Cost of Living · Updated June 2026
Income adjustment calculator for moving cities
Before accepting any move, you need one number: the income change that keeps your life exactly as affordable as it is today. This calculator produces that adjustment from rent-inclusive 2026 indexes across 65+ cities.
Use it in both directions – to price the raise a move to an expensive metro requires, or to quantify how much pay you can safely trade away for a cheaper one (often the difference between a scary-looking offer and an obvious yes).
Cost of living calculator
Equivalent salary
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- Budget A
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- Budget B
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- Rent share of pay A
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- Rent share of pay B
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Line-by-line, monthly
| Item | A | B | Δ |
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Composite 2026 index incl. centre rent (NYC = 100). Salary figures are gross – taxes not included; pair with the salary after tax calculator.
Key insights
Key insights
- Match salary = current salary × (destination ÷ origin index).
- Run after-tax in both locations before signing anything.
- Housing-type changes can out-weigh the city index itself.
- Budget one-offs separately: moves cost $1,500–$25,000+.
- Hold 2–3 months of destination budget in cash.
| City | COL index | Single budget /mo | Avg net salary /mo | Power ratio |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| New York City | 100 | $5,759 | $7,200 | 1.25 |
| San Francisco | 93 | $4,954 | $8,200 | 1.66 |
| Austin | 63 | $2,825 | $6,000 | 2.12 |
| Chicago | 68 | $3,322 | $5,800 | 1.75 |
| Miami | 73 | $3,718 | $5,200 | 1.40 |
| London | 79 | $3,980 | $4,400 | 1.11 |
| Berlin | 56 | $2,526 | $3,300 | 1.31 |
| Lisbon | 50 | $2,126 | $1,700 | 0.80 |
Reading the adjustment
The output is the destination salary that matches your current purchasing power. Above it, the move enriches you; below it, the move costs you – whatever the sticker salary says.
Two refinements: re-run after-tax for both locations (state lines move thousands), and re-weight housing if you'll change housing type – moving from a centre one-bed to a suburban house swaps which index line dominates.
The one-off costs around the recurring math
The adjustment handles recurring costs; the move itself is a separate budget: interstate moves run $1,500–$8,000, international ones $4,000–$25,000+, plus deposits of one to three months' rent at the destination.
Rule of thumb: keep 2–3 months of destination-city budget liquid beyond moving costs. Relocations fail on cash-flow gaps more often than on the recurring math being wrong.
FAQ
Frequently asked questions
How much more should I earn if I move to a pricier city?
Multiply your salary by the index ratio. Example: Chicago (68) → Los Angeles (80) means ×1.18 – an $85,000 Chicago salary needs ~$100,000 in LA to break even.
How much pay can I give up moving somewhere cheaper?
The inverse ratio sets the floor. NYC (100) → Nashville (60): you could theoretically absorb a 40% cut – so a 20% cut leaves you well ahead.
Do taxes change the adjustment?
Often substantially: CA→TX adds ~5–9% of income in avoided state tax on top of any COL gain. Always run both cities through the salary after tax calculator.
Should the adjustment apply to my savings rate too?
Keep absolute savings targets fixed (retirement contributions don't care where you live) and adjust only consumption – that's how cheaper-city moves actually build wealth.
What about my partner's income?
Run the adjustment per earner: dual-income households should verify both careers price acceptably in the destination market before averaging anything.
Keep exploring
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Plan the whole move, not just one number.
Every MovingCal tool shares the same 2026 dataset – carry your cities, salary, and countries from one calculator to the next.