Home Affordability
#4
of 124 cities
≈2 yrs to buy 80m²
Current value
#24 of 124
North America
Detroit
MI, United States
Salary & Cost of Living
How do salaries and expenses in Detroit compare to San Francisco?
Purchasing Power Comparison
An engineer in Detroit is 20% worse off vs in San Francisco
This shows how far a software engineer's salary goes in Detroit compared to San Francisco, taking into account both salary differences and cost of living.
Net Salary
$85,648
-$87K (-50%) vs San Francisco
Tax Rate: 33%
Community Insights
NewDetroit offers an unbeatable value proposition for software engineers who prioritize home ownership and financial freedom over prestige. While the raw salary numbers might be lower than Silicon Valley, the #1 ranking in housing affordability means you can live like royalty here on a mid-level engineer's income. The city is in the midst of a palpable revitalization, particularly in the tech-focused corridors of Corktown and Midtown.
However, this is not a "plug-and-play" city like Austin or Denver. It requires resilience. The tech scene is heavily skewed toward the automotive industry, which brings stability but also a more traditional, slower-paced work culture (and often less remote flexibility). You must be comfortable with the realities of a grit-heavy city—spotty public transit, expensive car insurance, and visible urban blight just blocks away from trendy districts. For the right person, Detroit is a land of opportunity; for others, the rough edges may be too sharp.
Resident Sentiment
Locals and transplants alike express a fierce "Detroit vs. Everybody" pride. They acknowledge the city's flaws—especially the insane car insurance premiums and the stark divide between "downtown" and the neighborhoods—but they love the authenticity and lack of pretension.
Many transplants are pleasantly surprised by the social warmth and the quality of the food/nightlife scene in areas like Royal Oak and Ferndale. However, there is a common grumble among tech workers about the "old guard" mentality in automotive management, with many wishing for more true tech-first companies to enter the region to shake up the culture.
Rankings
Top 3%
Purchasing Power
#24
of 124 cities
Net Income
#30
of 124 cities
$85,648/yr
Current value
Housing Affordability
How affordable is housing for a software engineer in Detroit compared to San Francisco?
Salary Converter
Enter your annual gross salary (before taxes) to see what you would need to earn in Detroit to maintain the same standard of living.
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