Salary Comparison
Engineers: Mcallen vs Kailua
Side-by-side salary, take-home pay, cost of living, and lifestyle score.
Mcallen, TX
$107,606/yr
Kailua, HI
$145,668/yr
Our recommendation: Mcallen, TX
Mcallen offers higher purchasing power (10 vs 8/10), giving a stronger financial outcome despite a lower gross salary.
Full Breakdown
Mcallen
Kailua
Diff (A−B)
Annual Gross Salary
$107,606
$145,668
$38,062
A vs B
Monthly Take-Home
After estimated federal + state taxes
$6,546
$8,862
$2,316
A vs B
Cost of Living Index
Lower is more affordable. US avg = 100
68
148
-80 pts
A vs B
Monthly Living Costs
Housing, food, transport, utilities, healthcare
$1,828
$3,835
$2,007
A vs B
Monthly Rent
$920
$2,206
$1,286
A vs B
Monthly Disposable
$4,718
$5,027
$309
A vs B
Purchasing Power Score
Take-home ÷ living costs. Higher is better
3.58×
2.31×
+1.27×
A vs B
Lifestyle Score
10/10 (Comfortable)
8/10 (Comfortable)
+2
A vs B
Mcallen — Full Details
Kailua — 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.