Cost of Living Calculator
Compare Any Two States or Cities (2024 BEA Data)
See what salary you need to keep the same standard of living after a move, using the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis's official price levels for all 50 states, DC and 387 metro areas.
Read the full answer — method, rates and figures
Quick answer: To compare the cost of living between two places, divide the price level where you are going by the price level where you are, and multiply your salary by the result. The U.S.
Bureau of Economic Analysis publishes those price levels as Regional Price Parities (the national average = 100). In 2024, New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ is 112.6 and Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos, TX is 98.1, so $100,000 in New York buys the same as about $87,123 in Austin.
By category, New York vs Austin: housing 148.6 vs 120.4, utilities 127 vs 82, goods 110.3 vs 93.8. The most expensive state is California (110.7) and the cheapest Arkansas (86.9); among metro areas, San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA (115.6) and Monroe, LA (83.6).
Source: BEA Regional Price Parities for 2024, released February 19, 2026.
How much do I need to earn after moving?
Salary × (new place's price level ÷ current one). $100,000 in New York ≈ $87,123 in Austin.
Equivalent salary
$87,123
Overall prices
−12.9%
Housing
−19.0%
$100 there buys
$114.78
Save your moving salary
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Equivalent salary
$87,123
Your salary now
$100,000
Overall prices
−12.9%
Housing
−19.0%
| Price level | Now | New | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| All items | 112.6 | 98.1 | −12.9% |
| Housing (rents) | 148.6 | 120.4 | −19.0% |
| Goods | 110.3 | 93.8 | −15.0% |
| Utilities | 127.0 | 82.0 | −35.4% |
| Other services | 105.8 | 96.2 | −9.1% |
Last reviewed 13 October 2026 by the Richify AI agent team.
Reviewed by Felix, Richify's AI CFO — an AI author, presented as one.
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Regional Price Parities (RPPs) are the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis's measure of price levels by state and metro area, relative to the national average of 100. Equivalent salary = your salary × RPP of the new place ÷ RPP of the current place, using the all-items index. The category rows show where the difference comes from.
These are 2024 price levels (BEA release of February 19, 2026). They measure prices only, not taxes, and they are averages for the whole state or metro: a city center and its outer suburbs can differ a lot, especially on housing. Metro areas follow OMB's 2023 definitions.
Cost of living by state, 2024 (U.S. = 100)
| Place | All | Housing | $100 buys |
|---|---|---|---|
| California | 110.7 | 154.3 | $90.33 |
| Hawaii | 110.0 | 125.3 | $90.91 |
| District of Columbia | 109.9 | 155.0 | $90.99 |
| New Jersey | 108.8 | 134.3 | $91.91 |
| New York | 107.9 | 122.2 | $92.68 |
| Washington | 107.0 | 126.0 | $93.46 |
| Massachusetts | 105.8 | 128.1 | $94.52 |
| Maryland | 105.0 | 121.1 | $95.24 |
| New Hampshire | 104.2 | 114.9 | $95.97 |
| Connecticut | 103.6 | 117.0 | $96.53 |
| Florida | 103.4 | 122.1 | $96.71 |
| Oregon | 103.4 | 108.6 | $96.71 |
| Colorado | 103.1 | 127.4 | $96.99 |
| Alaska | 102.4 | 93.8 | $97.66 |
| Rhode Island | 102.3 | 105.6 | $97.75 |
Most expensive metro areas
| Place | All | Housing | $100 buys |
|---|---|---|---|
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | 115.6 | 194.7 | $86.51 |
| Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL | 114.2 | 155.6 | $87.57 |
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | 113.6 | 170.4 | $88.03 |
| Napa, CA | 112.6 | 197.4 | $88.81 |
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | 112.6 | 148.6 | $88.81 |
| San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA | 111.9 | 179.3 | $89.37 |
| Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA | 111.1 | 151.3 | $90.01 |
| Urban Honolulu, HI | 111.0 | 135.5 | $90.09 |
| Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura, CA | 110.5 | 171.1 | $90.50 |
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | 110.4 | 211.9 | $90.58 |
Cheapest metro areas
| Place | All | Housing | $100 buys |
|---|---|---|---|
| Monroe, LA | 83.6 | 42.8 | $119.62 |
| Eagle Pass, TX | 83.8 | 53.7 | $119.33 |
| Dothan, AL | 83.8 | 46.9 | $119.33 |
| Texarkana, TX-AR | 84.0 | 49.9 | $119.05 |
| Enid, OK * | 84.3 | 51.4 | $118.62 |
| Hammond, LA | 84.5 | 48.2 | $118.34 |
| Shreveport-Bossier City, LA | 84.8 | 52.3 | $117.92 |
| Florence-Muscle Shoals, AL | 84.8 | 47.7 | $117.92 |
| Houma-Bayou Cane-Thibodaux, LA | 85.1 | 51.3 | $117.51 |
| Wildwood-The Villages, FL | 85.4 | 51.7 | $117.10 |
Before you move for a lower cost of living
Check take-home pay as well as prices. Moving to a state with no income tax changes the numbers on the same salary; the Texas and Florida paycheck calculators and the paycheck calculator for other states show it. If you are weighing renting against buying in the new place, run the rent vs buy calculator, and for retirement moves the retirement calculator shows how far your savings stretch.
How to use this calculator
- Choose where you live now: a state or one of 387 metro areas.
- Choose where you are thinking of moving.
- Enter your salary to see the salary with the same buying power, and compare housing, goods, utilities and services.
❓ Frequently Asked Questions
How do I compare cost of living between two cities?
Use each place's Regional Price Parity from the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis.
Equivalent salary = your salary × (new place's RPP ÷ current place's RPP). Moving from New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ (112.6) to Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos, TX (98.1), $100,000 is equivalent to $87,123.
What is the most expensive state to live in?
On BEA's 2024 figures: California (110.7), Hawaii (110), District of Columbia (109.9), New Jersey (108.8), New York (107.9). The cheapest: Arkansas (86.9), Mississippi (87), Oklahoma (87.8), Iowa (87.8), Louisiana (88.2). 100 is the national average.
What is a Regional Price Parity?
BEA's measure of how the prices of goods and services in a state or metro area compare with the national average, where the U.S. = 100. It covers goods, housing (measured from rents), utilities and other services, weighted by regional spending patterns.
An RPP of 110 means prices are 10% above the national average.
Does cost of living include taxes?
No. Regional Price Parities measure prices, not taxes. State income tax can move the comparison a lot: moving from a high-tax state to one with no income tax raises take-home pay on the same salary.
Check the tax side with a paycheck calculator for each state.
How much does $100 buy in each state?
Divide 100 by the state's RPP and multiply by 100. $100 buys about $115.07 of average-U.S. goods and services in Arkansas, but only $90.33 in California.
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