Job Offer Comparator — Cost-of-Living + Equity, Side by Side

Every month I get a message from someone agonizing between two offers where the base numbers disagree. "Offer A is $200k in San Francisco, Offer B is $165k in Austin — which one is better?" The instinct is to anchor on the bigger number. The tool does the real math: San Francisco has a cost-of-living index 37% above the national average; Austin is ~5% above. The SF $200k is actually worth less in disposable income after rent, tax, and daily cost than the Austin $165k.

Cost-of-living is the most visible adjustment, but it's not the only one. Equity mix, vesting schedule, sign-on bonus, 401(k) match, medical premium differences, PTO days, and remote flexibility all move the effective comparison. This tool puts the full picture on one screen so you can see which offer actually wins.

Cost-of-living indices (COL) are built from what a standardized basket of goods costs in each city. The BEA publishes Regional Price Parities (RPPs) annually; the 2024 release is what this tool uses. A city with an RPP of 120 means the standardized basket costs 20% more there than the national average; 85 means 15% less.

To compare offers, divide each offer's total cash comp by its RPP and multiply by 100. That gives you COL-adjusted comp — what the offer is worth in "national average" dollars. A $200k SF offer (RPP 137) becomes ~$146k COL-adjusted. A $165k Austin offer (RPP 105) becomes ~$157k COL-adjusted. In this case, the Austin offer wins by about $11k of real purchasing power despite being $35k lower on paper.

Caveat: RPPs are regional averages; neighborhood matters inside a city. Rent in SoMa is ~20% above SF's already-high average; rent in the Richmond district is ~15% below. If you're planning to live significantly above or below the city median, adjust the RPP input accordingly. The tool lets you override with a custom index.

Two offers with identical base + bonus can have wildly different real value once you factor in equity. The key variables:

• Vest schedule. 4-year 1-year cliff is standard at public companies. Some startups use 4-year monthly from day one (more generous to the employee). Some use 5-year cliff schedules (less generous). Newer structures include front-loaded vesting (e.g., 35% year 1, 30%, 20%, 15%).
• Refresh cadence. At public companies, annual refresh grants of 20-40% of the initial grant are typical; the initial grant is not the total. At early-stage startups, refreshes are rare.
• Strike price and fair-market value. For options, the spread between strike and FMV at exercise is the value. Options with a strike close to current FMV carry little value unless the company grows.
• Liquidity. Public RSUs convert to cash on a rolling basis as they vest. Startup options are often illiquid until an acquisition or IPO. The same "$200k of equity" at a public company and a Series B startup are not comparable.

When comparing offers, value public-company RSUs at their current grant value (with reasonable risk of stock movement), and value private-company equity at 40-60% of paper value (discounted for illiquidity, dilution, and tax lock-up risk). Be especially skeptical of "pre-IPO" grants valued at the last round's preferred price — the common stock is usually worth 30-50% less.

Sign-on bonuses are usually separate budget from base, which makes them easier to negotiate up. Typical sizes: $10-30k for IC roles, $30-75k for senior IC / EM roles, $75k+ for staff and director roles. Clawback is normal — you repay a pro-rated portion if you leave within 12 months.

Relocation packages vary widely. Lump-sum cash ($10-30k) is simpler; managed-move packages with moving company, temporary housing, and tax gross-up are worth more on paper but less flexible. Always ask which structure the company offers; the lump sum is often worth more to you because you control how you spend it.

When comparing offers, annualize sign-on over 2 years (the typical commitment window), not 1 — half of it is effectively "stay bonus" and should amortize across the early tenure, not count as pure year-1 income.

Brochure benefits often hide real comp differences. What to check carefully:

• Medical premium share. Company A pays 95% of premium; Company B pays 70%. For a family plan, that's a $6-10k/year difference after tax.
• 401(k) match. 6% match fully vested > 4% match with 4-year vesting. The match dollars are real comp you only get by staying.
• HSA / FSA contributions. Some companies add $1-3k/year to employee HSAs. Free money.
• PTO days. "Unlimited PTO" averages ~13 days actually taken; formal 20-25 days averages ~18 taken. Unlimited is often a liability-protection play by HR, not a perk.
• Remote / hybrid. A $5k/year home-office stipend + full remote is worth $8-12k/year in avoided commute and childcare expenses for most candidates.
• Professional development. $2-5k/year budget plus 1-2 days for training. Often under-used, but real value if you use it.
• Parental leave. Huge variance. Check specific weeks and pay percentage if you're planning a family.

Summed across a year, non-cash benefits typically differ $5-20k between offers — which can flip a close decision.

If the offers come out within 5-7% of each other on COL-adjusted total comp, the financial case is effectively tied and the decision goes to non-financial factors. The ones that matter most, roughly in order:

1. Manager quality. Your manager is the single biggest predictor of your happiness and growth in the next role. A strong manager at a mediocre company beats a weak manager at a prestige company every time. Talk to your future manager for 45 minutes before deciding.
2. Team trajectory. Is this team growing or shrinking? Scope expanding or contracting? A role on a growing team gives you scope momentum; a role on a shrinking team gives you defensive ops work.
3. Company trajectory. Growing, flat, or declining? At public companies, check the last 4 quarters of revenue and headcount. At private, ask for the latest board deck summary; if they won't share at all, that's a signal.
4. Daily commute and in-office days. 3 days hybrid with 45-min commute = 4.5 hours/week of commute, ~230 hours/year. Remote with no commute = 230 hours of your life back.
5. Scope and level match. A role at the same title with bigger scope is usually better than a small jump in title with same scope. Promotion paths are paved with scope, not titles.

The comparison numbers are also negotiation fuel. If Offer A is the one you'd prefer to take but Offer B is $15k higher, you have a specific, defensible counter: "I'd love to accept Offer A; if you can close the $15k gap vs. the competing offer I'm holding, I'll sign today." Most recruiters can move 5-10k in base or equivalent sign-on in a 48-hour window; a clear gap with a specific close date accelerates the conversation.

Don't share the competing offer's company name — just the number. Naming the competitor gives the recruiter data they can use against you ("that company has been laying off; are you sure?"). Keeping it generic ("a competing offer in the same market and level") preserves the leverage.

If both offers have meaningful differences, it's fine to ask for matching on specific components. "Offer B has a 6-month cliff — can we match that?" is a clean, specific ask. Generic "can you match it" is weaker than itemized matching.

Before signing anything, confirm all of these are in writing:

1. Base salary, exact number.
2. Bonus target as % of base, plus structure (individual / team / company).
3. Equity grant: number of shares/units, vesting schedule, refresh cadence.
4. Sign-on amount and clawback terms (specific months).
5. 401(k) match percentage and vesting schedule.
6. Medical plan details (premium share, deductible, family coverage).
7. PTO days, parental leave weeks, sabbatical eligibility.
8. Relocation package if applicable.
9. Start date, including any flexibility.
10. Remote / hybrid expectations with specific days.

Verbal promises are not comp. If it's not in the offer letter, it doesn't exist. Managers change, recruiters leave; written offers stay.