Cost of Living Calculator — Compare Expenses Across Cities
Compare cost of living between cities worldwide. See how far your salary goes in different locations considering housing food transport and lifestyle expenses.
Whether you are considering a job offer in another city relocating internationally or curious about where your money goes furthest understanding cost of living differences is essential. A $100000 salary in San Francisco provides the same lifestyle as approximately $55000 in Austin or $45000 in Mumbai. Our calculator helps you make apples-to-apples comparisons across housing food transport healthcare and lifestyle categories.
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Key Information
| Parameter | Details |
|---|---|
| Most Expensive US City | New York City (index: 187) |
| Most Affordable US City | McAllen TX (index: 74) |
| US National Average | Index: 100 |
| Mumbai vs NYC Ratio | NYC costs approximately 3.5x more than Mumbai |
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Use Calculator NowFrequently Asked Questions
How to compare salary offers in different cities?
Take your current after-tax monthly spending and adjust by the cost-of-living ratio. If you spend $4000/month in Austin and considering a move to San Francisco where costs are 80% higher you need $7200/month for the same lifestyle. This means a $80000 Austin salary needs to be at least $144000 in SF. Focus especially on housing which accounts for 30-40% of the difference.
Which US city has the best salary-to-cost ratio?
Cities like Austin TX Raleigh NC Denver CO and Nashville TN offer strong tech and professional salaries (80-90% of coastal pay) with cost of living 30-50% lower than San Francisco or New York. Remote workers earning coastal salaries while living in these cities have the best financial arbitrage opportunity in the current economy.
Is it cheaper to live in India or USA?
India is dramatically cheaper for most categories: housing (70-80% less) food (75-85% less) healthcare (80-90% less) domestic help (95% less) and entertainment (60-70% less). Transportation is 50-60% less. However imported goods electronics and international travel cost similar or more. A comfortable lifestyle in Mumbai costs Rs 1-1.5 lakh/month while equivalent lifestyle in NYC costs $8000-$12000/month.
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Last updated: 24 March 2026