Salary Comparison
Painters: Berkeley vs Albany
Side-by-side salary, take-home pay, cost of living, and lifestyle score.
Berkeley, CA
$58,040/yr
Albany, NY
$52,627/yr
Our recommendation: Albany, NY
Albany offers $1,006 more per month in disposable income, giving a stronger financial outcome despite a lower gross salary.
Full Breakdown
Berkeley
Albany
Diff (A−B)
Annual Gross Salary
$58,040
$52,627
+$5,413
A vs B
Monthly Take-Home
After estimated federal + state taxes
$3,531
$3,202
+$329
A vs B
Cost of Living Index
Lower is more affordable. US avg = 100
148
102
+46 pts
A vs B
Monthly Living Costs
Housing, food, transport, utilities, healthcare
$3,978
$2,643
+$1,335
A vs B
Monthly Rent
$2,550
$1,520
+$1,030
A vs B
Monthly Disposable
$-447
$559
$1,006
A vs B
Purchasing Power Score
Take-home ÷ living costs. Higher is better
0.89×
1.21×
-0.32×
A vs B
Lifestyle Score
2/10 (Tight)
4/10 (Tight)
-2
A vs B
Berkeley — Full Details
Albany — 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.