Cost of Living Calculator

A cost of living index is a numerical score that represents the relative expense of living in a given city compared to a national baseline (usually set at 100). A score above 100 means the city is more expensive than average; below 100 means it's cheaper. These indices allow straightforward comparisons between any two locations.

Cost of living typically encompasses housing (rent or mortgage), groceries and food, transportation (car payments, gas, or transit), healthcare, utilities, and miscellaneous goods and services. Some calculations also include childcare, education, and entertainment. Our calculator covers the five major categories that make up the bulk of most household budgets.

Select your current city and your destination city from the dropdowns, then enter your pre-tax household income. The calculator will estimate the equivalent salary you'd need in the new city to maintain the same standard of living, along with a side-by-side monthly breakdown by spending category.

Inflation erodes purchasing power, meaning the same income buys less over time. Different cities experience inflation at different rates — for example, housing costs in high-demand metros can rise far faster than the national average. This calculator uses relative index values, so while the absolute dollar figures may shift with inflation, the proportional comparison between cities remains useful for relocation planning.

On average, housing accounts for roughly 30–35% of household spending, followed by transportation (15–17%), food (12–15%), healthcare (8–10%), and other goods and services making up the remainder. The exact share varies significantly by city — in expensive metros like San Francisco or New York, housing alone can consume 40–50% of income.

Necessary (or essential) spending covers non-negotiable costs like housing, food, utilities, and healthcare. Discretionary spending covers wants rather than needs — dining out, entertainment, vacations, and hobbies. Cost of living comparisons typically focus on necessary spending to give a baseline, but your lifestyle choices can significantly shift the real difference between cities.

This calculator estimates the equivalent salary automatically. For example, if you earn $75,000 in Chicago and are moving to San Francisco — which has a significantly higher cost of living index — you may need $120,000 or more to enjoy the same standard of living. Use the 'Salary Needed in New City' result as a starting point for salary negotiations.

The figures are estimates based on widely used cost of living indices and average spending allocations. They are intended to give you a directionally accurate comparison for planning and negotiation purposes, not a precise dollar-for-dollar forecast. Actual costs vary based on neighborhood, lifestyle, family size, and individual choices.