Cost of Living Comparison Calculator
The Same Salary Buys a Different Life in a Different City
A job offer with a higher number attached isn't automatically a raise once housing, groceries, and everyday costs are factored in for the new location. Cost of living indices exist to make that comparison concrete, expressing how expensive one city is relative to another on a common scale, so a salary can be translated between them.
The Formula
Cost of living indices are typically built around a baseline of 100 for a reference city or the national average, with other cities expressed relative to it — an index of 140 means a location is roughly 40% more expensive than the baseline.
Worked Examples
| Salary in City A | Index A | Index B | Equivalent Salary in City B |
|---|---|---|---|
| $75,000 | 100 | 140 | $105,000.00 |
| $90,000 | 150 | 100 | $60,000.00 |
The second example shows the same math working in reverse — moving from a more expensive city (index 150) to a cheaper one (index 100) means a lower salary in the new city can maintain the same purchasing power.
Where This Calculation Matters
- Evaluating a job offer in a new city — determining whether a stated salary actually represents a gain or loss in purchasing power after relocation.
- Salary negotiation — making the case for a specific number when a relocation is tied to a significantly different cost-of-living market.
- Remote work location decisions — for a remote salary that doesn't adjust automatically, comparing what that fixed income is actually worth across candidate cities.
How to Use This Calculator
- Enter Salary in City A ($) — your current or offered salary.
- Enter the Cost of Living Index - City A and Cost of Living Index - City B for the two locations being compared.
- Select Calculate to get the equivalent salary needed in City B to maintain the same purchasing power.
Related Calculations
Once you know the target salary, build out the full move budget with the Relocation Budget Calculator.