Cost of living
How far your salary goes, by US state, metro or country
A pay rise that comes with a move can leave you worse off if the new place eats the difference in rent and groceries. This tool puts US states, the largest metro areas and major countries on one price scale, then turns your salary into the figure you would need elsewhere to live the same way. The US figures come from the federal price data behind regional inflation reporting; the country figures come from World Bank purchasing power parities.
To live the same in California you need
$79,804
to match $70,000 in Texas
Price level, US = 100
The equivalent salary keeps your purchasing power constant: it is your pay scaled by the ratio of the two price levels. Regional Price Parities measure what a fixed basket of goods and services costs locally. Source: U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, 2024.
What the price level tells you
Two salaries that look identical on paper buy very different lives depending on where they land. The price level captures that in a single number against the national average of 100. The widest gaps sit in housing, which is why a high-cost coastal metro can clear 115 while a low-cost southern state sits in the high 80s. When you compare an offer in one place with your pay in another, the index gap is the part a straight salary comparison misses. The same scale reaches abroad: a country below 100 is cheaper than the US on average and one above it is dearer. For a deeper view of pay across borders, the purchasing power tool converts a salary between currencies, and the quality of life tool weighs that pay against local living standards.
How to use the comparison
- Pick US states, metro areas or countries, then set the place you live now and the place you are considering.
- Enter your current salary. The tool scales it by the ratio of the two price levels.
- The headline figure is the salary you would need in the new location to hold your standard of living steady.
- The ranked list shows where the same pay stretches furthest, from the cheapest places to the dearest.
Frequently asked questions
How is the cost of living measured here?
Each state and metro carries a Regional Price Parity, an index the US Bureau of Economic Analysis publishes with the national average set at 100. A reading of 110 means prices run about 10 percent above the US average, and 90 means about 10 percent below. It covers goods, rents and other services weighted by how households actually spend.
How do you work out the salary I would need elsewhere?
Your pay is scaled by the ratio of the two price levels. Moving somewhere 20 percent dearer means you need roughly 20 percent more to stand still, while a cheaper destination lets the same salary stretch further. It holds your buying power constant rather than your headline number.
Why can two cities in the same state differ so much?
Housing is the biggest swing factor and it is intensely local. A coastal metro and an inland one in the same state can sit ten or more index points apart, which is why the metro view often tells a sharper story than the state average.
Does a lower cost of living mean I will be better off?
Often, but not always. A cheaper area can come with lower typical wages, so the move that helps depends on whether your own pay holds up. Run your actual salary through both locations to see the real gap rather than relying on the index alone.
Can I compare other countries, not just the US?
Yes. The countries tab puts major economies on the same price scale, where the US average sits at 100. A country reading of 70 means a basket of goods costs about 30 percent less than in the US at current exchange rates, so a salary in US dollars stretches further there. Those figures come from World Bank purchasing power data rather than the US bureau series.
Cost of living by state
Open any state for its price level, national rank, income and sales tax, and the salary you would need there to match your pay elsewhere.
Data source
US price levels are Regional Price Parities from the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional Price Parities (SARPP, MARPP), 2024, which are in the public domain. Country price levels are built from World Bank purchasing power parities and market exchange rates, published under CC BY 4.0. They are estimates for general comparison and not financial advice. Your own costs depend on housing choice, household size and lifestyle.