Salary Comparison
Biological Technicians: Tempe vs Somerville
Side-by-side salary, take-home pay, cost of living, and lifestyle score.
Tempe, AZ
$52,472/yr
Somerville, MA
$64,380/yr
Our recommendation: Tempe, AZ
Tempe offers $11 more per month in disposable income, giving a stronger financial outcome despite a lower gross salary.
Full Breakdown
Tempe
Somerville
Diff (A−B)
Annual Gross Salary
$52,472
$64,380
$11,908
A vs B
Monthly Take-Home
After estimated federal + state taxes
$3,192
$3,916
$724
A vs B
Cost of Living Index
Lower is more affordable. US avg = 100
100
132
-32 pts
A vs B
Monthly Living Costs
Housing, food, transport, utilities, healthcare
$2,685
$3,420
$735
A vs B
Monthly Rent
$1,550
$1,967
$417
A vs B
Monthly Disposable
$507
$496
+$11
A vs B
Purchasing Power Score
Take-home ÷ living costs. Higher is better
1.19×
1.15×
+0.04×
A vs B
Lifestyle Score
4/10 (Tight)
4/10 (Tight)
+0
A vs B
Tempe — Full Details
Somerville — Full Details
Salary estimates based on BLS metro data. Cost of living from regional price indices. All figures are estimates; verify with employers before making decisions.