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Cost-of-Living Salary Equivalence Calculator
Compare a cost-of-living index between two cities to see the salary that keeps your standard of living the same.
How the equivalence is calculated
Cost-of-living indexes put cities on a common scale, usually with a baseline value of 100. This tool scales your current salary by the ratio of the target city's index to your current city's index, so a target city with a higher index requires a proportionally higher salary to feel the same.
Use it to sanity-check a job offer
If a new role abroad pays more in absolute terms but the target city's cost-of-living index is proportionally higher still, the offer may actually be a pay cut in real terms — this calculator makes that comparison explicit before you sign anything.
Frequently asked questions
Where do I get a cost-of-living index number for a city?
Several public and commercial cost-of-living indexes publish city-by-city numbers on a common scale, usually with a reference city or value of 100 as the baseline. Use the same index source for both your current and target city so the comparison is apples-to-apples — mixing numbers from two different indexes will give you a misleading result.
Does a higher equivalent salary mean the target city is more expensive?
Yes — if the target city's index is higher than your current city's index, you'll need a higher salary there just to afford the same standard of living, not to get ahead. The calculator shows you exactly how much higher.
Does this account for taxes?
No — this is a pure cost-of-living comparison based on the index numbers you enter. Income tax rates, social contributions and take-home pay rules vary widely by country and are not included; you'll want to check net (after-tax) pay separately.
Is cost-of-living index the same as quality of life?
No — a cost-of-living index only measures relative prices for everyday goods and services. It says nothing about healthcare quality, safety, climate or career opportunity, which matter just as much for a relocation decision.