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Salary Cost-of-Living Converter
Enter your current salary and the index numbers for both cities. The calculator returns the equivalent salary and the gap at the salary you have been offered.
An index compares a basket, not your life; replace housing, childcare and transport with local prices, use one index source for both cities and note its date.
What the equivalent salary means
The equivalent salary is the amount that would buy the same basket in the destination as your current salary buys at home. It is a conversion for direction and scale, not a promise about your future budget. If the destination index is higher, the equivalent salary rises in proportion, and the percentage raise needed follows the same ratio.
The gap compares the offer with that equivalent figure. A positive gap means the offer is above the index-equivalent amount; a negative gap means it is below. Neither number tells you whether the move is worthwhile, because taxes, benefits and the cost of the specific life you would live are not in the index.
Where indices mislead
Housing is the category where indices diverge most from individual experience, followed by childcare, school fees and transport. An index also assumes a household and a consumption pattern that may not match yours. A single person and a family of four can face very different price levels in the same city.
Use the converted number to shortlist offers, then price the three largest categories locally. If the result and the index disagree, trust the local prices for the budget and keep the index as context. Mixing index sources for the two cities produces a comparison that looks precise and means little.
Frequently asked questions
Is the equivalent salary the salary I should ask for?
It is a starting reference. Add the tax and contribution differences, the value of benefits and the first-year relocation costs before deciding what to ask for.
Which index should I use?
One published index or one source used consistently for both cities, with its date noted. Different baskets and base years are not directly comparable.
Does a higher index always mean I need more money?
Not necessarily. It depends on which categories you spend on. If your large costs are lower than the basket average, the index can overstate what you need.