Cost-of-Living Comparison Calculator

Compare living costs between your current location and a destination and find the equivalent income you would need to keep the same standard of living.

Need help with the calculation?
How do you want to compare prices?
Comparison mode
Income period Choose the period your income figure is in. The result uses the same period.
Examples and currency symbol
Example setups
Equivalent income needed at the destination
0
Enter your income and the destination price level to see a result.
Cost difference0%
Extra income needed0
Verdict--
Total monthly cost: current location vs destination
Current location
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Destination
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Current location Destination

Both bars are drawn on the same scale, so a longer destination bar means the same lifestyle costs more there.

Where the cost rises or falls
Category Monthly now Monthly at destination Difference

Each row scales your current spend by the destination's price level for that category. A red difference is more expensive there; a green difference is cheaper.

For beginners: how to read this result
A price index is a ratioAn index of 100 means prices match your current location. 115 means everyday costs run 15% higher; 90 means 10% lower. You take that number from a public cost-of-living source — nothing about any city is built in.
Equivalent income explainedThe equivalent income is what you would need to earn at the destination to buy the same basket of goods and services you buy now. It is your current income scaled by the price difference.
Overall index vs by categoryOne overall index is quick but hides detail. The category mode lets you set housing, food and the rest separately, which matters because housing usually moves the most and dominates the result.
Same standard of living"Break even" here means matching spending power, not getting richer. If the offer pays less than the equivalent income, your standard of living would fall even if the headline salary looks similar.
This is an arithmetic estimate based only on the income and price levels you enter. It does not look up any city or country — you supply the index numbers from public cost-of-living sources. It ignores currency exchange, income tax and social contributions, one-off moving costs, house purchase and changes in your spending habits after a move. Treat the result as a planning guide and confirm local prices and net pay for your own situation.
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To get a result, choose a comparison mode, enter your current income and pick whether that figure is per year or per month. The calculator returns the equivalent income you would need at the destination to keep the same standard of living, plus the money gap and a clear verdict.

The two comparison modes

The mode toggle changes which inputs are shown, so only the fields you need are on screen.

  • Overall index — you enter one number: the destination’s overall price level relative to your current location. An index of 100 means prices match; 115 means everyday costs run 15% higher; 90 means 10% lower. This is the quick option when you have a single headline figure.
  • By category — you fill an editable table of spending categories such as housing, food, transport, utilities, healthcare and other. Each row takes your current monthly spend and the destination’s price level for that category. This is more accurate because housing usually moves the most and a single overall index hides it.

How the math works

The calculator never looks up any city or country. You supply the price levels from public cost-of-living sources, and the tool does the arithmetic. In overall-index mode the equivalent income equals your current income multiplied by the index divided by 100. In by-category mode each category’s destination cost equals your current spend in that category multiplied by its price level divided by 100; these are added up, and the ratio of the destination total to the current total is applied to your income. The extra income needed is simply the equivalent income minus your current income.

The comparison table and bar

The per-category table shows, line by line, your current monthly spend, the destination-adjusted spend and the difference, so you can see exactly where costs rise or fall. The paired bar draws total monthly cost at the current location against the destination on the same scale, giving an instant read of the overall gap.

What is not included

This is an arithmetic estimate based only on the figures you enter. It does not convert currencies, model income tax or social contributions, count one-off relocation costs or house purchase, or allow for changes in your spending habits after a move. The price levels are your inputs, taken from public sources. Treat the result as a planning guide and confirm local prices and net pay for your own situation before relying on it.