$40K in Tempe = $32,621 in Akron

Your $40K salary in Tempe (COL 103) has the same purchasing power as $32,621 in Akron (COL 84). Akron is cheaper — your money goes 18% further there.

$40K in Tempe, AZ
$2,645/mo take-home
Rent: $1,600/mo (60% of take-home)
Difficult
$32,621/yr in Akron, OH
$2,130/mo take-home
Rent: $1,200/mo (56% of take-home)
Difficult

Budget breakdown — $40K in both cities

What $40K actually buys you in each city after taxes and core expenses.

Expense
Tempe
$40K
Akron
$40K (same salary)
Monthly take-home$2,645$2,612
1BR rent$1,600$1,200
Groceries$380$365
Transport$55$62
Utilities$210$162
Internet$62$58
Left after essentials$338/month$765/month
To match your Tempe purchasing power in Akron, you'd need to earn $32,621/year (18% less than $40K). At that salary, you'd have $283/mo left after essentials — vs $338/mo in Tempe.

Frequently asked questions

What is $40K in Tempe equivalent to in Akron?

$40K in Tempe (COL index 103) has the same purchasing power as $32,621 in Akron (COL index 84). That's 18% less than your current salary.

If I move from Tempe to Akron keeping my $40K salary, will I be better off?

Yes. If you keep earning $40K after moving to Akron, you'd have $427 more per month after core expenses — because Akron is cheaper than Tempe.

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: $40K × (84 ÷ 103) = $32,621. This adjusts for differences in housing, food, transport, and general cost of living.

Other salary amounts — Tempe to Akron

$50K → $40,777$60K → $48,932$75K → $61,165$80K → $65,243$100K → $81,553$120K → $97,864$150K → $122,330
$40K in Akron → TempeMoving from Tempe to AkronTempe vs Akron — full comparisonCan I afford Tempe vs Akron on $40K?

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