Salary Comparison
Materials Engineers: Mobile vs San Francisco
Side-by-side salary, take-home pay, cost of living, and lifestyle score.
Mobile, AL
$94,317/yr
San Francisco, CA
$134,560/yr
Our recommendation: Mobile, AL
Mobile offers higher purchasing power (9 vs 7/10), giving a stronger financial outcome despite a lower gross salary.
Full Breakdown
Mobile
San Francisco
Diff (A−B)
Annual Gross Salary
$94,317
$134,560
$40,243
A vs B
Monthly Take-Home
After estimated federal + state taxes
$5,738
$8,186
$2,448
A vs B
Cost of Living Index
Lower is more affordable. US avg = 100
75
155
-80 pts
A vs B
Monthly Living Costs
Housing, food, transport, utilities, healthcare
$2,013
$4,155
$2,142
A vs B
Monthly Rent
$1,050
$2,680
$1,630
A vs B
Monthly Disposable
$3,725
$4,031
$306
A vs B
Purchasing Power Score
Take-home ÷ living costs. Higher is better
2.85×
1.97×
+0.88×
A vs B
Lifestyle Score
9/10 (Comfortable)
7/10 (Moderate)
+2
A vs B
Mobile — Full Details
San Francisco — 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.