Salary Comparison
Engineers: Mcallen vs Cambridge
Side-by-side salary, take-home pay, cost of living, and lifestyle score.
Mcallen, TX
$107,606/yr
Cambridge, MA
$132,840/yr
Our recommendation: Mcallen, TX
Mcallen offers $730 more per month in disposable income, giving a stronger financial outcome despite a lower gross salary.
Full Breakdown
Mcallen
Cambridge
Diff (A−B)
Annual Gross Salary
$107,606
$132,840
$25,234
A vs B
Monthly Take-Home
After estimated federal + state taxes
$6,546
$8,081
$1,535
A vs B
Cost of Living Index
Lower is more affordable. US avg = 100
68
152
-84 pts
A vs B
Monthly Living Costs
Housing, food, transport, utilities, healthcare
$1,828
$4,093
$2,265
A vs B
Monthly Rent
$920
$2,650
$1,730
A vs B
Monthly Disposable
$4,718
$3,988
+$730
A vs B
Purchasing Power Score
Take-home ÷ living costs. Higher is better
3.58×
1.97×
+1.61×
A vs B
Lifestyle Score
10/10 (Comfortable)
7/10 (Moderate)
+3
A vs B
Mcallen — Full Details
Cambridge — 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.