Cost of Living Calculator

Compare cost of living between 50+ US cities across housing, food, transportation, healthcare, and utilities with salary adjustment recommendations. Free, fast, and private — runs entirely in your browser.

Current City

Target City

Current Annual Salary ($)

Equivalent Salary Needed in Chicago, IL

$42,914

You would need $32,086 less (-42.8%) in Chicago compared to New York.

New York Index

187

Chicago Index

107

Overall Difference

-42.8%

Category Comparison: New York vs Chicago

Housing-60.2%

New York

254

Chicago

101

Groceries-10.3%

New York

116

Chicago

104

Transportation-13.1%

New York

130

Chicago

113

Healthcare-3.6%

New York

110

Chicago

106

Utilities-35.3%

New York

150

Chicago

Index values are relative to the national average (100). Higher values indicate higher costs.

Estimated Annual Cost Breakdown

Category	Weight	New York	Chicago	Difference
Housing	40%	$30,000	$11,929	-$18,071
Groceries	15%	$11,250	$10,086	-$1,164
Transportation	15%	$11,250	$9,779	-$1,471
Healthcare	15%	$11,250	$10,841	-$409
Utilities	15%	$11,250	$7,275	-$3,975
Total	100%	$75,000	$42,914	-$32,086

Most Affordable Cities

1. Memphis, TN$34,492

2. El Paso, TX$34,492

3. Oklahoma City, OK$34,893

4. Birmingham, AL$34,893

5. Detroit, MI$35,695

6. San Antonio, TX$36,096

7. St. Louis, MO$36,096

8. Cleveland, OH$36,096

9. Indianapolis, IN$36,497

10. Louisville, KY$36,497

Most Expensive Cities

1. New York, NY$75,000

2. San Francisco, CA$71,791

3. San Jose, CA$70,989

4. Honolulu, HI$68,182

5. Los Angeles, CA$66,578

6. San Diego, CA$64,171

7. Washington, DC$60,963

8. Seattle, WA$59,759

9. Boston, MA$59,358

10. Portland, OR$52,139

How This Works

This calculator uses a composite cost-of-living index based on five weighted categories: Housing (40%), Groceries (15%), Transportation (15%), Healthcare (15%), and Utilities (15%).

Equivalent Salary = Current Salary x (Target City Index / Current City Index)

Index values are relative to the US national average of 100. A city with an index of 150 is roughly 50% more expensive than the national average. Data reflects approximate 2024 cost-of-living estimates and may vary based on individual spending patterns.

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How to Use Cost of Living Calculator

1Select your current city and target city.
2Enter your current salary.
3Compare costs across all categories.
4View the equivalent salary needed in your target city.

Frequently Asked Questions

How is cost of living calculated?▾

We compare housing, food, transportation, healthcare, and utilities costs across cities using normalized index values relative to the national average (100).

How many cities are included?▾

Over 50 major US cities are included with detailed cost breakdowns across 5 spending categories.

Is this calculator free?▾

Yes, completely free with no sign-up required. All calculations run in your browser.

Can I see salary adjustments?▾

Yes, the calculator shows what salary you'd need in a new city to maintain the same standard of living.

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About Cost of Living Calculator

NexTool's Cost of Living Calculator is completely free to use with no sign-up required. Your data is processed directly in your browser and never sent to our servers, ensuring complete privacy and instant results.