$80K in Stockton = $78,400 in Richmond

Your $80K salary in Stockton (COL 100) has the same purchasing power as $78,400 in Richmond (COL 98). Richmond is cheaper โ€” your money goes 2% further there.

$80K in Stockton, CA
$4,437/mo take-home
Rent: $1,500/mo (34% of take-home)
Manageable
$78,400/yr in Richmond, VA
$4,577/mo take-home
Rent: $1,600/mo (35% 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
Stockton
$80K
Richmond
$80K (same salary)
Monthly take-home$4,437$4,670
1BR rent$1,500$1,600
Groceries$388$369
Transport$68$70
Utilities$145$155
Internet$65$60
Left after essentials$2,271/month$2,416/month
To match your Stockton purchasing power in Richmond, you'd need to earn $78,400/year (2% less than $80K). At that salary, you'd have $2,323/mo left after essentials โ€” vs $2,271/mo in Stockton.

Frequently asked questions

What is $80K in Stockton equivalent to in Richmond?

$80K in Stockton (COL index 100) has the same purchasing power as $78,400 in Richmond (COL index 98). That's 2% less than your current salary.

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

Yes. If you keep earning $80K after moving to Richmond, you'd have $145 more per month after core expenses โ€” because Richmond is cheaper than Stockton.

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— (98 รท 100) = $78,400. 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