$40K in Tempe = $32,233 in Scranton

Your $40K salary in Tempe (COL 103) has the same purchasing power as $32,233 in Scranton (COL 83). Scranton is cheaper — your money goes 19% further there.

$40K in Tempe, AZ
$2,645/mo take-home
Rent: $1,600/mo (60% of take-home)
Difficult
$32,233/yr in Scranton, PA
$2,115/mo take-home
Rent: $1,050/mo (50% 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
Scranton
$40K (same salary)
Monthly take-home$2,645$2,625
1BR rent$1,600$1,050
Groceries$380$361
Transport$55$58
Utilities$210$165
Internet$62$62
Left after essentials$338/month$929/month
To match your Tempe purchasing power in Scranton, you'd need to earn $32,233/year (19% less than $40K). At that salary, you'd have $419/mo left after essentials — vs $338/mo in Tempe.

Frequently asked questions

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

$40K in Tempe (COL index 103) has the same purchasing power as $32,233 in Scranton (COL index 83). That's 19% less than your current salary.

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

Yes. If you keep earning $40K after moving to Scranton, you'd have $591 more per month after core expenses — because Scranton 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 × (83 ÷ 103) = $32,233. This adjusts for differences in housing, food, transport, and general cost of living.

Other salary amounts — Tempe to Scranton

$50K → $40,291$60K → $48,350$75K → $60,437$80K → $64,466$100K → $80,583$120K → $96,699$150K → $120,874
$40K in Scranton → TempeMoving from Tempe to ScrantonTempe vs Scranton — full comparisonCan I afford Tempe vs Scranton on $40K?

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