Salary Comparison Calculator
Find what salary you need in a new city to maintain your current purchasing power.
Job Offer Evaluation
Cost Category Comparison
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Salary Breakdown
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This tool is for informational and educational purposes only. It is not a substitute for professional financial, medical, legal, or engineering advice. See Terms of Service.
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Request a ToolHow to Use the Salary Comparison Calculator
This calculator adjusts your salary for cost-of-living differences between US cities. It tells you what salary in a new city provides the same purchasing power as your current salary. Here is how to use it:
- Enter your current annual salary. This is your gross (before-tax) salary.
- Select your current city from the dropdown. This is the baseline.
- Select the new city you are considering moving to or comparing against.
- Review the equivalent salary. This is what you would need to earn in the new city to maintain the same standard of living.
- Enter a job offer (optional). If you have a specific offer, enter it to see whether it gives you a real raise or a pay cut after adjusting for cost of living.
About the Salary Comparison Calculator
A $100,000 salary does not buy the same lifestyle in every city. In San Francisco, where the cost of living is about 26% above the national average, $100,000 has roughly the purchasing power of $79,000 in a national-average city. Conversely, in Houston, where costs are about 3% below average, that same $100,000 stretches to about $103,000 in real terms.
Why This Matters
When evaluating a job offer in a new city, the nominal salary number can be misleading. A $20,000 raise that comes with a move from Houston to San Francisco is actually a pay cut in real terms: you would need roughly $30,000 more in San Francisco just to break even. This calculator uses official BEA Regional Price Parity data to show the real purchasing power difference, helping you negotiate salaries that actually improve your financial situation.
Frequently Asked Questions
How does cost of living affect salary comparisons?
Cost of living determines how far your salary goes in a given location. The same dollar amount buys different amounts of housing, food, and services depending on local prices. A salary that covers a comfortable lifestyle in Dallas might only cover basics in New York. This calculator adjusts for these differences using official BEA price indices, which measure actual price levels across metro areas.
What salary do I need in New York to match $75,000 in Dallas?
Based on BEA Regional Price Parities, New York's cost of living is roughly 24% higher than Dallas. To match the purchasing power of $75,000 in Dallas, you would need approximately $93,000 in New York. The biggest driver of this difference is housing: New York's housing costs are roughly 87% higher than Dallas.
Should I accept a job offer in a more expensive city?
Enter both your current salary and the offered salary into this calculator to see the real gain or loss. If the offer exceeds the equivalent salary needed, it is a real raise. If it falls below, the move would reduce your purchasing power even though the number on your paycheck is higher. Also consider factors this calculator does not capture: career growth, quality of life, taxes (some states have no income tax), and personal preferences.
Does this calculator account for taxes?
This calculator compares pre-tax salaries adjusted for cost-of-living differences. It does not account for state or local income tax differences, which can be significant. For example, moving from Texas (no state income tax) to California (top marginal rate of 13.3%) would further reduce your take-home pay beyond what the cost-of-living adjustment shows. Consider using a tax calculator alongside this tool for a complete picture.