Salary Comparison
Bookkeeping: Abilene vs San Jose
Side-by-side salary, take-home pay, cost of living, and lifestyle score.
Abilene, TX
$42,744/yr
San Jose, CA
$64,340/yr
Our recommendation: Abilene, TX
Abilene offers $724 more per month in disposable income, giving a stronger financial outcome despite a lower gross salary.
Full Breakdown
Abilene
San Jose
Diff (A−B)
Annual Gross Salary
$42,744
$64,340
$21,596
A vs B
Monthly Take-Home
After estimated federal + state taxes
$2,600
$3,914
$1,314
A vs B
Cost of Living Index
Lower is more affordable. US avg = 100
72
148
-76 pts
A vs B
Monthly Living Costs
Housing, food, transport, utilities, healthcare
$1,927
$3,965
$2,038
A vs B
Monthly Rent
$980
$2,550
$1,570
A vs B
Monthly Disposable
$673
$-51
+$724
A vs B
Purchasing Power Score
Take-home ÷ living costs. Higher is better
1.35×
0.99×
+0.36×
A vs B
Lifestyle Score
5/10 (Tight)
3/10 (Tight)
+2
A vs B
Abilene — Full Details
San Jose — 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.