Compare Cost of Living
Enter your current city and salary, then select your destination city
Current City (From)
Annual gross salary
Destination City (To)
Equivalent salary in
Salary Equivalency Breakdown
Your salary in
COL adjustment factor
Lifestyle modifier
Equivalent salary in
Cost Category Comparison
| Category | Difference |
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How This Calculator Works
Based on C2ER Cost of Living Index, ERI Geographic Differential data, and Bureau of Labor Statistics Consumer Expenditure Survey 2025.
What the Index Means
Each city has a composite cost of living index relative to the US national average (100). New York City at 187 means living there costs 87% more than the national average. Omaha at 89 means 11% below average.
Categories Included
- Housing (rent/mortgage) — 33% weight
- Groceries & food — 13% weight
- Transportation — 11% weight
- Healthcare — 10% weight
- Utilities — 8% weight
- Miscellaneous — 25% weight
Limitations to Know
This calculator uses city-level averages. Actual costs vary by neighborhood, housing type, and lifestyle. Tax differences between states are not included — use our payroll tax calculator for take-home pay.
Frequently Asked Questions
A cost of living calculator compares the relative expense of living in different cities. It accounts for housing, food, transportation, healthcare, and other everyday expenses. The result tells you how much salary you need in a new city to maintain the same standard of living you have today.
The data is based on the C2ER (Council for Community and Economic Research) Cost of Living Index, which surveys prices quarterly in over 300 US cities. It's the most widely used benchmark in the US. Individual experiences can vary — someone with a long commute or unusual housing situation may see different results — but the index is accurate for typical households.
No — this calculator compares gross costs of goods and services only. Moving from California to Texas means no state income tax in Texas, which significantly increases your take-home pay on top of the COL difference. Use our state payroll tax calculator to compare net pay by state.
Manhattan (New York City) consistently ranks as the most expensive US city with a COL index around 230–250 (130–150% above the national average). Other high-cost cities include San Francisco, Honolulu, Boston, and Washington DC. The least expensive areas are generally mid-sized cities in the Midwest and South like Memphis, Wichita, and Tulsa.
If you earn $70,000 in a mid-cost city like Indianapolis (COL index ~88), you'd need roughly $173,000 in Manhattan (COL ~216) to maintain the same standard of living — a 147% increase. Housing is the dominant driver: the typical one-bedroom apartment in Manhattan runs $3,500–4,500/month vs $900–1,200 in Indianapolis.