$266K salary needed to live ‘comfortably’ in this California city

Cities nationwide offer appeal to people for a variety of reasons, from lifestyle to affordability. And if you are thinking about making the leap to a new place to call home, it is ideal to make sure you have the salary to cover the cost of living in a new locale. 

GOBankingRates created a report to determine the salary needed to live comfortably in the nation’s largest cities by examining the 50 largest U.S. cities by population and determining the salary needed to live comfortably in each one. The team also used data from the U.S. Census, Zillow, BestPlaces and the Bureau of Labor of Statistics.

SUGGESTED: This map shows the hourly wage needed to afford rent in California

The online personal finance company defined "living comfortably" in their report by applying the "50/30/20" rule, meaning needs should not exceed 50% of an individual’s income. 

Researchers also ranked the cities in their list by population growth between 2021 and 2022, and the increase/decrease, household median income, the average value for a single-family home, a livability score, and the total annual cost of living. 

SUGGESTED: This is how much money you need to 'live comfortably' in California, data shows

According to the report, of the eight cities where a high salary is required to live comfortably, six are in California. 

(FOX 11)

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In the most expensive city on the list, you need an annual salary of $266,000 to live comfortably. Additionally, you can live comfortably in the least expensive city on the list for less than $65,000 a year.

Housing in San Jose, California, US. (David Paul Morris/Bloomberg via Getty Images (Getty Images)

Top 20 cities in America

1. San Jose, California – $265,926
2. San Francisco, California – $252,878
3. San Diego, California – $207,332
4. Los Angeles, California – $194,500
5. Seattle, Washington – $179,547
6. Long Beach, California – $177,553
7. New York City, New York – $175,909
8. Oakland, California – $171,898
9. Boston, Massachusetts – $164,993
10. Washington, D.C. – $153,061
11. Miami, Florida – $143,861
12. Denver, Colorado – $132,096
13. Portland, Oregon – $126,083
14. Austin, Texas – $125,372
15. Sacramento, California – $119,057
16. Las Vegas, Nevada – $112,763
17. Atlanta, Georgia – $111,835
18. Mesa, Arizona – $109,900
19. Nashville, Tennessee – $109,251
20. Phoenix, Arizona – $108,919

To see the complete list of the cities where you need a certain salary to live comfortably, click here. 

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