Salary Converter
Compare how any annual salary breaks down to hourly, weekly, monthly pay.
State Tax Comparison
Compare state income tax across California, Texas, Florida, New York and more.
Rent vs Buy
Compare monthly cost of buying vs renting in your market.
Is $100K Good Money?
How $100K feels in different cities and life stages.
Cost of Living Indexes Explained
Cost of living (CoL) is measured on an index where 100 = U.S. national average. A city with an index of 130 is 30% more expensive than average. A city with 85 is 15% cheaper.
Highest-Cost Cities (2026 Approx)
| City | Index | $100K Feels Like |
|---|---|---|
| San Francisco, CA | 173 | $57,800 |
| New York City, NY | 168 | $59,500 |
| Boston, MA | 148 | $67,600 |
| Los Angeles, CA | 143 | $69,900 |
| Seattle, WA | 137 | $73,000 |
| Washington, DC | 139 | $71,900 |
Lowest-Cost Major Cities
| City | Index | $100K Feels Like |
|---|---|---|
| Memphis, TN | 80 | $125,000 |
| Oklahoma City, OK | 85 | $117,600 |
| Cleveland, OH | 83 | $120,500 |
| Kansas City, MO | 89 | $112,400 |
| Indianapolis, IN | 88 | $113,600 |
Should You Move for Lower Cost of Living?
A $100k salary in Memphis gives you the lifestyle of a $175k salary in San Francisco. In theory. In practice:
- Jobs in your field may pay less in lower-cost cities
- Career growth and network effects concentrate in major metros
- Family, friends, weather, culture all matter
- State tax differences compound over decades
The optimal play for many remote workers: earn a high-cost-of-living salary while living in a low-cost-of-living city. If you can negotiate remote work, this is the financial cheat code of the decade.
Comparing Career Moves
When evaluating a job offer that requires relocation, adjust total comp by:
- State income tax difference — moving from TX to CA on $150k costs ~$12k/yr
- Cost of living ratio — divide new CoL index by old
- Housing cost specifically — the biggest single factor, often distorts the index
- Employer 401(k) match & benefits — can swing $5-15k/yr
- Commute & quality of life — harder to quantify but real
Salary Comparison Tools
We're building a dedicated salary comparison tool — in the meantime, use our Salary Converter and the cost-of-living indexes on each salary guide to compare purchasing power across locations.
The Real Purchasing-Power Calculation
Let's say you earn $120k in San Francisco (CoL 173) and consider a $90k offer in Austin (CoL 115). Pure CoL math says: $120k × (115/173) = $80k. The Austin offer is a real raise of $10k equivalent, plus no state income tax in Texas — another $7-10k effective. Real raise: ~$20k.