$80K in Bridgeport = $61,429 in Chattanooga

Your $80K salary in Bridgeport (COL 112) has the same purchasing power as $61,429 in Chattanooga (COL 86). Chattanooga is cheaper โ€” your money goes 23% further there.

$80K in Bridgeport, CT
$4,590/mo take-home
Rent: $1,850/mo (40% of take-home)
Tight
$61,429/yr in Chattanooga, TN
$3,883/mo take-home
Rent: $1,250/mo (32% of take-home)
Manageable

Budget breakdown โ€” $80K in both cities

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

Expense
Bridgeport
$80K
Chattanooga
$80K (same salary)
Monthly take-home$4,590$5,057
1BR rent$1,850$1,250
Groceries$410$357
Transport$85$45
Utilities$200$165
Internet$70$58
Left after essentials$1,975/month$3,182/month
To match your Bridgeport purchasing power in Chattanooga, you'd need to earn $61,429/year (23% less than $80K). At that salary, you'd have $2,008/mo left after essentials โ€” vs $1,975/mo in Bridgeport.

Frequently asked questions

What is $80K in Bridgeport equivalent to in Chattanooga?

$80K in Bridgeport (COL index 112) has the same purchasing power as $61,429 in Chattanooga (COL index 86). That's 23% less than your current salary.

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

Yes. If you keep earning $80K after moving to Chattanooga, you'd have $1,207 more per month after core expenses โ€” because Chattanooga is cheaper than Bridgeport.

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 ร— (86 รท 112) = $61,429. 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