About This Tool

Finding the right job is hard enough. Figuring out if you should actually take it? Even harder.

I built this tool because I kept seeing the same thing happen: talented software engineers would get excited about a job offer, focus entirely on the salary number, and either jump at it or pass on it—without really understanding what that money means in a different city.

A $120k offer in San Francisco sounds amazing until you realize your rent just tripled. A $85k offer in Austin might actually leave you with more money in your pocket every month than you have now.

As a project manager in tech, I've watched colleagues agonize over these decisions for weeks, building complicated spreadsheets, asking everyone they know for advice, and still feeling uncertain. So I thought: why not make this simple?

This calculator takes 30 seconds to use and gives you a clear answer based on real market data. It's not perfect—no calculator can account for every personal factor—but it gives you a solid starting point grounded in actual salary data and cost of living numbers.

How it works: We compare your offer against market rates for software engineers with your experience level, then factor in cost of living differences between cities. The result? A straightforward verdict: take it, negotiate, or pass.

The tool is free to use, always will be. If it helps even one person avoid a bad decision or feel confident about a good one, it's worth it.

Good luck with your decision. You've got this.

Last updated: December 2025