Salary Comparison
Technical Writers: Alpharetta vs Irvine
Side-by-side salary, take-home pay, cost of living, and lifestyle score.
Alpharetta, GA
$83,153/yr
Irvine, CA
$100,440/yr
Our recommendation: Alpharetta, GA
Alpharetta offers $284 more per month in disposable income, giving a stronger financial outcome despite a lower gross salary.
Full Breakdown
Alpharetta
Irvine
Diff (A−B)
Annual Gross Salary
$83,153
$100,440
$17,287
A vs B
Monthly Take-Home
After estimated federal + state taxes
$5,059
$6,110
$1,051
A vs B
Cost of Living Index
Lower is more affordable. US avg = 100
102
148
-46 pts
A vs B
Monthly Living Costs
Housing, food, transport, utilities, healthcare
$2,643
$3,978
$1,335
A vs B
Monthly Rent
$1,520
$2,580
$1,060
A vs B
Monthly Disposable
$2,416
$2,132
+$284
A vs B
Purchasing Power Score
Take-home ÷ living costs. Higher is better
1.91×
1.54×
+0.37×
A vs B
Lifestyle Score
7/10 (Moderate)
6/10 (Moderate)
+1
A vs B
Alpharetta — 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.