About Compare My City

Compare My City is a free tool for comparing the cost of living between US metropolitan areas. Every figure on this site comes from the US Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA) Regional Price Parities, the federal government’s official measure of how local price levels differ across the country. The index is set so that 100 equals the national average: a metro at 110 is about 10% more expensive than the US as a whole, and one at 90 is about 10% cheaper.

We also translate those price levels into an estimated salary equivalent: what a given salary in one city would need to be in another to have approximately the same purchasing power, based on the ratio of the two cities’ price levels. This is a simple, transparent estimate — before tax, and it does not account for individual spending habits, household size, taxes, childcare, healthcare, transport choices or personal housing circumstances.

Compare My City is an independent project and is not affiliated with the Bureau of Economic Analysis or any government agency. Data currently reflects 2024, the most recent year published. Questions or corrections are welcome via our Contact page.