How cost-of-living comparison works
A cost-of-living index compares prices between locations, where 100 is the national average. To keep the same lifestyle, multiply your salary by (new index ÷ current index). Moving from an index of 100 to 130 means you need 30% more income.
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Where to find index numbers
Cost-of-living index values for U.S. cities are published by sources like the Council for Community and Economic Research (C2ER) and various relocation sites. Enter the index for each city to compare.