Cost of Living Comparison Calculator — United States 2026
Compare the real cost of living between major US cities. Estimate equivalent salary, rent pressure, commuting costs, and moving trade-offs across New York, Los Angeles, Chicago, Houston, Atlanta, Seattle, Boston, and Denver.
Thinking of moving? Compare what your salary is really worth.
| New York | 100 |
|---|---|
| Chicago | 80 |
| New York · Housing | $24,000.00 |
|---|---|
| New York · Food | $15,000.00 |
| New York · Transport | $9,000.00 |
| New York · Other | $27,000.00 |
| Chicago · Housing | $17,280.00 |
| Chicago · Food | $13,500.00 |
| Chicago · Transport | $7,920.00 |
| Chicago · Other | $21,600.00 |
United States Cost of Living Notes
The equivalent salary formula
The equivalent salary is calculated as: Equivalent = Income × (City B index ÷ City A index). If you earn $100,000 in New York (index 100) and want to compare to Chicago (index 80), the equivalent is $100,000 × 80/100 = $80,000.
This means you only need to earn $80,000 in Chicago to maintain the same purchasing power — because everything costs 20% less on average.
Spending weights used
| Category | Weight |
|---|---|
| Housing (rent/mortgage) | 32% of spending |
| Food & groceries | 20% |
| Transport | 12% |
| Utilities & other (healthcare, entertainment, clothing) | 36% |
Weights are based on The BLS Household Expenditure Survey 2015–16 (most recent available), adjusted for post-COVID housing cost changes. Switch to Detailed mode to see estimated annual spending by category.
US city cost indexes 2026Cost index for every major US city — relative to New York = 100
| City | Overall index |
|---|---|
| New York | ~$4,440–$4,800/mo |
| San Francisco | ~$4,350–$4,710/mo |
| San Jose | ~$4,210–$4,570/mo |
| Boston | ~$3,910–$4,230/mo |
| Washington DC | ~$3,810–$4,130/mo |
| Los Angeles | ~$3,770–$4,090/mo |
| Seattle | ~$3,720–$4,040/mo |
| San Diego | ~$3,550–$3,850/mo |
| Miami | ~$3,460–$3,740/mo |
| Chicago | ~$3,200–$3,460/mo |
| Denver | 79 — 21% cheaper; fast-growing |
| Philadelphia | 75 — 25% cheaper; most affordable Northeast hub |
Note: These are composite averages. Costs vary significantly by neighborhood and lifestyle. Housing has risen faster than other categories since 2022 — particularly in Austin and Denver. Use Numbeo or The BLS CPI for up-to-date metro-level data.
Median rents and house prices across US cities 2026
Median weekly rents (all dwellings, 2026 est.)
| City | Est. monthly rent |
|---|---|
| New York | ~$650–750/wk |
| San Francisco | ~$620–700/wk |
| San Jose | ~$600–680/wk |
| Boston | ~$580–640/wk |
| Washington DC | ~$560–620/wk |
| Los Angeles | ~$550–610/wk |
| Seattle | ~$540–600/wk |
| Miami / San Diego | ~$500–560/wk |
| Chicago / Denver | ~$470–520/wk |
| Philadelphia | ~$450–500/wk |
Rents have increased significantly across all cities since 2022. Austin and Denver have seen the fastest rent growth. Always check current listings on Zillow or Realtor.com for the specific neighborhood you are considering.
How to use this comparison for salary negotiation and relocation planning
Salary negotiation when relocating
When moving from a higher-cost city to a lower-cost city, some employers offer a reduced salary on the basis of lower living costs. Know your number: the equivalent salary from this calculator is your minimum floor. Accepting less than the equivalent means your standard of living drops — you are not just paying for lower costs, you are taking a genuine real-terms pay cut.
When moving to a higher-cost city
Moving from Chicago to New York requires approximately a 25% salary increase to maintain the same lifestyle. If the new employer offers less than the equivalent, you need to factor in the lifestyle trade-off explicitly — and model how long it would take to recover the real-terms gap through career progression.
Adjusting for your personal spending pattern
If you spend more than average on housing (e.g. living alone, not sharing), the housing component matters more. If you have a car loan but use public transport in a new city, transport costs drop. Use Standard mode to see the component breakdown and adjust the index manually for your own lifestyle.
What to check before relocating
- Current rental listings in the suburbs you are considering (not city averages)
- Commute cost and time from affordable suburbs to your workplace
- Whether your industry pays a city-specific market rate (check Seek salary data)
- One-off moving costs: movers, security deposit, overlapping rent, time off work
- Any state-based tax differences (e.g. Transfer tax, payroll tax if self-employed)
Frequently asked Frequently asked questions
How much more expensive is New York than Chicago?
New York is approximately 20–25% more expensive than Chicago overall, primarily driven by housing. New York median rents are around 30–40% higher. Food and transport are comparable. A $100,000 Chicago salary equates to roughly $125,000 in New York purchasing power.
Is Philadelphia cheaper than New York?
Yes — Philadelphia is approximately 25% cheaper than New York on a composite basis. Housing is the biggest difference. A $100,000 New York salary equates to approximately $75,000 in Philadelphia. However, Philadelphia rents have risen significantly since 2021 and the gap is narrowing.
Is Los Angeles expensive compared to other West Coast cities?
Los Angeles is comparable to Seattle overall (index ~88 vs 87) but has higher transport costs due to car dependency and longer commutes. Housing is slightly above Seattle in many neighborhoods. Some sectors (entertainment, tech) pay significant market premiums on top of the base salary.
What is the cheapest major US city to live in?
Among major hubs, Philadelphia is one of the most affordable, with a cost index approximately 25% below New York. It has relatively affordable housing, solid transit, and similar food prices to other large cities. Chicago and Denver are comparable. All have seen strong price growth since 2020.
How do I use this for a city not in the list?
Select “Custom city” in the dropdown and enter your own index number. Set New York = 100 as the reference. For data, use Numbeo (numbeo.com), The BLS Consumer Price Index, or CBRE’s annual cost-of-living reports. Smaller metros such as Columbus, Kansas City, San Antonio, and Indianapolis typically have indexes in the 60–70 range.
Where these figures come from
Cost-of-living and inflation figures on this page are drawn from the Bureau of Labor Statistics (CPI), the Federal Reserve (inflation target and monetary policy), and The Department of Labor Commission (minimum wage).
- Consumer Price Index (CPI) — BLS — Consumer Price Index (CPI).
- Household expenditure & income — BLS — Consumer Expenditure Survey.
- Federal Reserve inflation target — Federal Reserve — Inflation & prices.
- National minimum wage — US Dept of Labor — Minimum wage.
- Fuel & energy price data — US EIA — Gasoline & energy prices.
Last checked: April 2026. Rates and thresholds are reviewed against the source of record each November, when annual adjustments for the following tax year are published.
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| Inputs | Equivalent income in destination city | Note |
|---|---|---|
| San Francisco against Austin on $140,000 | 80,000 | the coastal premium against a cheaper tech city |
The sources behind this calculator
- American Association of Feline Practitioners — Feline Life Stage Guidelines — the six feline life stages the cat-age page uses
- Wang et al. 2020, Cell Systems — Quantitative translation of dog-to-human aging by conserved remodeling of the DNA methylome — the 16·ln(age)+31 epigenetic formula on the dog-age page
- US Department of Labor — Tipped employees — the tipped minimum wage rules
Last checked: September 2026. Where a page states a convention (a tipping custom, a pet life stage), the page names the body it follows.