Cost of Living Calculator
Compare any two US cities
Current City
$
Destination City
City values: U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis Regional Price Parities for 2024 (latest release), by metro area, US average = 100. They compare the price level of everything households buy, including housing rents, and do not include income or property taxes.
Select two cities and your current salary to compare cost of living.
Equivalent Salary Needed
$0
in destination city
SummaryValue
Your current salary—
Equivalent salary needed—
Salary difference—
Current metro RPP—
Destination metro RPP—
Cost difference—
Price Levels by Category (RPP)
🏠
Find the best mortgage rate in your new city
LendingTree · Rocket Mortgage · Better.com · Free comparison
Sponsored: we may earn a commission at no cost to you.
How Cost of Living Comparisons Work
To keep the same standard of living, multiply your salary by the destination RPP divided by your current RPP. With the Bureau of Economic Analysis 2024 Regional Price Parities, $75,000 in Indianapolis (95.7) matches about $82,915 in Denver (105.8). Pick two metros and a salary above to see the equivalent salary and how rents, goods, utilities and other services compare.
Cost of living indices compare the relative expense of living in different locations. This calculator uses the US government's own measure, the Regional Price Parities (RPPs) from the Bureau of Economic Analysis, for 2024 at the metro area level. An RPP compares the price level of everything households buy in a metro, including housing rents, with the national average of 100. Income and property taxes are not part of it.
Housing is the single most variable component and typically drives the largest differences between cities. In BEA's 2024 data, housing rents in the San Francisco metro run about 2.4 times the Memphis level (housing RPP 194.7 against 79.8), while goods cost only about 13% more (108.5 against 96.2). When comparing cities, always calculate the equivalent salary, because a higher nominal salary in an expensive city may result in less purchasing power than a lower salary in a cheaper market.
Most Expensive US Metros (BEA 2024)
Highest all items RPPs among the metros in this calculator: San Francisco-Oakland, CA (115.6), Miami, FL (114.2), Los Angeles, CA (113.6), New York, NY (112.6), San Diego, CA (111.9), Seattle-Tacoma, WA (111.1) and Honolulu, HI (111.0). Prices there run 11% to 16% above the national average, driven mostly by rents: San Jose has the highest housing RPP in the country (211.9).
Most Affordable US Metros (BEA 2024)
Lowest all items RPPs among the metros in this calculator: Shreveport, LA (84.8), McAllen, TX (85.9), Mobile, AL (88.1), Springfield, MO (88.6), Topeka, KS (88.8), Wichita, KS (88.9) and Jackson, MS (89.0). Their housing RPPs run from 52.3 to 66.2, which is where most of the saving comes from.
Geographic Arbitrage
Remote work has enabled geographic arbitrage: earning a high-cost-of-living city salary while living somewhere cheaper. A San Francisco software engineer earning $180,000 who moves to Austin (RPP 98.1, against 115.6 for San Francisco) keeps the same salary and, on 2024 RPPs, gains about 18% in purchasing power: $180,000 in Austin buys what about $212,110 buys in San Francisco. This is the single most powerful lever for accelerating financial independence.
State Income Tax Impact
COL indices typically don't include state income taxes, which significantly affect real take-home pay. No broad-based state income tax in 2026: Alaska, Florida, Nevada, New Hampshire, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Washington and Wyoming. Highest top rates: California (13.3%), Hawaii (11%), New York (10.9%) and New Jersey (10.75%). Top rates apply only to high incomes, so compare your actual state tax bill, not the headline rate.
What Regional Price Parities Measure
Regional Price Parities (RPPs) are the Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA) measure of how price levels differ across states and metro areas in a given year. The national average price level is 100, so a metro at 110 is about 10% more expensive than the country as a whole and one at 90 is about 10% cheaper.
- What is included: prices for the goods and services households buy, taken from the Consumer Price Index, plus housing rents from the Census Bureau's American Community Survey. Housing is measured through rents; homeowners are counted at the rental value of their homes, not at home prices or mortgage payments.
- What is left out: income taxes and property tax bills. RPPs compare prices, not what you owe in tax.
- Geography: each city in the calculator stands for its whole metropolitan statistical area. Mesa, Chandler, Scottsdale and Tempe share the Phoenix metro value, Oakland shares San Francisco's and Fort Worth shares Dallas's.
- Timing: BEA adds one year of data per release. The current release, from February 2026, covers 2024 and also revised earlier years.
How far each part of the index varies across all 387 metro areas in 2024:
| RPP component | Lowest metro | Highest metro | US |
|---|---|---|---|
| All items | Monroe, LA (83.6) | San Francisco-Oakland, CA (115.6) | 100.0 |
| Housing (rents) | Johnstown, PA (42.3) | San Jose, CA (211.9) | 100.6 |
| Utilities | Idaho Falls, ID (69.7) | Kahului-Wailuku, HI (190.6) | 98.4 |
| Goods | Fayetteville, AR (93.6) | Honolulu, HI (111.6) | 99.6 |
| Other services | Bismarck, ND (91.2) | Miami, FL (109.1) | 100.1 |
Component values are measured against the overall US price level, which is why the US figure is not exactly 100 in every row. Goods and other services barely move from place to place, while rents in the priciest metro are about five times those in the cheapest. BEA does not publish separate groceries, transportation or healthcare parities for metro areas, so the calculator shows only the four components BEA does publish.
Equivalent Salary Examples
What a $75,000 salary in Indianapolis (all items RPP 95.7, housing 88.9) is worth elsewhere, using 2024 Regional Price Parities.
| Destination metro | RPP, all items | Housing RPP | Equivalent salary | Change |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Memphis, TN | 92.2 | 79.8 | $72,257 | 4% less |
| Houston, TX | 98.6 | 104.5 | $77,273 | 3% more |
| US average | 100.0 | 100.6 | $78,370 | 4% more |
| Atlanta, GA | 100.1 | 111.0 | $78,448 | 5% more |
| Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ | 103.3 | 121.2 | $80,956 | 8% more |
| Chicago, IL | 103.6 | 112.0 | $81,191 | 8% more |
| Denver-Aurora, CO | 105.8 | 146.9 | $82,915 | 11% more |
| Boston, MA | 108.3 | 148.4 | $84,875 | 13% more |
| Seattle-Tacoma, WA | 111.1 | 151.3 | $87,069 | 16% more |
| New York, NY | 112.6 | 148.6 | $88,245 | 18% more |
| Miami, FL | 114.2 | 155.6 | $89,498 | 19% more |
| San Francisco-Oakland, CA | 115.6 | 194.7 | $90,596 | 21% more |
Notice how the housing RPP moves much further than the all items figure. San Francisco's housing RPP is 194.7 against 88.9 in Indianapolis, yet its overall price level is only about 21% higher, because goods and other services vary far less between metros. Rent decides most relocation math.
Why Housing Drives the Gap
In the Bureau of Labor Statistics Consumer Expenditure Survey for 2024, the average household spent $78,535. This is where it went.
| Category | Share of spending | Average per month |
|---|---|---|
| Housing | 33.4% | $2,189 |
| Transportation | 17.0% | $1,110 |
| Food | 12.9% | $847 |
| Personal insurance and pensions | 12.5% | $816 |
| Healthcare | 7.9% | $516 |
| Everything else | 16.3% | $1,066 |
Because housing is a third of the budget and its price varies the most, a metro with ordinary prices for goods but expensive rent still lands well above 100 overall. RPPs price housing through rents, so if you already own a home with a low fixed payment, or plan to buy in a market where home prices have run ahead of rents, adjust the result by hand.
State Income Tax: the Cost the Index Leaves Out
Regional Price Parities measure prices, not taxes. Two metros with the same RPP can leave you with very different take-home pay.
| State income tax in 2026 | States |
|---|---|
| No broad-based income tax | Alaska, Florida, Nevada, New Hampshire, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Washington, Wyoming |
| Highest top rates | California 13.3%, Hawaii 11%, New York 10.9%, New Jersey 10.75% |
Top rates only apply to income above high thresholds, so compare your likely state tax bill, not the headline rate. Property tax also varies a lot by location and is not part of the RPPs.
Price Level of Every Metro in the Calculator
The full 2024 BEA figures behind the dropdowns, US average = 100. A value of 110 means the same basket costs 10% more than the national average. Housing is the column that moves the most.
| Metro area | All items | Housing | Goods | Utilities | Other services |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Akron, OH | 93.4 | 76.8 | 93.6 | 96.4 | 98.9 |
| Albany, NY | 99.6 | 102.6 | 99.7 | 134.0 | 97.8 |
| Albuquerque, NM | 95.5 | 89.2 | 96.1 | 77.9 | 98.5 |
| Allentown, PA | 100.0 | 105.5 | 100.6 | 107.6 | 97.8 |
| Amarillo, TX | 91.8 | 78.4 | 93.8 | 83.5 | 96.2 |
| Anchorage, AK | 105.4 | 109.9 | 107.3 | 111.8 | 103.3 |
| Atlanta, GA | 100.1 | 111.0 | 100.4 | 96.2 | 96.7 |
| Augusta, GA | 91.9 | 70.6 | 96.3 | 89.5 | 98.5 |
| Austin, TX | 98.1 | 120.4 | 93.8 | 82.0 | 96.2 |
| Bakersfield, CA | 100.9 | 90.3 | 105.2 | 158.3 | 100.3 |
| Baltimore, MD | 104.5 | 118.2 | 102.4 | 110.2 | 101.5 |
| Baton Rouge, LA | 90.8 | 74.2 | 93.7 | 71.2 | 95.7 |
| Billings, MT | 93.5 | 77.4 | 96.0 | 72.4 | 98.7 |
| Birmingham, AL | 91.6 | 71.9 | 96.4 | 83.8 | 96.7 |
| Boise, ID | 98.4 | 105.6 | 96.2 | 70.7 | 99.0 |
| Boston, MA | 108.3 | 148.4 | 99.7 | 148.8 | 103.6 |
| Boulder, CO | 105.2 | 157.0 | 96.1 | 82.7 | 99.8 |
| Bridgeport, CT | 106.9 | 150.5 | 97.3 | 147.1 | 102.7 |
| Buffalo, NY | 95.8 | 81.0 | 99.7 | 129.5 | 97.8 |
| Cape Coral, FL | 102.3 | 125.1 | 96.2 | 86.9 | 98.9 |
| Casper, WY | 93.8 | 74.2 | 95.4 | 78.9 | 100.4 |
| Charleston, SC | 101.0 | 119.8 | 96.3 | 88.2 | 98.3 |
| Charlotte, NC | 97.3 | 97.6 | 96.6 | 89.2 | 98.2 |
| Chattanooga, TN | 91.5 | 76.6 | 96.0 | 74.2 | 95.3 |
| Cheyenne, WY | 96.5 | 89.8 | 95.4 | 78.0 | 100.4 |
| Chicago, IL | 103.6 | 112.0 | 107.3 | 83.6 | 100.5 |
| Cincinnati, OH | 95.4 | 87.6 | 93.8 | 91.0 | 99.0 |
| Cleveland, OH | 93.9 | 79.4 | 93.6 | 96.0 | 98.9 |
| Colorado Springs, CO | 100.7 | 116.2 | 96.1 | 83.2 | 99.8 |
| Columbia, SC | 93.7 | 79.5 | 96.3 | 88.3 | 98.3 |
| Columbus, OH | 95.5 | 87.9 | 93.6 | 95.5 | 98.9 |
| Corpus Christi, TX | 92.7 | 84.9 | 93.8 | 81.0 | 96.2 |
| Dallas-Fort Worth, TX | 103.1 | 117.9 | 102.8 | 90.7 | 99.7 |
| Dayton, OH | 92.7 | 72.7 | 93.6 | 95.4 | 98.9 |
| Denver-Aurora, CO | 105.8 | 146.9 | 101.0 | 87.9 | 99.4 |
| Des Moines, IA | 91.7 | 84.7 | 93.7 | 84.6 | 92.9 |
| Detroit, MI | 100.3 | 94.7 | 98.8 | 107.0 | 102.6 |
| Durham, NC | 97.6 | 98.9 | 96.6 | 89.3 | 98.2 |
| El Paso, TX | 89.9 | 71.2 | 93.8 | 82.6 | 96.2 |
| Fargo, ND | 90.9 | 81.1 | 95.7 | 77.3 | 91.3 |
| Fayetteville, AR | 91.4 | 76.9 | 93.6 | 75.1 | 95.3 |
| Flint, MI | 93.0 | 74.0 | 93.7 | 97.1 | 99.6 |
| Fort Collins, CO | 101.1 | 120.6 | 96.1 | 82.2 | 99.8 |
| Fresno, CA | 102.2 | 95.7 | 105.2 | 161.0 | 100.3 |
| Gainesville, FL | 96.7 | 93.0 | 96.2 | 88.2 | 98.9 |
| Grand Rapids, MI | 95.5 | 86.6 | 93.7 | 93.8 | 99.6 |
| Greensboro, NC | 92.9 | 74.5 | 96.6 | 89.1 | 98.2 |
| Greenville, SC | 93.3 | 76.8 | 96.3 | 88.8 | 98.3 |
| Harrisburg, PA | 98.7 | 96.3 | 100.7 | 108.1 | 97.7 |
| Hartford, CT | 102.7 | 110.2 | 97.3 | 144.9 | 102.7 |
| Honolulu, HI | 111.0 | 135.5 | 111.6 | 187.3 | 102.9 |
| Houston, TX | 98.6 | 104.5 | 100.6 | 95.3 | 95.6 |
| Huntsville, AL | 93.1 | 77.9 | 96.4 | 83.9 | 96.7 |
| Indianapolis, IN | 95.7 | 88.9 | 94.3 | 86.4 | 99.1 |
| Jackson, MS | 89.0 | 64.8 | 96.2 | 78.1 | 96.1 |
| Jacksonville, FL | 99.5 | 109.8 | 96.2 | 87.5 | 98.9 |
| Kansas City, MO | 92.5 | 86.6 | 94.1 | 89.0 | 93.4 |
| Knoxville, TN | 92.6 | 82.8 | 96.2 | 71.9 | 95.1 |
| Lakeland, FL | 97.1 | 95.9 | 96.2 | 86.9 | 98.9 |
| Lansing, MI | 95.0 | 83.5 | 93.7 | 95.5 | 99.6 |
| Las Vegas-Henderson, NV | 100.2 | 115.5 | 96.3 | 90.6 | 98.7 |
| Lexington, KY | 92.9 | 77.1 | 96.2 | 74.6 | 96.9 |
| Lincoln, NE | 91.6 | 84.2 | 94.1 | 76.8 | 93.0 |
| Little Rock, AR | 89.4 | 68.3 | 93.6 | 74.6 | 95.3 |
| Los Angeles, CA | 113.6 | 170.4 | 106.6 | 158.6 | 104.4 |
| Louisville, KY | 93.1 | 78.6 | 96.2 | 75.0 | 96.8 |
| Lubbock, TX | 91.3 | 76.4 | 93.8 | 82.8 | 96.2 |
| Madison, WI | 97.3 | 99.7 | 93.8 | 89.8 | 99.4 |
| McAllen, TX | 85.9 | 55.9 | 93.8 | 81.2 | 96.2 |
| Memphis, TN | 92.2 | 79.8 | 96.2 | 74.1 | 95.4 |
| Miami, FL | 114.2 | 155.6 | 103.6 | 97.2 | 109.1 |
| Milwaukee, WI | 96.9 | 97.1 | 93.8 | 91.6 | 99.4 |
| Minneapolis, MN | 104.8 | 111.8 | 103.1 | 93.5 | 104.4 |
| Missoula, MT | 96.4 | 94.9 | 96.0 | 72.1 | 98.7 |
| Mobile, AL | 88.1 | 60.1 | 96.4 | 84.2 | 96.7 |
| Modesto, CA | 104.1 | 108.5 | 105.2 | 152.3 | 100.3 |
| Naples, FL | 103.2 | 129.4 | 96.2 | 87.8 | 98.9 |
| Nashville, TN | 96.3 | 104.6 | 96.2 | 72.0 | 95.1 |
| New Haven, CT | 104.6 | 124.3 | 97.3 | 144.8 | 102.7 |
| New Orleans, LA | 92.6 | 86.0 | 93.7 | 71.2 | 95.7 |
| New York, NY | 112.6 | 148.6 | 110.3 | 127.0 | 105.8 |
| Ogden, UT | 100.3 | 117.9 | 96.4 | 78.8 | 99.0 |
| Oklahoma City, OK | 90.4 | 73.9 | 93.8 | 74.1 | 95.5 |
| Omaha, NE | 91.9 | 86.4 | 94.1 | 76.4 | 93.0 |
| Orlando, FL | 101.4 | 123.4 | 96.2 | 87.2 | 98.9 |
| Oxnard, CA | 110.5 | 171.1 | 105.2 | 152.9 | 100.3 |
| Pensacola, FL | 97.7 | 98.8 | 96.2 | 88.5 | 98.9 |
| Peoria, IL | 91.2 | 63.8 | 93.6 | 90.5 | 99.6 |
| Philadelphia, PA | 102.6 | 113.1 | 96.8 | 114.4 | 103.1 |
| Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ | 103.3 | 121.2 | 95.0 | 93.3 | 104.0 |
| Pittsburgh, PA | 94.7 | 72.0 | 100.7 | 107.7 | 97.7 |
| Port St. Lucie, FL | 100.2 | 113.6 | 96.2 | 87.0 | 98.9 |
| Portland, ME | 101.9 | 105.2 | 97.2 | 134.6 | 103.2 |
| Portland, OR | 105.4 | 125.1 | 105.2 | 107.0 | 100.1 |
| Providence, RI | 101.8 | 103.9 | 97.1 | 148.8 | 102.3 |
| Provo, UT | 98.2 | 104.1 | 96.4 | 78.6 | 99.0 |
| Raleigh, NC | 98.2 | 103.5 | 96.6 | 89.0 | 98.2 |
| Rapid City, SD | 89.2 | 72.6 | 95.5 | 79.1 | 91.9 |
| Reno, NV | 101.0 | 123.5 | 96.3 | 89.3 | 98.7 |
| Richmond, VA | 97.9 | 99.1 | 96.8 | 89.2 | 98.6 |
| Riverside, CA | 106.4 | 129.3 | 101.4 | 148.6 | 101.3 |
| Rochester, NY | 97.0 | 87.5 | 99.7 | 133.2 | 97.8 |
| Rockford, IL | 92.2 | 70.1 | 93.6 | 89.4 | 99.6 |
| Sacramento, CA | 106.7 | 130.2 | 105.2 | 151.3 | 100.3 |
| Salt Lake City, UT | 100.9 | 123.3 | 96.4 | 79.0 | 99.0 |
| San Antonio, TX | 94.7 | 94.6 | 93.8 | 82.2 | 96.2 |
| San Diego, CA | 111.9 | 179.3 | 108.0 | 174.2 | 99.6 |
| San Francisco-Oakland, CA | 115.6 | 194.7 | 108.5 | 172.6 | 106.2 |
| San Jose, CA | 110.4 | 211.9 | 105.2 | 156.7 | 100.3 |
| Santa Rosa, CA | 107.8 | 139.6 | 105.2 | 154.8 | 100.3 |
| Sarasota, FL | 102.4 | 128.0 | 96.2 | 88.2 | 98.9 |
| Savannah, GA | 95.2 | 86.0 | 96.3 | 88.6 | 98.7 |
| Scranton, PA | 93.6 | 67.0 | 100.7 | 106.5 | 97.7 |
| Seattle-Tacoma, WA | 111.1 | 151.3 | 104.0 | 92.8 | 106.8 |
| Shreveport, LA | 84.8 | 52.3 | 93.7 | 72.6 | 95.7 |
| Sioux Falls, SD | 90.6 | 77.6 | 95.5 | 80.7 | 91.9 |
| Spokane, WA | 100.3 | 97.1 | 105.0 | 91.2 | 99.5 |
| Springfield, MA | 96.1 | 75.8 | 97.0 | 155.0 | 101.2 |
| Springfield, MO | 88.6 | 65.6 | 94.2 | 85.8 | 93.0 |
| St. Louis, MO | 95.1 | 79.0 | 100.0 | 69.9 | 98.6 |
| Stockton, CA | 105.1 | 115.6 | 105.2 | 158.2 | 100.3 |
| Syracuse, NY | 95.7 | 80.7 | 99.7 | 133.4 | 97.8 |
| Tallahassee, FL | 93.9 | 78.5 | 96.2 | 87.5 | 98.9 |
| Tampa, FL | 100.9 | 125.8 | 95.5 | 88.5 | 97.6 |
| Toledo, OH | 91.5 | 67.3 | 93.6 | 96.3 | 98.9 |
| Topeka, KS | 88.8 | 65.0 | 94.0 | 88.9 | 93.8 |
| Tucson, AZ | 96.9 | 91.8 | 96.2 | 89.5 | 99.8 |
| Tulsa, OK | 89.2 | 68.2 | 93.8 | 73.9 | 95.5 |
| US average | 100.0 | 100.6 | 99.6 | 98.4 | 100.1 |
| US nonmetro areas | 88.7 | 59.9 | 96.1 | 88.3 | 97.6 |
| Virginia Beach, VA | 97.9 | 99.8 | 96.8 | 89.6 | 98.6 |
| Washington, DC | 108.9 | 151.1 | 104.8 | 106.7 | 102.3 |
| Wichita, KS | 88.9 | 66.2 | 94.0 | 88.5 | 93.8 |
| Wilmington, NC | 96.4 | 93.2 | 96.6 | 87.9 | 98.2 |
| Winston-Salem, NC | 92.0 | 71.4 | 96.6 | 88.4 | 98.2 |
| Worcester, MA | 102.5 | 113.0 | 97.0 | 155.2 | 101.2 |
Method and sources. Equivalent salary = current salary × (destination RPP ÷ current RPP). City values: U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional Price Parities by metropolitan statistical area (table MARPP), 2024 data released February 19, 2026, the latest available; all items plus the published components (goods; services: housing, utilities, other), rounded to one decimal, US = 100. Each city uses the RPP of its metropolitan statistical area (OMB Bulletin 23-01 delineations). RPPs combine Consumer Price Index prices with American Community Survey rents; they measure price levels, include housing rents and exclude income and property taxes. Household spending: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Consumer Expenditures in 2024. State income tax rates: state revenue departments as compiled by the Tax Foundation for 2026. Use the result as a starting point, then check real rents and listings in the new city.
Frequently Asked Questions
A cost of living index measures the relative cost of a standardized basket of goods and services in a location compared to a baseline (usually the US national average = 100). An index of 120 means that city is 20% more expensive than the national average. This calculator uses the official US measure, the Regional Price Parities (RPPs) published by the Bureau of Economic Analysis. RPPs combine Consumer Price Index prices with housing rents from the Census Bureau's American Community Survey and cover all consumer spending, including rents but not income or property taxes. Private indices use their own price surveys and weights, so their numbers are not directly comparable with RPPs.
Equivalent Salary = Current Salary x (Destination COL Index / Current COL Index). Example with 2024 RPPs: earning $75,000 in Indianapolis (95.7) and considering San Francisco (115.6): Equivalent salary = $75,000 x (115.6 / 95.7) = $90,596. You would need about $90,600 in San Francisco to buy the same basket of goods and services. This calculation should be a floor when negotiating relocation packages or evaluating job offers in different cities. Remember to also factor in state income tax differences, which can move the result further in either direction.
Housing takes about a third of household spending (33.4% in 2024, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics) and varies far more between cities than any other category. In BEA's 2024 Regional Price Parities, goods cost about 13% more in San Francisco than in Memphis, while housing rents cost about 2.4 times as much. Across all metros, housing RPPs run from 42.3 to 211.9, while goods stay between 93.6 and 111.6. This is why housing affordability indexes and rent-to-income ratios are the most powerful predictors of overall COL differences.
No. Standard COL indices measure prices for a standardized basket of goods but don't capture quality of life factors that might justify higher costs: weather, cultural amenities, dining scenes, outdoor recreation, career networks, school quality, healthcare quality, or social factors. Many people willingly pay the San Francisco or New York premium for specific career opportunities or lifestyle factors that can't be replicated elsewhere. COL calculations are a starting point for financial analysis, not a complete guide to relocation decisions. Quality-adjusted comparisons require subjective weighting of personal priorities.
State income taxes are not included in Regional Price Parities or most other COL indices, yet they can change take-home pay a lot. California's top marginal rate of 13.3% is the highest in the US, followed by Hawaii (11%) and New York (10.9%). Alaska, Florida, Nevada, New Hampshire, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Washington and Wyoming have no broad-based state income tax. Run both offers through a paycheck calculator for each state and compare the after-tax amounts, not the gross salaries.
Geographic arbitrage means earning income at rates pegged to an expensive location while spending at rates of a cheaper one. Remote work has made this accessible to millions of knowledge workers. A software engineer at a San Francisco company earning $180,000 who relocates to Tulsa (RPP 89.2 vs 115.6 for San Francisco) effectively has the equivalent of a $233,000 San Francisco salary in purchasing power (180,000 x 115.6 / 89.2). The difference can go to savings or a faster mortgage payoff. International arbitrage (moving abroad) can be even more extreme.
BEA updates Regional Price Parities once a year. The figures in this calculator, for 2024, were released on February 19, 2026, and each release also revises earlier years. Relative positions do shift: in the current series, Boise rose from 94.9 in 2015 to 98.4 in 2024, while Austin moved from 101.6 to 98.1. Because RPPs trail the calendar by more than a year, check current rents in the new city before you decide.
Regional Price Parities leave out state and local income taxes and property tax bills, which matter a lot for homeowners. They price housing through rents, so they also miss what buying a home costs today, including homeowner's insurance. Commute time, school quality and healthcare quality are not prices, so no price index captures them. Child care and car insurance are in the basket only as averages, and your own quotes can differ a lot, so get them for the new city. A complete financial comparison should include all of these factors.
Retirement location is one of the most powerful variables in retirement planning. Retiring to a lower cost metro can shrink the portfolio you need. Example: retiring on $60,000/year in San Francisco requires a $1.5M portfolio (4% rule). At 2024 Regional Price Parities, the same basket in Memphis (92.2, against 115.6 for San Francisco) costs about $47,900 a year, cutting the needed portfolio to about $1.2M. Additionally, states with no income tax do not tax retirement withdrawals at all. Florida, Texas, and Nevada are top retirement destinations partly for this reason. Healthcare proximity and quality must also factor into retirement location decisions, especially as Medicare doesn't always cover all providers.
The rent vs buy calculation varies dramatically by city and market conditions. Price-to-rent ratios (home price divided by annual rent) determine relative value. A ratio above 20 generally favors renting; below 15 often favors buying. High-cost cities (San Francisco, NYC, LA) typically have ratios of 25-40, strongly favoring renting unless you plan to stay 7+ years and expect continued appreciation. Affordable markets (Midwest, Southeast) often have ratios of 10-15, favoring ownership. After the 2022-2023 mortgage rate spike to 7%+, many high-cost markets shifted even more strongly toward renting since monthly ownership costs significantly exceeded rental costs for equivalent properties.
Divide the new metro's RPP by your current metro's RPP. The result minus one is the raise you need to stand still. Moving from Indianapolis (95.7) to Denver (105.8) with 2024 BEA figures needs about 11% more, so $75,000 becomes about $82,915. Then check state income tax, because RPPs do not include it.
Regional price parities (RPPs) are the official US government measure of price level differences between places, published each year by the Bureau of Economic Analysis for every state and metro area, with the national average set to 100. They combine Consumer Price Index price data with housing rents from the American Community Survey. This calculator uses the 2024 metro area figures, the latest available.
RPPs cover everything households buy, and most of it costs nearly the same across the country. Rents are the big exception. Indices that give housing more weight, or use home prices instead of rents, show wider gaps. In 2024 the most expensive metro, San Francisco-Oakland, was 15.6% above the national average and the cheapest, Monroe, LA, was 16.4% below it.