$40K in Tempe = $38,058 in Richmond

Your $40K salary in Tempe (COL 103) has the same purchasing power as $38,058 in Richmond (COL 98). Richmond is cheaper — your money goes 5% further there.

$40K in Tempe, AZ
$2,645/mo take-home
Rent: $1,600/mo (60% of take-home)
Difficult
$38,058/yr in Richmond, VA
$2,412/mo take-home
Rent: $1,600/mo (66% 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
Richmond
$40K (same salary)
Monthly take-home$2,645$2,535
1BR rent$1,600$1,600
Groceries$380$369
Transport$55$70
Utilities$210$155
Internet$62$60
Left after essentials$338/month$281/month
To match your Tempe purchasing power in Richmond, you'd need to earn $38,058/year (5% less than $40K). At that salary, you'd have $158/mo left after essentials — vs $338/mo in Tempe.

Frequently asked questions

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

$40K in Tempe (COL index 103) has the same purchasing power as $38,058 in Richmond (COL index 98). That's 5% less than your current salary.

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

Yes. If you keep earning $40K after moving to Richmond, you'd have $-57 more per month after core expenses — because Richmond 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 × (98 ÷ 103) = $38,058. This adjusts for differences in housing, food, transport, and general cost of living.

Other salary amounts — Tempe to Richmond

$50K → $47,573$60K → $57,087$75K → $71,359$80K → $76,117$100K → $95,146$120K → $114,175$150K → $142,718
$40K in Richmond → TempeMoving from Tempe to RichmondTempe vs Richmond — full comparisonCan I afford Tempe vs Richmond on $40K?

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