$80K in Bridgeport = $72,857 in Durham

Your $80K salary in Bridgeport (COL 112) has the same purchasing power as $72,857 in Durham (COL 102). Durham is cheaper โ€” your money goes 9% further there.

$80K in Bridgeport, CT
$4,590/mo take-home
Rent: $1,850/mo (40% of take-home)
Tight
$72,857/yr in Durham, NC
$4,332/mo take-home
Rent: $1,750/mo (40% of take-home)
Tight

Budget breakdown โ€” $80K in both cities

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

Expense
Bridgeport
$80K
Durham
$80K (same salary)
Monthly take-home$4,590$4,757
1BR rent$1,850$1,750
Groceries$410$372
Transport$85$82
Utilities$200$155
Internet$70$62
Left after essentials$1,975/month$2,336/month
To match your Bridgeport purchasing power in Durham, you'd need to earn $72,857/year (9% less than $80K). At that salary, you'd have $1,911/mo left after essentials โ€” vs $1,975/mo in Bridgeport.

Frequently asked questions

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

$80K in Bridgeport (COL index 112) has the same purchasing power as $72,857 in Durham (COL index 102). That's 9% less than your current salary.

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

Yes. If you keep earning $80K after moving to Durham, you'd have $361 more per month after core expenses โ€” because Durham 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— (102 รท 112) = $72,857. 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