$150K in Wilmington = $143,548 in Indianapolis

Your $150K salary in Wilmington (COL 93) has the same purchasing power as $143,548 in Indianapolis (COL 89). Indianapolis is cheaper โ€” your money goes 4% further there.

$150K in Wilmington, NC
$8,381/mo take-home
Rent: $1,550/mo (18% of take-home)
Very comfortable
$143,548/yr in Indianapolis, IN
$8,176/mo take-home
Rent: $1,200/mo (15% of take-home)
Very comfortable

Budget breakdown โ€” $150K in both cities

What $150K actually buys you in each city after taxes and core expenses.

Expense
Wilmington
$150K
Indianapolis
$150K (same salary)
Monthly take-home$8,381$8,544
1BR rent$1,550$1,200
Groceries$372$357
Transport$45$60
Utilities$158$155
Internet$62$55
Left after essentials$6,194/month$6,717/month
To match your Wilmington purchasing power in Indianapolis, you'd need to earn $143,548/year (4% less than $150K). At that salary, you'd have $6,349/mo left after essentials โ€” vs $6,194/mo in Wilmington.

Frequently asked questions

What is $150K in Wilmington equivalent to in Indianapolis?

$150K in Wilmington (COL index 93) has the same purchasing power as $143,548 in Indianapolis (COL index 89). That's 4% less than your current salary.

If I move from Wilmington to Indianapolis keeping my $150K salary, will I be better off?

Yes. If you keep earning $150K after moving to Indianapolis, you'd have $523 more per month after core expenses โ€” because Indianapolis is cheaper than Wilmington.

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: $150K ร— (89 รท 93) = $143,548. 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