Uprootmap
Chicago · Registered nurse · $98,500 · One adult, renting a 1-bedroom
Uprootmap
San Jose skyline
Michael from San Jose, California, USA. CC BY 2.0. Photo source · License
Seattle skyline
C. P. Johnston Co., Seattle, Washington. Public domain. Photo source · License

San Jose vs Seattle

$1,488/mo more in Seattle

Alabama: $2,168 left in a typical monthArizona: $2,126 left in a typical monthArkansas: $2,400 left in a typical monthCalifornia: $1,645 left in a typical monthColorado: $2,458 left in a typical monthConnecticut: $2,294 left in a typical monthDelaware: $1,980 left in a typical monthDistrict of Columbia: $2,913 left in a typical monthFlorida: $2,204 left in a typical monthGeorgia: $1,988 left in a typical monthIdaho: $2,056 left in a typical monthIllinois: $2,569 left in a typical monthIndiana: $2,407 left in a typical monthIowa: $2,838 left in a typical monthKansas: $2,391 left in a typical monthKentucky: $2,312 left in a typical monthLouisiana: $2,486 left in a typical monthMaine: $1,949 left in a typical monthMaryland: $2,359 left in a typical monthMassachusetts: $2,076 left in a typical monthMichigan: $2,360 left in a typical monthMinnesota: $2,600 left in a typical monthMississippi: $2,011 left in a typical monthMissouri: $2,581 left in a typical monthMontana: $2,222 left in a typical monthNebraska: $2,541 left in a typical monthNevada: $2,296 left in a typical monthNew Hampshire: $2,794 left in a typical monthNew Jersey: $1,864 left in a typical monthNew Mexico: $2,037 left in a typical monthNew York: $2,320 left in a typical monthNorth Carolina: $2,194 left in a typical monthNorth Dakota: $3,238 left in a typical monthOhio: $2,583 left in a typical monthOklahoma: $2,455 left in a typical monthOregon: $1,624 left in a typical monthPennsylvania: $2,380 left in a typical monthRhode Island: $2,094 left in a typical monthSouth Carolina: $2,108 left in a typical monthSouth Dakota: $2,780 left in a typical monthTennessee: $2,530 left in a typical monthTexas: $2,620 left in a typical monthUtah: $1,822 left in a typical monthVermont: $2,118 left in a typical monthVirginia: $2,326 left in a typical monthWashington: $2,473 left in a typical monthWest Virginia: $2,277 left in a typical monthWisconsin: $2,642 left in a typical monthWyoming: $2,849 left in a typical month
Less leftMore left

San JoseSeattleAbout 730 miles apart, a flight.

  • Seattle leaves you more
  • No state income tax
  • Rent under 30% of pay

Same paycheck, two cities. $3,405/mo in Seattle. $1,917/mo in San Jose. +$17,856 a year.

San Jose

$1,917

left each month

Seattle

$3,405

+$1,488 vs San Jose

Compare

Same paycheck, another city.

Seattle wins 3 of 4San Jose 1 · ties 0
$7,501Take-home · San Jose$7,294
$3,011Rent · Seattle$1,758
$2,573Other bills · Seattle$2,131
$1,917Left over · Seattle$3,405

Next

In 2022-2023, 1,707 households moved San Jose → Seattle (avg AGI $225,336). 1,357 went the other way. The whole move →

+$1,488 / mo

Alabama: $2,168 left in a typical monthArizona: $2,126 left in a typical monthArkansas: $2,400 left in a typical monthCalifornia: $1,645 left in a typical monthColorado: $2,458 left in a typical monthConnecticut: $2,294 left in a typical monthDelaware: $1,980 left in a typical monthDistrict of Columbia: $2,913 left in a typical monthFlorida: $2,204 left in a typical monthGeorgia: $1,988 left in a typical monthIdaho: $2,056 left in a typical monthIllinois: $2,569 left in a typical monthIndiana: $2,407 left in a typical monthIowa: $2,838 left in a typical monthKansas: $2,391 left in a typical monthKentucky: $2,312 left in a typical monthLouisiana: $2,486 left in a typical monthMaine: $1,949 left in a typical monthMaryland: $2,359 left in a typical monthMassachusetts: $2,076 left in a typical monthMichigan: $2,360 left in a typical monthMinnesota: $2,600 left in a typical monthMississippi: $2,011 left in a typical monthMissouri: $2,581 left in a typical monthMontana: $2,222 left in a typical monthNebraska: $2,541 left in a typical monthNevada: $2,296 left in a typical monthNew Hampshire: $2,794 left in a typical monthNew Jersey: $1,864 left in a typical monthNew Mexico: $2,037 left in a typical monthNew York: $2,320 left in a typical monthNorth Carolina: $2,194 left in a typical monthNorth Dakota: $3,238 left in a typical monthOhio: $2,583 left in a typical monthOklahoma: $2,455 left in a typical monthOregon: $1,624 left in a typical monthPennsylvania: $2,380 left in a typical monthRhode Island: $2,094 left in a typical monthSouth Carolina: $2,108 left in a typical monthSouth Dakota: $2,780 left in a typical monthTennessee: $2,530 left in a typical monthTexas: $2,620 left in a typical monthUtah: $1,822 left in a typical monthVermont: $2,118 left in a typical monthVirginia: $2,326 left in a typical monthWashington: $2,473 left in a typical monthWest Virginia: $2,277 left in a typical monthWisconsin: $2,642 left in a typical monthWyoming: $2,849 left in a typical monthSan JoseSeattle
Less leftMore left
Seattle · this breakdownSan Jose · home
See full breakdown
Monthly and annual budget comparison between San Jose, CA and Seattle, WA
Per monthSan JoseSeattleDifference
Gross pay$10,625$9,375−$1,250
Income and payroll tax$3,124$2,081−$1,043
Take-home pay$7,501$7,294−$207
Rent$3,011$1,758−$1,253
Getting around$746$493−$253
Groceries$504$452−$52
Healthcare$567$508−$59
Utilities$315$283−$32
Everything else$441$395−$46
Left over$1,917$3,405+$1,488

Salary to match San Jose

$87,000

Gross pay in Seattle that leaves the same amount as $127,500 in San Jose.

Tax difference

+$7,885

A year, in state and local income tax. Washington has no wage income tax.

More about Seattle

San Jose, CA in full

The highest salaries in the country, almost entirely cancelled out by the highest rents.

Seattle, WA in full

No state income tax and high wages, offset by home prices and 150 sunny days.

The other way

Start in Seattle.

Seattle → San Jose →

Questions

Is the cost of living lower in Seattle than San Jose?

For one adult in a one-bedroom, Seattle leaves about $1,488 more a month. A one-bedroom is about $3,011 in San Jose and $1,758 in Seattle.

Does Seattle have state income tax?

Seattle is in Washington, which has no state income tax.

What changes if you move from San Jose to Seattle?

The paycheck is taxed in Washington. Rent stays at the same bedroom count. What you keep is the difference.

Left over each month is take-home pay minus rent and the rest of the bills. The gap between San Jose and Seattle changes with the job, remote or local pay, and bedrooms. How we figure this · Leftover vs a COL index · Why a cheaper COL% can still lose leftover.

Estimate, not a quote. How we figure this.