Cost of Living Calculator
See what your salary is really worth after moving to another state.
Formula
About this calculator
A raise that comes with a move can quietly become a pay cut. A $100,000 salary in a low-cost state buys far more than the same $100,000 in an expensive one, because rent, groceries, healthcare and services all cost different amounts depending on where you live. The only fair way to compare is by purchasing power — what your money actually buys once local prices are taken into account.
This calculator uses the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis Regional Price Parities (RPP), the official measure of how price levels differ across states, where the national average equals 100. Enter your current salary and where you live now, pick where you're moving, and it shows the equivalent salary you'd need in the destination to keep the same standard of living, plus what your current salary would really be worth there.
Because taxes also change when you cross state lines, the tool goes one step further and compares after-tax take-home pay in price-adjusted dollars. That folds both state income tax and cost of living into a single, comparable number — so a higher-paying offer in a pricey, high-tax state can end up behind a lower-paying one somewhere cheaper. Use the result as your anchor, then layer on city-level differences, which can be larger than state averages.
Frequently asked questions
How do I compare cost of living between two states?
Multiply your salary by the ratio of the destination's price level to your current state's price level. This calculator does that automatically using the BEA Regional Price Parities (national average = 100), so you can see the salary needed to keep the same standard of living.
What data does this use?
It uses the Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA) 2024 Regional Price Parities, all-items index, where 100 is the U.S. average. A state at 110 has prices about 10% above average; a state at 88 is about 12% below.
Does it include taxes?
Yes — alongside the raw cost-of-living comparison it also shows after-tax take-home pay adjusted into origin-equivalent dollars, combining state income tax and cost of living so you can compare real spending power.
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⚠️ Cost-of-living figures are BEA state-level averages for estimation only. Actual prices vary significantly by city and lifestyle. Not financial advice.