$150K in Albany = $151,630 in Wilmington

Your $150K salary in Albany (COL 92) has the same purchasing power as $151,630 in Wilmington (COL 93). Wilmington is more expensive โ€” you'd need 1% more to maintain the same lifestyle.

$150K in Albany, NY
$8,081/mo take-home
Rent: $1,400/mo (17% of take-home)
Very comfortable
$151,630/yr in Wilmington, NC
$8,472/mo take-home
Rent: $1,550/mo (18% of take-home)
Very comfortable

Budget breakdown โ€” $150K in both cities

What $150K actually buys you in each city after taxes and core expenses.

Expense
Albany
$150K
Wilmington
$150K (same salary)
Monthly take-home$8,081$8,381
1BR rent$1,400$1,550
Groceries$380$372
Transport$68$45
Utilities$185$158
Internet$65$62
Left after essentials$5,983/month$6,194/month
To match your Albany purchasing power in Wilmington, you'd need to earn $151,630/year (1% more than $150K). At that salary, you'd have $6,285/mo left after essentials โ€” vs $5,983/mo in Albany.

Frequently asked questions

What is $150K in Albany equivalent to in Wilmington?

$150K in Albany (COL index 92) has the same purchasing power as $151,630 in Wilmington (COL index 93). That's 1% more than your current salary.

If I move from Albany to Wilmington keeping my $150K salary, will I be better off?

Not necessarily. Core expenses in Wilmington are higher, so on the same $150K salary you'd have $211 less per month. You'd need to earn $151,630 to maintain the same standard of living.

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: $150K ร— (93 รท 92) = $151,630. This adjusts for differences in housing, food, transport, and general cost of living.

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