$75K in Wilmington = $82,258 in Flagstaff

Your $75K salary in Wilmington (COL 93) has the same purchasing power as $82,258 in Flagstaff (COL 102). Flagstaff is more expensive โ€” you'd need 10% more to maintain the same lifestyle.

$75K in Wilmington, NC
$4,459/mo take-home
Rent: $1,550/mo (35% of take-home)
Manageable
$82,258/yr in Flagstaff, AZ
$5,028/mo take-home
Rent: $1,650/mo (33% of take-home)
Manageable

Budget breakdown โ€” $75K in both cities

What $75K actually buys you in each city after taxes and core expenses.

Expense
Wilmington
$75K
Flagstaff
$75K (same salary)
Monthly take-home$4,459$4,584
1BR rent$1,550$1,650
Groceries$372$384
Transport$45$45
Utilities$158$195
Internet$62$65
Left after essentials$2,272/month$2,245/month
To match your Wilmington purchasing power in Flagstaff, you'd need to earn $82,258/year (10% more than $75K). At that salary, you'd have $2,689/mo left after essentials โ€” vs $2,272/mo in Wilmington.

Frequently asked questions

What is $75K in Wilmington equivalent to in Flagstaff?

$75K in Wilmington (COL index 93) has the same purchasing power as $82,258 in Flagstaff (COL index 102). That's 10% more than your current salary.

If I move from Wilmington to Flagstaff keeping my $75K salary, will I be better off?

Not necessarily. Core expenses in Flagstaff are higher, so on the same $75K salary you'd have $27 less per month. You'd need to earn $82,258 to maintain the same standard of living.

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: $75K ร— (102 รท 93) = $82,258. 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