Cost of living comparison calculator
Moving for a job? Find the salary you'd need in the new city to live as you do now, using the US government's price-level index for every state and 70 large metro areas, or your own budget.
From here to there
Index: Austin, TX metro 97.6, San Francisco, CA metro 118.2 (US average = 100).
Or use your own budget
Indexes average everyone's spending. If rent is most of your budget, enter what you expect to pay in each place.
| Monthly | Now | New city |
|---|---|---|
| Rent / mortgage | ||
| Food | ||
| Transport | ||
| Utilities & phone | ||
| Other | ||
| Total | $4,000 | $5,320 |
To keep the same money left over after these costs, you'd need about $107,629 a year there (gross, at a 30% overall tax rate).
Where the index comes from
The price levels here are the Bureau of Economic Analysis Regional Price Parities (RPPs) for 2023, released December 2024. BEA builds them from Consumer Price Index prices and Census rent data, so they cover goods, services and housing. An RPP of 115 means prices run 15% above the national average.
Salary needed = current salary × (new city index ÷ current index). Moving from Austin (97.6) to the San Francisco metro would take roughly 21% more pay to stand still; moving the other way is a real raise even at the same salary.
Two caveats. Housing drives most of the difference, so a renter feels it more than someone with a paid-off home. And state income tax isn't in the index; Texas, Florida, Washington and six other states have none. The job offer comparison accounts for both, and the commute cost calculator prices the drive.
Most and least expensive places
| Place | Index | $100k equals |
|---|---|---|
| San Francisco, CA metro | 118.2 | $118,200 |
| Los Angeles, CA metro | 115.5 | $115,500 |
| Oxnard, CA metro | 113.5 | $113,500 |
| Seattle, WA metro | 113.0 | $113,000 |
| San Jose, CA metro | 112.9 | $112,900 |
| California (state) | 112.6 | $112,600 |
| North Dakota (state) | 88.6 | $88,600 |
| Louisiana (state) | 88.3 | $88,300 |
| Oklahoma (state) | 88.3 | $88,300 |
| South Dakota (state) | 88.1 | $88,100 |
| Mississippi (state) | 87.3 | $87,300 |
| Arkansas (state) | 86.5 | $86,500 |
Questions people ask
How do I compare cost of living between two cities?
Divide the new city's price index by your current city's index and multiply your salary by the result. With BEA Regional Price Parities, moving from a 95 area to a 110 area means you need about 15.8% more pay to keep the same standard of living.
How much more salary do I need to move to a more expensive city?
The percentage difference in price levels, applied to your salary. Because housing is the biggest driver, check actual rents for the neighborhoods you would live in too; the budget table on this page does that.
What is a regional price parity?
A measure from the US Bureau of Economic Analysis of how prices in a state or metro area compare with the national average (100). It covers goods, services and rents and is updated every year.
Does cost of living include taxes?
Regional price parities do not include income taxes. A move between a state with no income tax and one with a 5–10% top rate can shift take-home pay by several thousand dollars on its own.
Should I ask for a cost-of-living adjustment when relocating?
Yes. Show the employer the index difference between the two areas and the salary needed to break even. Many companies use location-based pay bands and will adjust within them.