Salary Comparison
Software Developers: Rochester vs Sunnyvale
Side-by-side salary, take-home pay, cost of living, and lifestyle score.
Rochester, MN
$122,822/yr
Sunnyvale, CA
$155,330/yr
Our recommendation: Rochester, MN
Rochester offers higher purchasing power (10 vs 8/10), giving a stronger financial outcome despite a lower gross salary.
Full Breakdown
Rochester
Sunnyvale
Diff (A−B)
Annual Gross Salary
$122,822
$155,330
$32,508
A vs B
Monthly Take-Home
After estimated federal + state taxes
$7,472
$9,449
$1,977
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
$5,070
$5,366
$296
A vs B
Purchasing Power Score
Take-home ÷ living costs. Higher is better
3.11×
2.31×
+0.80×
A vs B
Lifestyle Score
10/10 (Comfortable)
8/10 (Comfortable)
+2
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.