Salary Comparison
Software Developers: Dover vs Irvine
Side-by-side salary, take-home pay, cost of living, and lifestyle score.
Dover, NH
$128,345/yr
Irvine, CA
$155,330/yr
Our recommendation: Dover, NH
Dover offers higher purchasing power (10 vs 8/10), giving a stronger financial outcome despite a lower gross salary.
Full Breakdown
Dover
Irvine
Diff (A−B)
Annual Gross Salary
$128,345
$155,330
$26,985
A vs B
Monthly Take-Home
After estimated federal + state taxes
$7,808
$9,449
$1,641
A vs B
Cost of Living Index
Lower is more affordable. US avg = 100
96
148
-52 pts
A vs B
Monthly Living Costs
Housing, food, transport, utilities, healthcare
$2,489
$3,978
$1,489
A vs B
Monthly Rent
$1,431
$2,580
$1,149
A vs B
Monthly Disposable
$5,319
$5,471
$152
A vs B
Purchasing Power Score
Take-home ÷ living costs. Higher is better
3.14×
2.38×
+0.76×
A vs B
Lifestyle Score
10/10 (Comfortable)
8/10 (Comfortable)
+2
A vs B
Dover — Full Details
Irvine — 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.