Salary Comparison
Cooks: Somerville vs Albany
Side-by-side salary, take-home pay, cost of living, and lifestyle score.
Somerville, MA
$43,610/yr
Albany, NY
$36,815/yr
Our recommendation: Albany, NY
Albany offers $364 more per month in disposable income, giving a stronger financial outcome despite a lower gross salary.
Full Breakdown
Somerville
Albany
Diff (A−B)
Annual Gross Salary
$43,610
$36,815
+$6,795
A vs B
Monthly Take-Home
After estimated federal + state taxes
$2,653
$2,240
+$413
A vs B
Cost of Living Index
Lower is more affordable. US avg = 100
132
102
+30 pts
A vs B
Monthly Living Costs
Housing, food, transport, utilities, healthcare
$3,420
$2,643
+$777
A vs B
Monthly Rent
$1,967
$1,520
+$447
A vs B
Monthly Disposable
$-767
$-403
$364
A vs B
Purchasing Power Score
Take-home ÷ living costs. Higher is better
0.78×
0.85×
-0.07×
A vs B
Lifestyle Score
2/10 (Tight)
2/10 (Tight)
+0
A vs B
Somerville — Full Details
Albany — 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.