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Salary comparison

Food Preparation Workers: Yakima vs San Francisco

Yakima, WA pays about 1.8% more for food preparation workers on paper — $41,750 vs $41,000. But once you factor in what it costs to live there, Yakima comes out ahead by $750 a year in real buying power.

Yakima, WA

Median salary

$41,750

25th percentile

$34,770

75th percentile

$45,910

Hourly

$20.07

Cost index

100

Real buying power

$41,750/yr

Median adjusted for local cost of living.

Full Yakima salary page

San Francisco, CA

Median salary

$41,000

25th percentile

$37,910

75th percentile

$46,700

Hourly

$19.71

Cost index

100

Real buying power

$41,000/yr

Median adjusted for local cost of living.

Full San Francisco salary page

What the numbers mean in practice

The headline gap is $750 a year (1.8%) in favor of Yakima. That is the raw salary difference before any living costs.

Yakima runs a cost index of 100 against the national baseline of 100; San Francisco sits at 100. After adjusting the median for those costs, Yakima is the better deal by $750 a year — that is what each paycheck actually buys locally.

If you are weighing a move from San Francisco to Yakima for this role, the raise needs to beat 1.8% 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, Yakima or San Francisco?

Yakima pays $41,750 on median — about 1.8% more than San Francisco ($41,000). Based on BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics.

Which city is the better deal after living costs?

Yakima. Once you divide each median by the local cost index, Yakima gives you roughly$41,750 of real buying power versus $41,000 in the other city.

All Food Preparation Workers salaries nationwide →