How the calculation works
One method.
Two cities.
Your scenario.
We compare the same household and lifestyle in both places, keep the major cost categories visible and separate recurring living costs from taxes and market salary.
Use the calculator+ equivalent income
01 · Process
From two places to one comparable answer.
The order matters. We define the scenario before comparing prices, then translate the difference into a monthly budget and salary-planning figure.
- 01
Set the scenario
Choose the two cities, household size and lifestyle level.
- 02
Build each basket
Estimate the same recurring cost categories in both locations.
- 03
Apply adjustments
Scale category values for the selected household and lifestyle.
- 04
Compare like for like
Calculate the monthly difference using the current city as the base.
- 05
Translate the result
Estimate the take-home income needed to preserve spending power.
02 · The monthly basket
The total stays understandable because the categories stay separate.
A universal average cannot describe every household. The basket is intentionally modular, so major assumptions can be replaced with the choices a person expects to make.
03 · Comparison controls
Change the city, not the person.
A like-for-like result holds personal settings steady while local costs change.
04 · Formulas
The denominator determines the answer.
The current city is always the base. Reversing a comparison changes the denominator, so the percentage is not simply the same number with a minus sign.
05 · Reading the result
Three checks before you use the headline percentage.
Close city scores should be treated as a range, not a decisive ranking. Personal housing and transport choices can outweigh a narrow difference.
- 01
Geography
City, metropolitan and national figures describe different places. Use the level that matches the decision.
- 02
Freshness
The observation period matters more than the date a page was republished.
- 03
Coverage
Housing and other large categories deserve more attention than a small discretionary line.
06 · Use with care
Know the terms. Know the limits.
Definitions keep the comparison precise. Limits show where your own research and real quotes need to replace a broad estimate.
- Spatial comparison
- A comparison of a defined basket between places at roughly the same time.
- Inflation
- A measure of price change through time. It does not rank city price levels.
- Living-cost equivalent
- The take-home income implied by repricing the selected household basket in another city.
- Market salary
- What employers pay for a role in a labor market. It is separate from household spending.
Put the method to work