Salary Comparison
Installation: Reston vs Anchorage
Side-by-side salary, take-home pay, cost of living, and lifestyle score.
Reston, VA
$52,098/yr
Anchorage, AK
$76,360/yr
Our recommendation: Anchorage, AK
Anchorage offers $1,807 more per month in disposable income, giving a stronger financial outcome despite comparable pay.
Full Breakdown
Reston
Anchorage
Diff (A−B)
Annual Gross Salary
$52,098
$76,360
$24,262
A vs B
Monthly Take-Home
After estimated federal + state taxes
$3,169
$4,645
$1,476
A vs B
Cost of Living Index
Lower is more affordable. US avg = 100
118
101
+17 pts
A vs B
Monthly Living Costs
Housing, food, transport, utilities, healthcare
$3,056
$2,725
+$331
A vs B
Monthly Rent
$1,758
$1,450
+$308
A vs B
Monthly Disposable
$113
$1,920
$1,807
A vs B
Purchasing Power Score
Take-home ÷ living costs. Higher is better
1.04×
1.70×
-0.66×
A vs B
Lifestyle Score
3/10 (Tight)
6/10 (Moderate)
-3
A vs B
Reston — Full Details
Anchorage — 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.