City comparison
Minneapolis, MN vs Salinas, CA
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Salinas, CA are 4.0% higher than in Minneapolis, MN. Someone earning $100,000 in Minneapolis, MN would need about $104,000 in Salinas, CA to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $2,232 a month in Salinas, CA versus $1,405 in Minneapolis, MN. On $100,000, that's 36% of take-home pay in Salinas, CA and 23% in Minneapolis, MN.
- Estimated state income tax on $100,000 is close: $5,277 a year in MN and $5,070 in CA.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +14.7% moving from Minneapolis, MN to Salinas, CA ($116,038 → $133,060), while prices change by +4.0%. Net effect of the transfer: +10.2% in real buying power.
- Minneapolis, MN: price level 104.8 (pricier)
- Salinas, CA: price level 109.0 (much pricier)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Minneapolis, MN | Salinas, CA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 104.8 | 109.0 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $104,026 in Salinas | $96,130 in Minneapolis |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,405/mo | $2,232/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $73,903 | $74,110 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $5,277 (MN) | $5,070 (CA) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 23% | 36% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $59,320 | $47,380 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Minneapolis-St. Paul, MN-WI | San Jose-San Francisco-Oakland, CA |
Rent areas: Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI HUD Metro FMR Area and Salinas, CA MSA. Metro areas: Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI and Salinas, CA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Minneapolis | Salinas |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 111.8 | 145.7 |
| Goods | 103.1 | 105.2 |
| Utilities | 93.5 | 154.2 |
| Other services | 104.4 | 100.3 |
| Overall | 104.8 | 109.0 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Minneapolis, MN → Salinas, CA
Same pay buys less
Buying power −3.9%; rent takes 36% of take-home; state tax −$206/yr.
40 Weak offer
Salinas, CA → Minneapolis, MN
Same pay goes further
Buying power +4.0%; rent takes 23% of take-home; state tax +$206/yr.
81 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Minneapolis, MN is in the Minneapolis-St. Paul, MN-WI pay area; Salinas, CA is in San Jose-San Francisco-Oakland, CA. The last column shows what a transfer from Minneapolis, MN to Salinas, CA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Minneapolis, MN | Salinas, CA | Real change, Minneapolis → Salinas |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $67,290 | $77,161 | +10.2% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $81,415 | $93,358 | +10.2% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $97,582 | $111,896 | +10.2% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $116,038 | $133,060 | +10.2% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $137,123 | $157,236 | +10.2% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Minneapolis, MN | Salinas, CA | Salinas pay in Minneapolis dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $79,730 | $100,220 | $96,341 (+20.8%) |
| Software Developers | $130,920 | $135,160 | $129,929 (−0.8%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $86,500 | $83,810 | $80,566 (−6.9%) |
| Registered Nurses | $103,040 | $134,910 | $129,689 (+25.9%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.