Salary comparison
Hosts and Hostesses, Restaurant, Lounge, and Coffee Shop: Portland vs Santa Rosa
Portland, OR pays about 15.1% more for hosts and hostesses, restaurant, lounge, and coffee shop on paper — $43,410 vs $37,720. But once you factor in what it costs to live there, Portland comes out ahead by $5,690 a year in real buying power.
Portland, OR
$43,410
$34,440
$50,490
$20.87
100
$43,410/yr
Median adjusted for local cost of living.
Santa Rosa, CA
$37,720
$36,010
$38,990
$18.14
100
$37,720/yr
Median adjusted for local cost of living.
What the numbers mean in practice
The headline gap is $5,690 a year (15.1%) in favor of Portland. 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, Portland is the better deal by $5,690 a year — that is what each paycheck actually buys locally.
If you are weighing a move from Santa Rosa to Portland for this role, the raise needs to beat 15.1% to come out ahead after living costs. Anything below that and you are earning more on paper but keeping less.
Common questions
Where do hosts and hostesses, restaurant, lounge, and coffee shop earn more, Portland or Santa Rosa?
Portland pays $43,410 on median — about 15.1% more than Santa Rosa ($37,720). Based on BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics.
Which city is the better deal after living costs?
Portland. Once you divide each median by the local cost index, Portland gives you roughly$43,410 of real buying power versus $37,720 in the other city.