Cost of Living Comparison — Salary Equivalency by US City

A move across the country rarely costs what the salary number alone suggests. This comparison works out the income you'd need in a new metro to hold onto the lifestyle you have now, using projected 2026 cost-of-living differences between cities. That makes it a practical check when you're weighing a job offer, mapping out a relocation, or simply gauging how far your money stretches elsewhere.

Behind the result sits a cost-of-living index covering the categories that actually move a household budget: housing, including rent or mortgage and utilities; groceries; transportation, from gas to transit fares to car insurance; healthcare; and the broad bucket of other goods and services. Drawn from established economic data and adjusted for projected 2026 inflation, the index gets applied to your current pay. The relationship is straightforward: (Current Salary / Current City's Cost Index) * Target City's Cost Index = Equivalent Salary.

What you get is a general equivalency, not a precise forecast for your situation. Your own spending patterns, state and local tax differences, and the kind of housing you want can all pull the real number in either direction. Look up typical pay for your field in the destination, weigh the things money doesn't capture like commute length and day-to-day quality of life, and set aside funds for the moving costs and setup expenses that come with any relocation.