Salary comparison
Food Preparation Workers: Portland vs Santa Rosa
Santa Rosa, CA pays about 10.1% more for food preparation workers on paper — $42,640 vs $38,730. But once you factor in what it costs to live there, Santa Rosa comes out ahead by $3,910 a year in real buying power.
Portland, OR
$38,730
$36,800
$45,120
$18.62
100
$38,730/yr
Median adjusted for local cost of living.
Santa Rosa, CA
$42,640
$37,960
$46,080
$20.50
100
$42,640/yr
Median adjusted for local cost of living.
What the numbers mean in practice
The headline gap is $3,910 a year (10.1%) in favor of Santa Rosa. That is the raw salary difference before any living costs.
Portland runs a cost index of 100 against the national baseline of 100; Santa Rosa sits at 100. After adjusting the median for those costs, Santa Rosa is the better deal by $3,910 a year — that is what each paycheck actually buys locally.
If you are weighing a move from Portland to Santa Rosa for this role, the raise needs to beat 10.1% to come out ahead after living costs. Anything below that and you are earning more on paper but keeping less.
Common questions
Where do food preparation workers earn more, Portland or Santa Rosa?
Santa Rosa pays $42,640 on median — about 10.1% more than Portland ($38,730). Based on BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics.
Which city is the better deal after living costs?
Santa Rosa. Once you divide each median by the local cost index, Santa Rosa gives you roughly$42,640 of real buying power versus $38,730 in the other city.