Personal Finance
Cost of Living Calculator
A raise isn't a raise if the rent eats it. Convert your salary between cities and see what it's really worth.
Cost-of-living comparison indexes city expenses such as housing, food, transport, and healthcare against a baseline city or national average of 100. A city at 120 costs about 20% more than the baseline. Figures are estimates before taxes and fees — verify details with a licensed advisor where needed.
Index 100 = national average.
Compare before accepting offers.
Housing drives most differences.
Calculate Your Cost of Living
Equivalent Salary
What Is Cost of Living?
Cost-of-living indexes normalize city expenses to a baseline of 100. The difference between two cities' indexes is the salary adjustment needed to preserve buying power.
Housing usually drives the gap, which is why indexes are a starting point, not the final word. Run your real rent and commute numbers before moving.
How It Is Calculated
Equivalent salary = current salary × (target index ÷ current index)
Example: Example: $80k in Dallas (103) → ≈ $112.6k needed in San Francisco (145)
Example indexes (US, national average = 100)
| City | Index |
|---|---|
| New York, NY | 168 |
| San Francisco, CA | 145 |
| Miami, FL | 118 |
| Dallas, TX | 103 |
| Phoenix, AZ | 96 |
| Kansas City, MO | 89 |
Limitations
- Indexes are estimates for a standard basket, your lifestyle may differ sharply.
- Taxes and healthcare costs vary beyond the index.
- Remote work changes the calculus entirely.
Sources & Review
References used for this calculator’s formulas and thresholds:
Cost of Living FAQ
How is cost of living measured?
By pricing a standard basket, housing, groceries, transport, healthcare, utilities, and indexing it against a baseline of 100.
Is a higher salary in a pricier city worth it?
Only if the percentage raise beats the index difference, a 10% raise moving to a 20% pricier city is a real pay cut.
What drives city cost differences?
Housing, overwhelmingly, typically 30–50% of the basket and the most variable line.
Do these indexes include taxes?
Most don't. Compare after-tax income across states, rates range from 0% to ~13%.
A note before you begin: this tool offers educational estimates only. It cannot replace advice from a qualified professional.