78,872 | #29 (-1) |
| 29 | Miami, FL | $88,500 | 102.8 | $86,089 | #27 (+2) |
| 30 | Columbus, IN | $85,920 | 91.0 | $94,418 | #17 (+13) |
Key Insights
- The highest nominal salary for Managers, All Other is in Menlo Park, CA at $156,021, but after cost-of-living adjustment New York, NE offers the best purchasing power at $153,870 equivalent.
- Hidden gem: Houston, TX ranks #23 by nominal pay but climbs to #2 once cost of living is factored in (up 21 spots), making its $108,014 go a lot further.
- Beware: Waltham, MA looks strong at #5 on nominal pay ($135,814) but its high cost of living drops it 14 spots to #19 on purchasing power.
Salary Check
Are you a Managers, All Other wondering if you are underpaid?
Compare your pay against government-filed salary data for this role.