Cost of Living Comparison Calculator
Compare cost of living between city tiers and find out what salary you need to maintain your standard of living after relocating.
How Cost of Living Comparisons Work
Cost of living comparisons measure how much purchasing power a given income provides in different cities or countries. A $70,000 salary means very different things in San Francisco versus Memphis.
Cost of Living Index (CLI):
Most indices set a reference city to 100. A city with an index of 130 is 30% more expensive; one with 70 is 30% cheaper.
Equivalent salary formula:
Equivalent Salary = Current Salary × (Target City Index ÷ Current City Index)
Worked example:
You earn $85,000 in Austin, TX (index: 92). Moving to Seattle, WA (index: 118).
Equivalent Salary = $85,000 × (118 ÷ 92) = $85,000 × 1.283 = $109,000
You would need $109,000 in Seattle to maintain the same standard of living.
Major cost components and typical weights:
| Category | Weight in Index |
|---|---|
| Housing | ~30–35% |
| Food | ~15% |
| Transportation | ~10% |
| Healthcare | ~8% |
| Utilities | ~6% |
| Miscellaneous | ~25–30% |
International comparisons (USD equivalents for $50,000 US income):
- London: need ~$65,000
- Zurich: need ~$70,000
- Mexico City: $25,000 equivalent
- Chiang Mai, Thailand: $15,000–20,000 equivalent
Purchasing Power Parity (PPP):
PPP adjusts for what money actually buys locally, not just exchange rates. The Economist’s Big Mac Index is a famous simplified PPP measurement — it compares identical product prices globally to reveal currency over- or under-valuation.
Always factor in state/local income taxes when comparing U.S. cities — Texas has no income tax, California taxes up to 13.3%.