Cost-of-Living Comparison Calculator

Cost of living comparison between two locations

When you are deciding where to live, one of the first questions is simple: will my monthly budget go further in Location A or Location B? The problem is that “cost of living” is not one number. It is a collection of recurring expenses that move in different directions. Rent might be cheaper in one place while groceries and transport are higher. This calculator helps you compare two locations in a way that is fast enough for a quick decision, but still detailed enough to support a serious move, job change, or budgeting plan.

You can use it in two ways. Quick totals is for when you only know your rough monthly spending in each place. Type a monthly total for Location A and Location B and you will get a clear difference in currency terms, as well as a percentage difference and an annualised impact. Detailed categories is for when you want more accuracy and want to see what is driving the gap. You enter monthly amounts for common categories like housing, utilities, groceries, transport, healthcare, childcare, and other regular costs. You can leave any category blank if you do not have the data yet. Blank is treated as zero so you can still get a result and refine it later.

The main outputs are designed to be decision-ready. You get a monthly difference (how much more expensive Location B is versus Location A), a yearly difference (useful for relocation planning), and a simple cost index so you can think in relative terms even when exact numbers change. The index is shown as Location A = 100 and Location B expressed against it. For example, if Location B’s index is 125, then based on your inputs Location B is about 25% more expensive than Location A for the costs you included. If you add optional income values, the calculator also shows what portion of income the costs represent, which is often the real constraint when you are comparing a higher-cost location with a higher-paying job.

This calculator is intentionally focused on recurring monthly costs because those are what usually determine affordability. One-off costs like moving trucks, deposits, new furniture, visa fees, or travel to visit family are real, but they vary widely and are better handled as a separate relocation budget. Here, the goal is to compare “normal month” reality so you can decide whether a location is sustainable, whether a salary offer is enough, or which areas of spending you need to negotiate or control.

To improve accuracy, treat this as a personal basket rather than a generic city ranking. Generic cost-of-living indexes can be useful, but they do not match your life. If you do not own a car, transport costs matter differently. If you have children, childcare and schooling can dominate the comparison. If you work remotely, commuting costs may drop but utilities might increase. That is why Detailed mode lets you enter only the categories that apply to you, and why optional income fields are included. You can start with rough numbers and sharpen them as you collect real quotes and real bills.

Assumptions and how to use this calculator

• All inputs are monthly and in the same currency. If you are comparing countries, convert first so the comparison is meaningful.
• Blank fields are treated as 0, so missing categories will make totals look lower than real life. Add categories as you learn more.
• Detailed mode totals are the sum of the categories shown. It does not automatically include discretionary spending like entertainment unless you place it under “Other.”
• The cost index is relative to Location A (Location A = 100). It reflects only the costs you included, not a universal city index.
• Income fields are optional and used only to show affordability ratios. If income is omitted, the calculator still provides full cost comparison outputs.

Common questions

Do I have to fill every category in Detailed mode?

No. You can leave any category blank and the calculator will still work. The trade-off is that a missing category will understate the true cost. If you are early in your research, start with housing and groceries, then add utilities, transport, and healthcare when you have better numbers.

Why does the calculator treat blanks as zero instead of showing an error?

Because most people do not have perfect data. This tool is designed to give you a usable answer quickly. It will only stop you if everything is zero for a location, because then there is nothing meaningful to compare.

What does the “cost index” mean?

It is a simple relative measure. Location A is set to 100. Location B is shown as a number above or below 100 based on your totals. It is useful when you want a quick “how much more expensive” view without re-reading raw currency amounts.

Should I compare net income or gross income?

Use net income if you can. Cost of living is paid from take-home pay, not from gross salary. If you only know gross salary for a job offer, you can still enter it, but the affordability percentage will be less accurate.

What costs are not included that I should consider separately?

One-time relocation costs (deposits, moving, travel), big lifestyle changes (buying a car, private schooling), and irregular expenses (medical events, major repairs) are not modelled here. Use this calculator for the normal month baseline, then build a separate buffer plan for the extras.