City comparison
San Jose, CA vs Winston, NC
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in San Jose, CA are 20.0% higher than in Winston, NC. Someone earning $100,000 in Winston, NC would need about $120,000 in San Jose, CA to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $2,982 a month in San Jose, CA versus $1,082 in Winston, NC. On $100,000, that's 48% of take-home pay in San Jose, CA and 17% in Winston, NC.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $1,589 a year higher in San Jose, CA than in Winston, NC.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −20.0% moving from San Jose, CA to Winston, NC ($133,060 → $106,437), while prices change by −16.6%. Net effect of the transfer: −4.0% in real buying power.
- San Jose, CA: price level 110.4 (much pricier)
- Winston, NC: price level 92.0 (cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| San Jose, CA | Winston, NC | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 110.4 | 92.0 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $83,355 in Winston | $119,969 in San Jose |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $2,982/mo | $1,082/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $74,110 | $75,699 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $5,070 (CA) | $3,481 (NC) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 48% | 17% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $84,050 | $46,380 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | San Jose-San Francisco-Oakland, CA | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA HUD Metro FMR Area and Winston-Salem, NC HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA and Winston-Salem, NC.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | San Jose | Winston |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 211.9 | 71.4 |
| Goods | 105.2 | 96.6 |
| Utilities | 156.7 | 88.4 |
| Other services | 100.3 | 98.2 |
| Overall | 110.4 | 92.0 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
San Jose, CA → Winston, NC
Same pay goes further
Buying power +20.0%; rent takes 17% of take-home; state tax −$1,589/yr.
100 Strong offer
Winston, NC → San Jose, CA
Same pay buys less
Buying power −16.6%; rent takes 48% of take-home; state tax +$1,589/yr.
3 Weak offer
On the GS pay scale?
San Jose, CA is in the San Jose-San Francisco-Oakland, CA pay area; Winston, NC is in Rest of U.S.. The last column shows what a transfer from San Jose, CA to Winston, NC at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | San Jose, CA | Winston, NC | Real change, San Jose → Winston |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $77,161 | $61,722 | −4.0% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $93,358 | $74,678 | −4.0% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $111,896 | $89,508 | −4.0% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $133,060 | $106,437 | −4.0% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $157,236 | $125,776 | −4.0% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | San Jose, CA | Winston, NC | Winston pay in San Jose dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $102,860 | $56,510 | $67,794 (−34.1%) |
| Software Developers | $213,110 | $124,130 | $148,917 (−30.1%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $121,700 | $78,950 | $94,715 (−22.2%) |
| Registered Nurses | $216,740 | $86,120 | $103,317 (−52.3%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.