How to compare the cost of living between two cities

Step 1: Find the RPP for both cities

Navigate to the BEA Regional Price Parities page and download the LARPP dataset. Each row is a metro area; the overall RPP column is your primary number.

Or skip the download: our pre-compiled metro database already has the RPP and HUD Fair Market Rent for the most commonly searched metros.

Step 2: Calculate the cost multiplier

Divide the destination RPP by the origin RPP:

Cost multiplier = destination RPP / origin RPP

If you are moving from Austin (RPP 98.066) to San Francisco (RPP 115.613), the multiplier is 115.613/98.066 = 1.179. The BEA 2024 overall metro price level is 17.9% higher; individual goods and household expenses can differ.

Step 3: Apply to your salary

Multiply your current annual gross salary by the cost multiplier for a historical before-tax illustration:

Equivalent salary = current salary x (dest RPP / origin RPP)

Earning $80,000 in Austin and moving to San Francisco? The historical RPP illustration is $80,000 x 1.179 = $94,300, before tax and household-specific adjustments.

Step 4: Look at the housing component separately

BEA also publishes a housing-specific RPP. If the housing RPP is much higher than the overall RPP, the city is expensive primarily because of housing. If overall and housing RPPs are similar, costs are broadly elevated.

If your employer provides housing or you have an unusual housing arrangement, use a separate budget of actual costs. Do not average non-housing RPP components without suitable expenditure weights, and do not add rent to the all-items RPP salary result.

Step 5: Check the HUD Fair Market Rent

For a historical housing benchmark, see the HUD Fair Market Rent for your bedroom count. ReloMath uses FY2024 2-bedroom FMR, a historical 40th-percentile gross-rent benchmark. It is not median rent or a current apartment offer. HUD rent-area and BEA metro boundaries may differ. Use your actual lease or landlord quote for personal budgeting.

Common traps to avoid

• Comparing state averages to metro areas. RPP varies enormously within states. California's state RPP is very different from San Francisco's or Fresno's.
• Using salary surveys alone. Salary data tells you what employers pay, not what things cost. A high-wage city can still reduce your purchasing power if prices rise faster than wages.
• Ignoring state income tax. Take-home pay depends on tax jurisdiction, filing details and payroll deductions. Obtain a separate estimate; RPP does not calculate taxes.
• Anchoring on rent. Healthcare, childcare and transportation also matter. Record the costs that apply to your household without counting housing twice.

Use our city comparison tool to instantly calculate the equivalent salary for any two verified metros.