Salary Comparison
Separating: Rochester vs Sunnyvale
Side-by-side salary, take-home pay, cost of living, and lifestyle score.
Rochester, MN
$45,942/yr
Sunnyvale, CA
$61,550/yr
Our recommendation: Rochester, MN
Rochester offers $732 more per month in disposable income, giving a stronger financial outcome despite a lower gross salary.
Full Breakdown
Rochester
Sunnyvale
Diff (A−B)
Annual Gross Salary
$45,942
$61,550
$15,608
A vs B
Monthly Take-Home
After estimated federal + state taxes
$2,795
$3,744
$949
A vs B
Cost of Living Index
Lower is more affordable. US avg = 100
89
152
-63 pts
A vs B
Monthly Living Costs
Housing, food, transport, utilities, healthcare
$2,402
$4,083
$1,681
A vs B
Monthly Rent
$1,350
$2,650
$1,300
A vs B
Monthly Disposable
$393
$-339
+$732
A vs B
Purchasing Power Score
Take-home ÷ living costs. Higher is better
1.16×
0.92×
+0.24×
A vs B
Lifestyle Score
4/10 (Tight)
3/10 (Tight)
+1
A vs B
Rochester — Full Details
Sunnyvale — 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.