Salary comparison
Cooks, Institution and Cafeteria: Fairbanks vs Santa Rosa
Fairbanks, AK pays about 4.4% more for cooks, institution and cafeteria on paper — $49,340 vs $47,260. But once you factor in what it costs to live there, Fairbanks comes out ahead by $2,080 a year in real buying power.
Fairbanks, AK
$49,340
$47,260
$58,450
$23.72
100
$49,340/yr
Median adjusted for local cost of living.
Santa Rosa, CA
$47,260
$43,680
$51,990
$22.72
100
$47,260/yr
Median adjusted for local cost of living.
What the numbers mean in practice
The headline gap is $2,080 a year (4.4%) in favor of Fairbanks. That is the raw salary difference before any living costs.
Fairbanks runs a cost index of 100 against the national baseline of 100; Santa Rosa sits at 100. After adjusting the median for those costs, Fairbanks is the better deal by $2,080 a year — that is what each paycheck actually buys locally.
If you are weighing a move from Santa Rosa to Fairbanks for this role, the raise needs to beat 4.4% to come out ahead after living costs. Anything below that and you are earning more on paper but keeping less.
Common questions
Where do cooks, institution and cafeteria earn more, Fairbanks or Santa Rosa?
Fairbanks pays $49,340 on median — about 4.4% more than Santa Rosa ($47,260). Based on BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics.
Which city is the better deal after living costs?
Fairbanks. Once you divide each median by the local cost index, Fairbanks gives you roughly$49,340 of real buying power versus $47,260 in the other city.