$80K in Albany = $75,652 in Duluth

Your $80K salary in Albany (COL 92) has the same purchasing power as $75,652 in Duluth (COL 87). Duluth is cheaper — your money goes 5% further there.

$80K in Albany, NY
$4,597/mo take-home
Rent: $1,400/mo (30% of take-home)
Manageable
$75,652/yr in Duluth, MN
$4,158/mo take-home
Rent: $1,200/mo (29% of take-home)
Manageable

Budget breakdown — $80K in both cities

What $80K actually buys you in each city after taxes and core expenses.

Expense
Albany
$80K
Duluth
$80K (same salary)
Monthly take-home$4,597$4,397
1BR rent$1,400$1,200
Groceries$380$369
Transport$68$60
Utilities$185$165
Internet$65$62
Left after essentials$2,499/month$2,541/month
To match your Albany purchasing power in Duluth, you'd need to earn $75,652/year (5% less than $80K). At that salary, you'd have $2,302/mo left after essentials — vs $2,499/mo in Albany.

Frequently asked questions

What is $80K in Albany equivalent to in Duluth?

$80K in Albany (COL index 92) has the same purchasing power as $75,652 in Duluth (COL index 87). That's 5% less than your current salary.

If I move from Albany to Duluth keeping my $80K salary, will I be better off?

Yes. If you keep earning $80K after moving to Duluth, you'd have $42 more per month after core expenses — because Duluth is cheaper than Albany.

How is the salary equivalent calculated?

The equivalent salary is calculated by multiplying your current salary by the ratio of the two cities' overall cost of living indices: $80K × (87 ÷ 92) = $75,652. This adjusts for differences in housing, food, transport, and general cost of living.

Other salary amounts — Albany to Duluth

$40K → $37,826$50K → $47,283$60K → $56,739$75K → $70,924$100K → $94,565$120K → $113,478$150K → $141,848
$80K in Duluth → AlbanyMoving from Albany to DuluthAlbany vs Duluth — full comparisonCan I afford Albany vs Duluth on $80K?

Equivalency uses overall COL index ratio. Take-home uses simplified federal/state brackets. Zillow · BLS · Numbeo · Q1 2026 · For general guidance only