Salary Comparison
Electrical Engineers: Appleton vs San Jose
Side-by-side salary, take-home pay, cost of living, and lifestyle score.
Appleton, WI
$104,738/yr
San Jose, CA
$186,920/yr
Our recommendation: San Jose, CA
San Jose offers $3,261 more per month in disposable income, giving a stronger financial outcome despite comparable pay.
Full Breakdown
Appleton
San Jose
Diff (A−B)
Annual Gross Salary
$104,738
$186,920
$82,182
A vs B
Monthly Take-Home
After estimated federal + state taxes
$6,372
$11,371
$4,999
A vs B
Cost of Living Index
Lower is more affordable. US avg = 100
86
148
-62 pts
A vs B
Monthly Living Costs
Housing, food, transport, utilities, healthcare
$2,227
$3,965
$1,738
A vs B
Monthly Rent
$1,281
$2,550
$1,269
A vs B
Monthly Disposable
$4,145
$7,406
$3,261
A vs B
Purchasing Power Score
Take-home ÷ living costs. Higher is better
2.86×
2.87×
-0.01×
A vs B
Lifestyle Score
9/10 (Comfortable)
9/10 (Comfortable)
+0
A vs B
Appleton — 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.