Salary Tool

Salary Equivalence Calculator

Enter your salary and city. See what you'd need to earn in every other city to maintain the same purchasing power. Based on BLS cost-of-living indices. No sign-up required.

$

$120,000 in San Francisco (CoL index 168)

San Francisco is 68% more expensive than the US average.

Equivalent salary in 27 cities

San JoseCATech
CoL 155-8% less needed
$110,714
equivalent salary
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New YorkNYTech
CoL 145-14% less needed
$103,571
equivalent salary
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SeattleWATech
CoL 142-15% less needed
$101,429
equivalent salary
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Washington DCDCTech
CoL 142-15% less needed
$101,429
equivalent salary
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BostonMATech
CoL 140-17% less needed
$100,000
equivalent salary
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Los AngelesCATech
CoL 138-18% less needed
$98,571
equivalent salary
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San DiegoCATech
CoL 128-24% less needed
$91,429
equivalent salary
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MiamiFLTech
CoL 120-29% less needed
$85,714
equivalent salary
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PortlandORTech
CoL 116-31% less needed
$82,857
equivalent salary
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ChicagoILTech
CoL 115-32% less needed
$82,143
equivalent salary
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DenverCOTech
CoL 114-32% less needed
$81,429
equivalent salary
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AustinTXTech
CoL 112-33% less needed
$80,000
equivalent salary
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BaltimoreMD
CoL 110-35% less needed
$78,571
equivalent salary
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MinneapolisMNTech
CoL 108-36% less needed
$77,143
equivalent salary
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PhiladelphiaPA
CoL 108-36% less needed
$77,143
equivalent salary
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AtlantaGATech
CoL 105-38% less needed
$75,000
equivalent salary
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Salt Lake CityUTTech
CoL 102-39% less needed
$72,857
equivalent salary
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DallasTXTech
CoL 102-39% less needed
$72,857
equivalent salary
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RaleighNCTech
CoL 100-40% less needed
$71,429
equivalent salary
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NashvilleTN
CoL 100-40% less needed
$71,429
equivalent salary
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Las VegasNV
CoL 100-40% less needed
$71,429
equivalent salary
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TampaFL
CoL 98-42% less needed
$70,000
equivalent salary
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HoustonTX
CoL 98-42% less needed
$70,000
equivalent salary
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PhoenixAZ
CoL 97-42% less needed
$69,286
equivalent salary
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CharlotteNCTech
CoL 96-43% less needed
$68,571
equivalent salary
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DetroitMI
CoL 90-46% less needed
$64,286
equivalent salary
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San AntonioTX
CoL 88-48% less needed
$62,857
equivalent salary
See data →

How it works

The Salary Equivalence Calculator uses BLS cost-of-living proxy indices derived from Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics data. Equivalent salary = your salary × (target city CoL ÷ source city CoL). A city with CoL 142 is 42% more expensive than the national average (CoL 100). Tax treatment, lifestyle, and individual spending habits are not factored in — use the Relocation Simulator for a full after-tax comparison.

Editorial policy & data sources →

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