Expat Cost of Living Index Calculator
Moving abroad changes how far your salary stretches. A salary that funds a comfortable lifestyle in one city may be far too little or more than enough in another. This calculator uses two cost of living index values (one for your home city and one for the destination) to find the equivalent salary you need at the destination to maintain the same standard of living. Enter your current annual salary and the cost of living indices for each city. You can use World Bank PPP conversion factors at the country level, or any consistent city-level index you obtain from an authoritative source.
Cost of living adjustment formula
Equivalent salary = home salary x (destination index / home index)
Difference = equivalent salary - home salary
Cost ratio = destination index / home index
A cost ratio below 1.00 means the destination is cheaper than your home city. A ratio of 0.75 means goods and services cost 25% less on average, so you could maintain the same lifestyle on 75% of your current salary.
Using this calculator effectively
- Obtain index values from the same source and the same reference year to ensure comparability.
- Country-level PPP factors from the World Bank or OECD are useful for cross-country comparisons.
- The index does not capture housing market shocks, political risk, or the cost of relocating itself.
- Always combine this figure with a detailed personal budget for the destination country.
Frequently asked questions
What is a cost of living index?
A cost of living index is a number that represents the relative price level of a basket of consumer goods and services in a location compared to a reference city, usually set at 100. A city with an index of 120 costs 20% more than the reference city.
Where can I find official cost of living index values?
The World Bank and OECD publish Purchasing Power Parity (PPP) conversion factors for countries. The US Bureau of Labor Statistics publishes the Consumer Price Index (CPI) for US cities. For international city-level data, Numbeo and ECA International publish proprietary indices, but these are private sources. This calculator accepts any index you supply.
How is the equivalent salary calculated?
Equivalent salary = home salary x (destination index / home index). If your home city has an index of 100 and the destination is 80, you need only 80% of your current salary to maintain the same purchasing power.
Does this account for taxes?
No. The cost of living adjustment is a gross pre-tax comparison. You should also factor in the tax burden in both countries, which may significantly affect your net take-home pay.
What index scale should I use?
Use the same index scale for both cities. Common approaches include the World Bank PPP index (country level) or a city-level index where a reference city equals 100. Consistency is more important than which scale you use.
Official sources
- World Bank Purchasing Power Parity data: data.worldbank.org/indicator/PA.NUS.PPP.
- OECD Purchasing Power Parities: data.oecd.org/conversion/purchasing-power-parities-ppp.htm.
- US Bureau of Labor Statistics, Consumer Price Index: bls.gov/cpi/.
Reviewed by the CalculatorHub team, edited by James Graham, 15 June 2026. See our methodology.