Salary Comparison
Software Developers: Denver vs San Francisco
Side-by-side salary, take-home pay, cost of living, and lifestyle score.
Denver, CO
$134,120/yr
San Francisco, CA
$174,910/yr
Our recommendation: San Francisco, CA
San Francisco offers $1,296 more per month in disposable income, giving a stronger financial outcome despite comparable pay.
Full Breakdown
Denver
San Francisco
Diff (A−B)
Annual Gross Salary
$134,120
$174,910
$40,790
A vs B
Monthly Take-Home
After estimated federal + state taxes
$8,159
$10,640
$2,481
A vs B
Cost of Living Index
Lower is more affordable. US avg = 100
111
155
-44 pts
A vs B
Monthly Living Costs
Housing, food, transport, utilities, healthcare
$2,970
$4,155
$1,185
A vs B
Monthly Rent
$1,780
$2,680
$900
A vs B
Monthly Disposable
$5,189
$6,485
$1,296
A vs B
Purchasing Power Score
Take-home ÷ living costs. Higher is better
2.75×
2.56×
+0.19×
A vs B
Lifestyle Score
9/10 (Comfortable)
9/10 (Comfortable)
+0
A vs B
Denver — Full Details
San Francisco — 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.