Salary Comparison
Software Developers: Lexington vs Sunnyvale
Side-by-side salary, take-home pay, cost of living, and lifestyle score.
Lexington, KY
$114,143/yr
Sunnyvale, CA
$155,330/yr
Our recommendation: Lexington, KY
Lexington offers higher purchasing power (10 vs 8/10), giving a stronger financial outcome despite a lower gross salary.
Full Breakdown
Lexington
Sunnyvale
Diff (A−B)
Annual Gross Salary
$114,143
$155,330
$41,187
A vs B
Monthly Take-Home
After estimated federal + state taxes
$6,944
$9,449
$2,505
A vs B
Cost of Living Index
Lower is more affordable. US avg = 100
78
152
-74 pts
A vs B
Monthly Living Costs
Housing, food, transport, utilities, healthcare
$2,098
$4,083
$1,985
A vs B
Monthly Rent
$1,120
$2,650
$1,530
A vs B
Monthly Disposable
$4,846
$5,366
$520
A vs B
Purchasing Power Score
Take-home ÷ living costs. Higher is better
3.31×
2.31×
+1.00×
A vs B
Lifestyle Score
10/10 (Comfortable)
8/10 (Comfortable)
+2
A vs B
Lexington — 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.