Salary Comparison
Physicists: Killeen vs San Jose
Side-by-side salary, take-home pay, cost of living, and lifestyle score.
Killeen, TX
$143,656/yr
San Jose, CA
$214,520/yr
Our recommendation: San Jose, CA
San Jose offers $2,364 more per month in disposable income, giving a stronger financial outcome despite comparable pay.
Full Breakdown
Killeen
San Jose
Diff (A−B)
Annual Gross Salary
$143,656
$214,520
$70,864
A vs B
Monthly Take-Home
After estimated federal + state taxes
$8,739
$13,050
$4,311
A vs B
Cost of Living Index
Lower is more affordable. US avg = 100
75
148
-73 pts
A vs B
Monthly Living Costs
Housing, food, transport, utilities, healthcare
$2,018
$3,965
$1,947
A vs B
Monthly Rent
$1,050
$2,550
$1,500
A vs B
Monthly Disposable
$6,721
$9,085
$2,364
A vs B
Purchasing Power Score
Take-home ÷ living costs. Higher is better
4.33×
3.29×
+1.04×
A vs B
Lifestyle Score
10/10 (Comfortable)
10/10 (Comfortable)
+0
A vs B
Killeen — 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.