About City Compare

City Compare 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 something more useful for real decisions: the salary you would need in one city to maintain the same standard of living as a given salary in another. This is a simple, transparent calculation based on the ratio of the two cities’ price levels.

City Compare 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.