Salary Comparison
Opticians: Berkeley vs Houston
Side-by-side salary, take-home pay, cost of living, and lifestyle score.
Berkeley, CA
$58,130/yr
Houston, TX
$36,440/yr
Our recommendation: Houston, TX
Houston offers $244 more per month in disposable income, giving a stronger financial outcome despite a lower gross salary.
Full Breakdown
Berkeley
Houston
Diff (A−B)
Annual Gross Salary
$58,130
$36,440
+$21,690
A vs B
Monthly Take-Home
After estimated federal + state taxes
$3,536
$2,217
+$1,319
A vs B
Cost of Living Index
Lower is more affordable. US avg = 100
148
90
+58 pts
A vs B
Monthly Living Costs
Housing, food, transport, utilities, healthcare
$3,978
$2,415
+$1,563
A vs B
Monthly Rent
$2,550
$1,350
+$1,200
A vs B
Monthly Disposable
$-442
$-198
$244
A vs B
Purchasing Power Score
Take-home ÷ living costs. Higher is better
0.89×
0.92×
-0.03×
A vs B
Lifestyle Score
2/10 (Tight)
3/10 (Tight)
-1
A vs B
Berkeley — Full Details
Houston — 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.