$90,000 in San Francisco ≈ $75,753 in Madison (−15.8% cost of living)
$75,753
Target salary in Madison for the same standard of living.
Cost of living target · prices −15.8% vs San Francisco.
Cost & tax landscape
Housing drives most of this move’s price gap : The biggest everyday cost difference when moving from San Francisco to Madison is housing & rent, which runs about 48.8% less expensive in Madison.
Move metrics
How price levels, target salary, and state tax line up for San Francisco → Madison.
| Metric | San Francisco | Madison | Delta |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cost of living index | 115.6 | 97.3 | −15.8% overall |
| Groceries & goods | 108.5 | 93.8 | −13.5% |
| Housing & rent | 194.7 | 99.7 | −48.8% |
| Everyday services | 106.2 | 99.4 | −6.4% |
| Base / COL target | $90,000 | $75,753 COL target | −$14,247 (−15.8%) |
| State income tax (single) | ~$4,293 | ~$3,378 | −$915 tax drag |
| Tax parity target | $90,000 | $89,085 Tax match | −$915 (−1.0%) |
COL target is purchasing-power equivalence. Tax parity target matches after-state-tax dollars only, not cost of living. State tax is approximate single-filer.
Tax take-home
Two different questions. Don’t mix them with the cost-of-living headline above.
- Cost of living target
- $75,753
- Tax parity target
- $89,085
Gross needed in Madison for the same purchasing power as your $90,000 in San Francisco, before taxes.
Gross needed in Madison to keep the same after-tax dollar amount of about $85,707 (without accounting for the lower cost of living) .
On $90,000 in San Francisco, you keep about $85,707 after California tax. Matching that take-home under Wisconsin tax is the tax parity target above (roughly $915 less gross) .
- Money in pocket (est.)
- $85,707
- CA state tax
- $4,293
- WI state tax on match
- $3,378
- Tax parity vs origin gross
- −$915
Approximate single-filer state income tax only (Tax year 2026 (approximate single-filer schedules)). No federal tax, FICA, local city tax, or credits. Multi-state metros use the primary state code. Not tax advice.
Rate sources: Tax Foundation: State Individual Income Tax Rates and Brackets (2026); Federation of Tax Administrators: State Individual Income Taxes . Details in methodology and disclaimer.
Career & jobs
Local salary guide
only when local median ≥ your cost-of-living target ( $75,753). Below-target roles show no badge.
| Occupation | Madison | Gap |
|---|---|---|
| Registered Nurses | $101,190
Beats target
| −45.8% |
| Software Developers | $130,630
Beats target
| −30.0% |
| Office Clerks, General | $46,590
Beats target
| −10.4% |
| General and Operations Managers | $126,620
Beats target
| −15.6% |
| Secretaries and Administrative Assistants, Except Legal, Medical, and Executive | $51,410
Beats target
| −17.2% |
| Accountants and Auditors | $81,130
Beats target
| −26.7% |
| Project Management Specialists | $98,990
Beats target
| −26.7% |
| Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers | $59,700
Beats target
| −10.2% |
Local salary guide May 2025. Gaps over 50% omitted. Sorted by local jobs in field.
Find Registered Nurses jobs in Madison
- Registered Nurses
- Software Developers
- Office Clerks, General
- General and Operations Managers
- Secretaries and Administrative Assistants, Except Legal, Medical, and Executive
- Accountants and Auditors
- Project Management Specialists
- Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers
- Sales Representatives of Services, Except Advertising, Insurance, Financial Services, and Travel
- Maintenance and Repair Workers, General
- Bookkeeping, Accounting, and Auditing Clerks
- Sales Representatives, Wholesale and Manufacturing, Except Technical and Scientific Products
- Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education
- First-Line Supervisors of Office and Administrative Support Workers
- Management Analysts
- Human Resources Specialists
- Clinical Laboratory Technologists and Technicians
- Market Research Analysts and Marketing Specialists
- Managers, All Other
- Computer and Information Systems Managers
- Computer User Support Specialists
- Business Operations Specialists, All Other
- Construction Laborers
- Shipping, Receiving, and Inventory Clerks
- Financial Managers
- First-Line Supervisors of Construction Trades and Extraction Workers
- Carpenters
- First-Line Supervisors of Retail Sales Workers
- Computer Systems Analysts
- Medical Assistants
- First-Line Supervisors of Production and Operating Workers
- Secondary School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical Education
- Medical Scientists, Except Epidemiologists
- Lawyers
- Electricians
- Sales Managers
- Police and Sheriff's Patrol Officers
- Plumbers, Pipefitters, and Steamfitters
- Inspectors, Testers, Sorters, Samplers, and Weighers
- Civil Engineers
- Pharmacy Technicians
- Industrial Engineers
- Substance Abuse, Behavioral Disorder, and Mental Health Counselors
- Software Quality Assurance Analysts and Testers
- Computer Occupations, All Other
- Industrial Production Managers
- Public Relations Specialists
- First-Line Supervisors of Mechanics, Installers, and Repairers
- Claims Adjusters, Examiners, and Investigators
- Exercise Trainers and Group Fitness Instructors
- Training and Development Specialists
- Compliance Officers
- First-Line Supervisors of Transportation and Material Moving Workers, Except Aircraft Cargo Handling
- Automotive Service Technicians and Mechanics
- Administrative Services Managers
- Network and Computer Systems Administrators
- Medical and Health Services Managers
- Middle School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical Education
- Buyers and Purchasing Agents
- Real Estate Sales Agents
- Insurance Sales Agents
- Billing and Posting Clerks
- Psychiatric Technicians
- Heating, Air Conditioning, and Refrigeration Mechanics and Installers
- Financial and Investment Analysts
- Welders, Cutters, Solderers, and Brazers
- Marketing Managers
- Social and Human Service Assistants
- Self-Enrichment Teachers
- Executive Secretaries and Executive Administrative Assistants
- Coaches and Scouts
- Industrial Machinery Mechanics
- Production, Planning, and Expediting Clerks
- Dental Assistants
- Educational, Guidance, and Career Counselors and Advisors
- Chief Executives
- Physical Therapists
- Construction Managers
- Physicians, All Other
- Paralegals and Legal Assistants
- Bus and Truck Mechanics and Diesel Engine Specialists
- Insurance Claims and Policy Processing Clerks
- Child, Family, and School Social Workers
- Bus Drivers, School
- Food Service Managers
- Mechanical Engineers
- Radiologic Technologists and Technicians
- Industrial Truck and Tractor Operators
- Electrical, Electronic, and Electromechanical Assemblers, Except Coil Winders, Tapers, and Finishers
- Architectural and Engineering Managers
- Sales Representatives, Wholesale and Manufacturing, Technical and Scientific Products
- Cost Estimators
- Graphic Designers
- Machinists
- Dental Hygienists
- Operating Engineers and Other Construction Equipment Operators
- First-Line Supervisors of Non-Retail Sales Workers
- Human Resources Managers
- Loan Officers
- Licensed Practical and Licensed Vocational Nurses
- Loan Interviewers and Clerks
- Occupational Therapists
- Correctional Officers and Jailers
- Personal Financial Advisors
- Transportation, Storage, and Distribution Managers
- Securities, Commodities, and Financial Services Sales Agents
- Cement Masons and Concrete Finishers
- Healthcare Social Workers
- Nurse Practitioners
- Painters, Construction and Maintenance
- Cutting, Punching, and Press Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic
- Electrical Engineers
- Social and Community Service Managers
- Physician Assistants
- Medical Records Specialists
- Instructional Coordinators
- Logisticians
- Special Education Teachers, Secondary School
- Computer Numerically Controlled Tool Operators
- Education Administrators, Kindergarten through Secondary
- Office and Administrative Support Workers, All Other
- Coating, Painting, and Spraying Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders
- Information Security Analysts
- Speech-Language Pathologists
- First-Line Supervisors of Housekeeping and Janitorial Workers
- Bill and Account Collectors
- Health Technologists and Technicians, All Other
- Payroll and Timekeeping Clerks
- Computer Network Architects
- Dispatchers, Except Police, Fire, and Ambulance
- Installation, Maintenance, and Repair Workers, All Other
- Chefs and Head Cooks
- Property, Real Estate, and Community Association Managers
- Facilities Managers
- First-Line Supervisors of Police and Detectives
- Engineers, All Other
- Mobile Heavy Equipment Mechanics, Except Engines
- Legal Secretaries and Administrative Assistants
Type to filter, e.g. Software, Accountant
$186,610 in San Francisco → $101,190 in Madison (−45.8%)
See current openings for Registered Nurses in Madison.
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Counter-offer letter
Turn your cost-of-living target into a one-click negotiation draft you can edit and send.
Template only. Not legal or career advice. Cite your own offer details before sending.
Target salary ladder in Madison
| In San Francisco | In Madison |
|---|---|
| $60,000 | $50,502 |
| $90,000 | $75,753 |
| $150,000 | $126,254 |
Target salary keeps the same standard of living.
FAQ
- What salary do I need in Madison to match $90,000 in San Francisco?
- About $75,753, your target salary for the same standard of living, based on cost of living indexes of 115.6 and 97.3 (2024). Not financial advice.
- Why is Madison less expensive than San Francisco?
- The biggest everyday cost difference when moving from San Francisco to Madison is housing & rent, which runs about 48.8% less expensive in Madison. Overall cost of living index is 115.6 in San Francisco vs 97.3 in Madison (2024, US average = 100).
- How do published wages compare for a move from San Francisco to Madison?
- Among jobs with published local salary medians in both metros (excluding gaps over 50%), Registered Nurses is among the highest-employment matches: $186,610 in San Francisco vs $101,190 in Madison (−45.8%; about 10,650 local jobs in the field at the destination). The table below lists other high-employment occupations.
- How do state income taxes change take-home from San Francisco to Madison?
- Two different targets: the cost of living target is about $75,753 (gross for the same purchasing power). Separately, the tax parity target is about $89,085, the gross you’d need in Madison to keep the same after-tax dollars (~$85,707) you keep after California tax on $90,000 in San Francisco, without adjusting for cost of living. Approximate single-filer state schedules (Tax Foundation 2026). Not tax advice.
- What is not included in this comparison?
- Local city taxes, federal tax, FICA, childcare, healthcare premiums, leave benefits, and job openings are not modeled. Approximate state income tax take-home is shown separately where schedules are available. Use these figures as a starting point, not advice.
What this San Francisco → Madison move covers
The biggest everyday cost difference when moving from San Francisco to Madison is housing & rent, which runs about 48.8% less expensive in Madison. Cost of living index 2024; local salary guide May 2025.
Includes
- Cost of living index for everyday expenses (housing, groceries & goods, services)
- Local salary guide: median pay, typical pay range, and jobs in the field where published
- Target salary math so you keep the same standard of living after a move
- Approximate single-filer state income tax take-home on compare pages (see rate sources on the page)
Does not include
- Local city taxes, credits, filing-status variants, or tax advice
- Childcare, healthcare premiums, or leave benefits
- Job openings. “Local jobs in field” is how many people work in the role, not hiring demand
Technical source names (RPP, OEWS) and formulas live on the methodology page.
See methodology and disclaimer.