$90,000 in San Francisco ≈ $76,453 in Raleigh (−15.1% cost of living)
$76,453
Target salary in Raleigh for the same standard of living.
Cost of living target · prices −15.1% 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 Raleigh is housing & rent, which runs about 46.8% less expensive in Raleigh.
Move metrics
How price levels, target salary, and state tax line up for San Francisco → Raleigh.
| Metric | San Francisco | Raleigh | Delta |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cost of living index | 115.6 | 98.2 | −15.1% overall |
| Groceries & goods | 108.5 | 96.6 | −11.0% |
| Housing & rent | 194.7 | 103.5 | −46.8% |
| Everyday services | 106.2 | 98.2 | −7.5% |
| Base / COL target | $90,000 | $76,453 COL target | −$13,547 (−15.1%) |
| State income tax (single) | ~$4,293 | ~$3,032 | −$1,261 tax drag |
| Tax parity target | $90,000 | $88,739 Tax match | −$1,261 (−1.4%) |
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
- $76,453
- Tax parity target
- $88,739
Gross needed in Raleigh for the same purchasing power as your $90,000 in San Francisco, before taxes.
Gross needed in Raleigh 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 North Carolina tax is the tax parity target above (roughly $1,261 less gross) .
- Money in pocket (est.)
- $85,707
- CA state tax
- $4,293
- NC state tax on match
- $3,032
- Tax parity vs origin gross
- −$1,261
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 ( $76,453). Below-target roles show no badge.
| Occupation | Raleigh | Gap |
|---|---|---|
| Software Developers | $132,770
Beats target
| −28.9% |
| Office Clerks, General | $44,460
Beats target
| −14.5% |
| General and Operations Managers | $114,940
Beats target
| −23.4% |
| Accountants and Auditors | $81,950
Beats target
| −26.0% |
| Sales Representatives of Services, Except Advertising, Insurance, Financial Services, and Travel | $68,560
Beats target
| −29.3% |
| Business Operations Specialists, All Other | $80,390
Beats target
| −23.1% |
| Project Management Specialists | $102,280
Beats target
| −24.3% |
| Medical Secretaries and Administrative Assistants | $46,600
Beats target
| −24.0% |
Local salary guide May 2025. Gaps over 50% omitted. Sorted by local jobs in field.
Find Software Developers jobs in Raleigh
- Software Developers
- Office Clerks, General
- General and Operations Managers
- Accountants and Auditors
- Sales Representatives of Services, Except Advertising, Insurance, Financial Services, and Travel
- Business Operations Specialists, All Other
- Project Management Specialists
- Medical Secretaries and Administrative Assistants
- Sales Representatives, Wholesale and Manufacturing, Except Technical and Scientific Products
- Bookkeeping, Accounting, and Auditing Clerks
- Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers
- Secretaries and Administrative Assistants, Except Legal, Medical, and Executive
- Market Research Analysts and Marketing Specialists
- Construction Laborers
- Maintenance and Repair Workers, General
- First-Line Supervisors of Construction Trades and Extraction Workers
- Computer and Information Systems Managers
- Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education
- Human Resources Specialists
- First-Line Supervisors of Retail Sales Workers
- Computer User Support Specialists
- First-Line Supervisors of Office and Administrative Support Workers
- Civil Engineers
- Computer Systems Analysts
- Lawyers
- Managers, All Other
- Secondary School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical Education
- Training and Development Specialists
- Medical Assistants
- Electricians
- Management Analysts
- Financial Managers
- Automotive Service Technicians and Mechanics
- Computer Occupations, All Other
- Sales Representatives, Wholesale and Manufacturing, Technical and Scientific Products
- Sales Managers
- First-Line Supervisors of Mechanics, Installers, and Repairers
- Construction Managers
- Insurance Sales Agents
- Plumbers, Pipefitters, and Steamfitters
- Network and Computer Systems Administrators
- First-Line Supervisors of Transportation and Material Moving Workers, Except Aircraft Cargo Handling
- Carpenters
- Exercise Trainers and Group Fitness Instructors
- Industrial Truck and Tractor Operators
- Heating, Air Conditioning, and Refrigeration Mechanics and Installers
- Securities, Commodities, and Financial Services Sales Agents
- Paralegals and Legal Assistants
- Information Security Analysts
- Pharmacy Technicians
- Marketing Managers
- Personal Financial Advisors
- Public Relations Specialists
- Shipping, Receiving, and Inventory Clerks
- Self-Enrichment Teachers
- Compliance Officers
- Computer Network Architects
- Real Estate Sales Agents
- Bus Drivers, School
- Medical and Health Services Managers
- Buyers and Purchasing Agents
- Data Scientists
- Education Administrators, Kindergarten through Secondary
- Property, Real Estate, and Community Association Managers
- Architectural and Engineering Managers
- Dental Assistants
- First-Line Supervisors of Non-Retail Sales Workers
- Mechanical Engineers
- Clinical Laboratory Technologists and Technicians
- Coaches and Scouts
- Software Quality Assurance Analysts and Testers
- Licensed Practical and Licensed Vocational Nurses
- Pharmacists
- Industrial Engineers
- Production, Planning, and Expediting Clerks
- First-Line Supervisors of Production and Operating Workers
- Food Service Managers
- Instructional Coordinators
- Loan Officers
- Nurse Practitioners
- Electrical Engineers
- Child, Family, and School Social Workers
- Cost Estimators
- Inspectors, Testers, Sorters, Samplers, and Weighers
- Substance Abuse, Behavioral Disorder, and Mental Health Counselors
- Financial and Investment Analysts
- Industrial Machinery Mechanics
- Educational, Guidance, and Career Counselors and Advisors
- Administrative Services Managers
- Middle School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical Education
- Physician Assistants
- Dental Hygienists
- Physicians, All Other
- Physical Therapists
- Correctional Officers and Jailers
- Medical Scientists, Except Epidemiologists
- Welders, Cutters, Solderers, and Brazers
- Human Resources Managers
- Bus and Truck Mechanics and Diesel Engine Specialists
- Speech-Language Pathologists
- Graphic Designers
- Mobile Heavy Equipment Mechanics, Except Engines
- Industrial Production Managers
- Logisticians
- Claims Adjusters, Examiners, and Investigators
- Engineers, All Other
- Office and Administrative Support Workers, All Other
- Psychiatric Technicians
- Medical Records Specialists
- Cement Masons and Concrete Finishers
- Facilities Managers
- First-Line Supervisors of Housekeeping and Janitorial Workers
- Health Technologists and Technicians, All Other
- Transportation, Storage, and Distribution Managers
- Insurance Claims and Policy Processing Clerks
- Loan Interviewers and Clerks
- Chefs and Head Cooks
- Billing and Posting Clerks
- Social and Community Service Managers
- Painters, Construction and Maintenance
- Legal Secretaries and Administrative Assistants
- Electrical, Electronic, and Electromechanical Assemblers, Except Coil Winders, Tapers, and Finishers
- Dispatchers, Except Police, Fire, and Ambulance
- First-Line Supervisors of Police and Detectives
- Occupational Therapists
- Bill and Account Collectors
- Healthcare Social Workers
- Installation, Maintenance, and Repair Workers, All Other
- Payroll and Timekeeping Clerks
- Machinists
- Special Education Teachers, Secondary School
- Court, Municipal, and License Clerks
- Chief Executives
- Highway Maintenance Workers
- Coating, Painting, and Spraying Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders
- Cutting, Punching, and Press Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic
- Computer Numerically Controlled Tool Operators
Type to filter, e.g. Software, Accountant
$186,640 in San Francisco → $132,770 in Raleigh (−28.9%)
See current openings for Software Developers in Raleigh.
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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 Raleigh
| In San Francisco | In Raleigh |
|---|---|
| $60,000 | $50,969 |
| $90,000 | $76,453 |
| $150,000 | $127,422 |
Target salary keeps the same standard of living.
FAQ
- What salary do I need in Raleigh to match $90,000 in San Francisco?
- About $76,453, your target salary for the same standard of living, based on cost of living indexes of 115.6 and 98.2 (2024). Not financial advice.
- Why is Raleigh less expensive than San Francisco?
- The biggest everyday cost difference when moving from San Francisco to Raleigh is housing & rent, which runs about 46.8% less expensive in Raleigh. Overall cost of living index is 115.6 in San Francisco vs 98.2 in Raleigh (2024, US average = 100).
- How do published wages compare for a move from San Francisco to Raleigh?
- Among jobs with published local salary medians in both metros (excluding gaps over 50%), Software Developers is among the highest-employment matches: $186,640 in San Francisco vs $132,770 in Raleigh (−28.9%; about 12,580 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 Raleigh?
- Two different targets: the cost of living target is about $76,453 (gross for the same purchasing power). Separately, the tax parity target is about $88,739, the gross you’d need in Raleigh 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 → Raleigh move covers
The biggest everyday cost difference when moving from San Francisco to Raleigh is housing & rent, which runs about 46.8% less expensive in Raleigh. 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.