Salary Comparison
Meter Readers: Appleton vs San Jose
Side-by-side salary, take-home pay, cost of living, and lifestyle score.
Appleton, WI
$50,944/yr
San Jose, CA
$95,330/yr
Our recommendation: San Jose, CA
San Jose offers $962 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
$50,944
$95,330
$44,386
A vs B
Monthly Take-Home
After estimated federal + state taxes
$3,099
$5,799
$2,700
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
$872
$1,834
$962
A vs B
Purchasing Power Score
Take-home ÷ living costs. Higher is better
1.39×
1.46×
-0.07×
A vs B
Lifestyle Score
5/10 (Tight)
5/10 (Tight)
+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.