Free Cost of Living Calculator
A $100,000 salary buys a very different life in Austin than in New York. This free cost of living calculator compares two cities across housing, groceries, utilities, and transportation, then tells you the salary that keeps your lifestyle intact.
This free cost of living calculator compares any two US cities and computes the salary you would need to maintain your standard of living. For example, $100,000 in Austin (index 105) equals about $166,700 in New York (index 175), driven mostly by housing costs. Indices are illustrative estimates where 100 equals the national average, not live survey data.
Indices are illustrative estimates (100 = national average), not live survey data. Use for comparing cities, not for budgeting to the dollar.
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How cost of living comparison works
Each city gets an overall cost index where 100 equals the national average. New York sits near 175 and Houston near 95, so the same lifestyle costs almost twice as much in New York as in Houston.
The salary you need in the new city equals your current salary times the target city's index divided by your current city's index. That single ratio captures housing, groceries, utilities, and transportation in one number.
Housing drives most of the difference between cities. Groceries, utilities, and transportation vary far less, which is why two cities with similar overall scores can still feel different: the one with cheaper housing usually wins.
Cost of living calculator questions
How do you calculate cost of living?
Compare price levels across categories like housing, groceries, utilities, and transportation, index each city against a national average of 100, and combine them into an overall score. The calculator above does this for 20 US cities.
What salary do I need to move to New York?
Multiply your current salary by 175 and divide by your current city's index. At $100,000 in Austin (105), that is about $166,700 in New York, mostly because of housing. Pick your cities above for the exact figure.
Is it cheaper to rent or buy?
It depends on how long you stay and local price-to-rent ratios. Buying usually wins after 5 to 7 years in a market; renting wins for short stays or very expensive markets. The rent vs buy guide walks through the math.
Which states have the lowest cost of living?
Mississippi, Oklahoma, Kansas, Alabama, and West Virginia consistently rank lowest, largely because of cheap housing. The cheapest states guide compares the tradeoffs.