Cost of Living Comparison Calculator
Compare the cost of living between two cities and find the equivalent salary you'd need to maintain the same standard of living.
How to use this tool
- Enter your current annual salary.
- Enter the cost-of-living index for your current city.
- Enter the cost-of-living index for the city you're considering.
- Read the equivalent salary, the dollar difference, and the percentage change in costs.
Thinking about moving? Compare two cities' cost of living and see the salary you'd need to keep the same standard of living. Enter your salary and each city's cost-of-living index.
Formula
Equivalent salary = Current salary × (New city index ÷ Current city index). This scales your pay by the ratio of living costs.
Salary difference = Equivalent salary − Current salary. A positive value means you need a raise to keep your standard of living; negative means the new city is cheaper.
Cost-of-living change = (New index ÷ Current index − 1) × 100, the percentage by which costs rise or fall.
How it works
Cost-of-living indices express how expensive a city is relative to a baseline, usually set at 100. A city at 120 is 20% more expensive overall than the baseline; a city at 80 is 20% cheaper. To compare two cities, this calculator takes the ratio of their indices and scales your salary by it, giving the income you would need in the new city to afford roughly the same basket of housing, food, transport and other essentials.
The result is a quick equivalence, not a precise budget. Published indices weight broad categories, but your personal mix may differ — if you rent in an expensive market, housing dominates your costs and a general index may understate the impact; if you own a paid-off home, the housing component matters less to you. Taxes also vary by state and city and are typically excluded from a basic cost-of-living index, so compare after-tax take-home pay for a fuller picture.
The model assumes the two index values are on the same scale and accurately reflect your spending pattern. Use indices from a single consistent source so they are comparable. Reviewed by the AbraCalc Budgeting Desk; treat the equivalent salary as a negotiating anchor and starting estimate rather than an exact figure.
Worked example
$60,000 salary, current index 100, new city index 120
- Equivalent salary = $60,000 × (120 ÷ 100) = $60,000 × 1.2 = $72,000.
- Salary difference = $72,000 − $60,000 = $12,000.
- Cost-of-living change = (120 ÷ 100 − 1) × 100 = 20%.
Equivalent salary needed: $72,000 — a $12,000 increase, reflecting a 20% higher cost of living.
Equivalent salary for a $60,000 income by new-city index (current index 100)
| New city index | Equivalent salary | Difference | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 80 | $48,000 | -$12,000 | -20% |
| 100 | $60,000 | $0 | 0% |
| 110 | $66,000 | +$6,000 | +10% |
| 120 | $72,000 | +$12,000 | +20% |
| 150 | $90,000 | +$30,000 | +50% |
| 200 | $120,000 | +$60,000 | +100% |
Key terms
- Cost-of-living index
- A number expressing how expensive a place is versus a baseline (often 100); higher means pricier overall.
- Equivalent salary
- The income needed in a new location to maintain the same standard of living you have now.
- Baseline (index 100)
- The reference point a cost-of-living index is measured against; values above 100 are costlier, below 100 are cheaper.
- Purchasing power
- How much your income actually buys; the same salary has different purchasing power in different cities.
Frequently asked questions
- How does the comparison work?
- It scales your salary by the ratio of the two cities' cost-of-living indices. If the new city's index is 20% higher, you would need a 20% higher salary to maintain the same standard of living.
- Where do cost-of-living indices come from?
- Several sources publish them, weighting housing, groceries, transport, utilities and more against a baseline of 100. Use one consistent source so both cities are measured on the same scale.
- Does this include taxes?
- Basic cost-of-living indices usually exclude income taxes, which vary widely by state and city. For a fuller comparison, also compare after-tax take-home pay in each location.
- Why might my personal result differ?
- Indices reflect an average household's spending. If your mix differs — for example you rent in a pricey housing market — your real difference can be larger or smaller than the index suggests.