Costs vary by city, so location-specific data matters for financial planning. Our cost of living calculator shows expense differences between cities so you can compare before you move.
Cost of Living Calculator
Compare cost of living between U.S. cities and the national average with our comprehensive calculator. Determine how much more or less you need to maintain a similar standard of living. Compare housing, food, utilities, transportation, and other cost of living numbers across cities.
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Cost of Living Calculator
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About the MoneyGeek Cost of Living Calculator
The MoneyGeek Cost of Living Calculator compares costs across nearly 500 U.S. cities. Whether you're relocating for work, family or lifestyle, our tool shows how expenses compare across nearly 500 U.S. cities.
Where the Data Comes From
The calculator uses three trusted data sources for accurate cost estimates.
- The Cost of Living Index (COLI) measures price differences across cities. It covers housing, groceries, utilities, transportation, health care and entertainment. Researchers gather local pricing data using standardized methods.
- Employment data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) reflects median wages, workforce trends and regional job opportunities since job markets vary by location.
- Census data updates yearly through the American Community Survey to reflect population shifts and economic changes that affect housing demand, wages and costs.
How to Use MoneyGeek’s Cost of Living Calculator
Compare living expenses between two cities by entering your current location and the city you're considering. After your first calculation, you can adjust your household annual income to see how different earnings match the cost of living in your new city.
The calculator estimates the income you'd need to keep your current lifestyle based on average costs in the selected city.
- 1Select Places to Compare
Choose your current city and the city you're moving to. Our calculator includes nearly 500 U.S. cities, from large metros to smaller towns.
- 2Input Your Household Annual Income
The calculator defaults to $50,000 annually, but you can adjust this to match your yearly earnings before taxes. After your first calculation, you can change this amount to compare different income scenarios.
How to Read the Results
The calculator provides two insights: the estimated income needed to keep your current lifestyle in the new city and a side-by-side comparison of major expense categories.
The adjusted income requirement appears at the top and shows whether your earnings need to increase or decrease based on local costs. A detailed breakdown covers percentage differences in housing, groceries and transportation so you can see where your costs will shift and adjust your budget.
SAMPLE COMPUTATION
Let's say you live in San Francisco, California, earn $100,000 q year and consider moving to Austin, Texas. According to the MoneyGeek Cost of Living Calculator, you'd need $58,393 in Austin to keep the same lifestyle. That's 71% less than in San Francisco.
Housing drives the biggest difference, at 64% lower in Austin. Renting an apartment drops from $3,749 in San Francisco to $1,849 in Austin. The median home price falls from $1.38 million to $500,842. Other everyday expenses also decrease, including groceries (9% lower), utilities (34% lower) and health care (27% lower).
Not all costs decrease. Phone bills remain nearly the same, and wine is actually 1% more expensive in Austin.
Categories in Cost of Living Comparisons
Housing, groceries, utilities, transportation, health care and entertainment are the main factors shaping the cost of living in any city. Prices vary by location and impact overall affordability.
Housing
Housing is often the biggest expense in any budget, whether you're renting or buying a home. Costs vary based on demand, location and local property taxes. That makes housing a major factor in any affordability comparison.
Rents and home prices in high-demand metros like San Francisco run well above the national average. Mid-sized cities like Austin offer more room for the money. Housing cost differences can take a large portion of your income.
Grocery
Grocery prices depend on local supply chains, transportation costs and state taxes. Items like milk, eggs and fresh produce may cost more in areas where they need to be transported from far away.
In some cities, grocery bills run higher because of import costs or fewer discount retailers. Areas with local agriculture or competitive retail markets have lower food prices. Since food is a daily necessity, even small pricing differences add up over time.
Utilities
Monthly utility bills cover electricity, water, heating, cooling, internet and phone services. Climate, local energy rates and infrastructure all affect how much residents pay.
Extreme weather conditions can drive up heating or air conditioning costs. States with regulated energy markets may have higher or lower rates depending on policies and provider competition.
Transportation
Commuting costs depend on gas prices, public transit options and vehicle expenses. In Los Angeles, where driving is necessary, residents pay high fuel prices and maintenance costs. In New York City, most people take the subway. Monthly passes replace gas and car payments.
Parking fees, tolls and rideshare services add to transportation expenses. Car-heavy cities cost more in fuel and upkeep. Cities with strong transit systems are generally cheaper to get around.
Health Care
Medical costs include doctor visits, prescription medications, insurance premiums and hospital care. Prices fluctuate depending on local health care providers, insurance regulations and demand for medical services.
In cities with more hospitals and specialists, competition often keeps medical prices lower. Residents in areas with fewer providers pay more out of pocket.
Entertainment
Entertainment spending covers dining, fitness, movies and other leisure activities. While not essential, these expenses contribute to the overall quality of life and vary widely between cities.
Take Boston. Concerts, fitness classes and restaurant meals there often cost more than in most U.S. cities. A night out at a restaurant or a ticket to a sporting event can cost much more than in smaller, more affordable cities.
HOW INFLATION IMPACTS THE COST OF LIVING
As prices rise over time, the cost of essentials like housing, groceries and utilities increases.
Inflation also affects cost-of-living indices, which must be regularly updated to reflect changing prices.
Understanding the Cost of Living Index
The cost-of-living index compares city affordability based on housing, groceries, transportation and health care. A score of 100 represents the national average. Higher scores mean higher costs. A score below 100 means the city is more affordable than average.
Manhattan's cost-of-living index runs more than twice the national average. Decatur, Illinois, ranks more than 20% below the national average with lower living costs.
Cost of Living FAQ
Relocating affects nearly every line of your budget, not just housing.
What should I consider before relocating?
Cost of living affects how comfortably you can live somewhere. Think about job opportunities, long-term financial goals and quality of life. Can you still save for a home, retirement or debt repayment? Consider amenities, climate and proximity to friends and family to see if the city fits your life.
How much does it cost to move?
Moving expenses depend on distance, location and services needed. Costs include movers, truck rentals, fuel, plane tickets, temporary lodging and food. Local moves often run a few hundred dollars. Long-distance moves with professional movers can cost several thousand.
Can I afford to move to a new city?
MoneyGeek's cost of living calculator compares expenses based on your income and shows whether your salary can cover your costs in a new location. Consider day-to-day expenses along with savings, debt payments and long-term financial goals.
How do you find out the cost of living in an area?
Use a cost of living calculator like MoneyGeek's to compare expenses across cities. Government sources like the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) and C2ER's Cost of Living Index (COLI) provide reliable data on regional price differences.
What is the U.S. average cost of living?
The average annual cost of living for a U.S. household was $77,280 ($6,440 a month) in 2023. Housing was the biggest expense at 32.9% of total spending. Costs vary by location. High-cost cities like New York (Manhattan) run more than twice the national average. More affordable areas like Decatur, Illinois, fall 20% below it.
How much of your salary should go to the cost of living?
A common budgeting rule is the 50/30/20 split: 50% for necessities (housing, food, utilities and transportation), 30% for discretionary spending and 20% for savings or debt repayment. In high-cost cities, you'll likely need to shift more toward necessities and less toward savings or discretionary spending.
About Nathan Paulus
Nathan Paulus is Head of Content and SEO at MoneyGeek, where he leads content strategy and produces original data research across insurance, consumer costs, transportation safety, housing, public policy, and personal finance. He also reviews published studies for methodology, source quality and factual accuracy before they reach readers.
Research and Analysis
In nearly six years at MoneyGeek, Paulus has published more than 100 original studies and explanatory guides. His insurance research includes 50-state comparisons of health care outcomes, costs and access; an analysis of how uninsured rates track with state Medicaid expansion decisions and electoral patterns; full-coverage auto rate analyses across major insurers in all 50 states; and a study of how premium trends track with industry underwriting losses, with combined ratio data sourced from Fitch Ratings, AM Best and Bureau of Labor Statistics CPI figures. His research also covers vehicle pricing trends across the U.S. new car market, summer traffic fatality rates by state, homeowner underinsurance ratios using mortgage and policy data, and housing affordability across all 50 states.
His research has been cited by Bloomberg, the Los Angeles Times, Forbes, Fast Company, the San Francisco Chronicle, USA Today and NBC Los Angeles. Harvard, MIT, Stanford and Yale have also referenced his work.
Career
Growing up, Paulus developed an early interest in personal finance through his grandmother, who emphasized saving over earning as the foundation of financial stability. Her framing still shows up in how he writes about money for people without a financial background.
Paulus joined MoneyGeek in July 2020 as Director of Content Marketing. In that role, he led the content team and directed data journalism production across insurance and personal finance verticals. He was promoted to Head of Marketing and Communications in December 2023, where he took on digital PR and communications strategy. He has held his current role as Head of Content and SEO since January 2025.
Before MoneyGeek, he served as Director of Content Marketing and SEO at Ventrix Advertising. There, he helped build two content sites from scratch, contributed to link-building programs that secured more than 1,500 unique referring domains within a year, and co-managed a marketing team of more than 20 people. Earlier, he spent two and a half years at ABUV Media, moving up from Marketing Research Analyst to Senior Marketing Tactics Analyst, where he built his grounding in audience research, content strategy and SEO.
Sources
- Council for Community and Economic Research. "Press Release: Cost of Living Index." Accessed May 8, 2026.
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. "Consumer Expenditures – 2023." Accessed May 8, 2026.