Cost of living calculator
Updated Updated for 2026 tax law
Compare the cost of living between any two US states and see the salary you'd need to keep the same lifestyle — based on official BEA price levels and adjusted for each state's income taxes.
- California vs Texas prices
- 14.1% pricier
- Take-home in Texas at $75,000
- $61,593$5,133 / month
- Take-home you'd need in California
- $70,263$5,855 / month
- Take-home in California at the same $75,000
- $57,843$4,820 / month
- Same salary: change in real take-home
- −17.7%−$12,420 a year in Texas buying power
Equivalent after tax = the gross pay in California whose take-home, adjusted for California prices, buys what your Texas take-home buys today. Statewide averages — big metros (and rent) vary a lot within a state.
How to use the cost of living calculator
- Enter your current annual salary (before taxes).
- Choose the state you live in now and the state you're considering.
- Pick your filing status — it changes federal and state taxes.
- The headline is the salary that gives you the same buying power after taxes. "Prices alone" is the classic cost-of-living conversion that ignores taxes.
How it's calculated
Take-home needed = take-home now × RPP(new) ÷ RPP(current)
Equivalent salary (after tax) = gross pay in the new state whose take-home equals that
Example: $75,000 in Texas takes home $61,593. California prices are 14.1% higher, so you need $70,263 after tax — which takes a $95,712 salary once California income tax and SDI are withheld, versus $85,558 if you only adjust for prices.
Cost of living by state
| # | State | All items | Housing | Goods | Take-home at $75k | Real take-home |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Arkansas | 86.9 | 58.2 | 93.6 | $59,305 | $68,216 |
| 2 | Mississippi | 87.0 | 56.5 | 96.2 | $59,325 | $68,226 |
| 3 | Iowa | 87.8 | 65.3 | 93.7 | $59,394 | $67,677 |
| 4 | Oklahoma | 87.8 | 62.8 | 93.8 | $58,763 | $66,895 |
| 5 | Louisiana | 88.2 | 63.1 | 93.7 | $59,729 | $67,714 |
| 6 | South Dakota | 88.6 | 67.6 | 95.5 | $61,593 | $69,528 |
| 7 | Alabama | 88.8 | 61.8 | 96.4 | $58,466 | $65,823 |
| 8 | North Dakota | 89.0 | 71.4 | 95.7 | $61,411 | $69,033 |
| 9 | West Virginia | 89.5 | 54.2 | 96.5 | $59,047 | $65,976 |
| 10 | Kansas | 90.1 | 71.2 | 94.0 | $58,207 | $64,626 |
| 11 | Nebraska | 90.1 | 75.2 | 94.1 | $59,060 | $65,547 |
| 12 | Kentucky | 90.2 | 64.3 | 96.0 | $59,085 | $65,534 |
| 13 | Missouri | 90.8 | 69.9 | 96.3 | $59,059 | $65,031 |
| 14 | Tennessee | 91.9 | 79.1 | 96.2 | $61,593 | $67,043 |
| 15 | New Mexico | 92.2 | 73.6 | 96.1 | $59,233 | $64,236 |
| 16 | Wyoming | 92.7 | 71.1 | 95.4 | $61,593 | $66,449 |
| 17 | Ohio | 92.8 | 73.0 | 93.7 | $59,980 | $64,652 |
| 18 | Indiana | 93.3 | 73.9 | 95.5 | $59,410 | $63,656 |
| 19 | South Carolina | 93.7 | 80.5 | 96.3 | $58,935 | $62,865 |
| 20 | Wisconsin | 94.1 | 79.3 | 94.3 | $58,649 | $62,330 |
| 21 | North Carolina | 94.3 | 81.4 | 96.6 | $59,109 | $62,664 |
| 22 | Montana | 94.6 | 84.6 | 96.0 | $58,716 | $62,038 |
| 23 | Idaho | 95.5 | 90.0 | 96.3 | $58,726 | $61,497 |
| 24 | Michigan | 96.2 | 82.3 | 96.0 | $58,656 | $60,962 |
| 25 | Georgia | 96.3 | 88.7 | 98.9 | $58,599 | $60,854 |
| 26 | Maine | 97.0 | 78.9 | 97.2 | $57,833 | $59,591 |
| 27 | Texas | 97.1 | 96.5 | 98.1 | $61,593 | $63,460 |
| 28 | Pennsylvania | 97.6 | 85.1 | 99.4 | $59,238 | $60,712 |
| 29 | Vermont | 98.0 | 86.5 | 97.3 | $59,084 | $60,316 |
| 30 | Minnesota | 98.6 | 91.3 | 100.5 | $57,686 | $58,493 |
| 31 | Utah | 98.9 | 107.8 | 96.4 | $58,489 | $59,161 |
| 32 | Delaware | 99.8 | 102.0 | 96.2 | $57,684 | $57,794 |
| 33 | Illinois | 100.0 | 93.9 | 103.8 | $58,025 | $58,049 |
| 34 | Nevada | 100.0 | 114.1 | 96.3 | $61,593 | $61,605 |
| 35 | Arizona | 100.7 | 106.8 | 95.4 | $60,120 | $59,716 |
| 36 | Virginia | 101.1 | 106.8 | 100.4 | $58,094 | $57,460 |
| 37 | Rhode Island | 102.3 | 105.6 | 97.2 | $58,572 | $57,266 |
| 38 | Alaska | 102.4 | 93.8 | 106.3 | $61,322 | $59,908 |
| 39 | Colorado | 103.1 | 127.4 | 98.7 | $58,671 | $56,933 |
| 40 | Oregon | 103.4 | 108.6 | 105.3 | $56,006 | $54,185 |
| 41 | Florida | 103.4 | 122.1 | 98.1 | $61,593 | $59,559 |
| 42 | Connecticut | 103.6 | 117.0 | 97.3 | $57,658 | $55,649 |
| 43 | New Hampshire | 104.2 | 114.9 | 98.6 | $61,593 | $59,130 |
| 44 | Maryland | 105.0 | 121.1 | 102.5 | $58,396 | $55,637 |
| 45 | Massachusetts | 105.8 | 128.1 | 98.8 | $57,718 | $54,576 |
| 46 | Washington | 107.0 | 126.0 | 104.4 | $60,552 | $56,584 |
| 47 | New York | 107.9 | 122.2 | 107.3 | $57,784 | $53,543 |
| 48 | New Jersey | 108.8 | 134.3 | 107.1 | $58,491 | $53,758 |
| 49 | Washington, DC | 109.9 | 155.0 | 106.5 | $58,093 | $52,859 |
| 50 | Hawaii | 110.0 | 125.3 | 111.6 | $57,321 | $52,133 |
| 51 | California | 110.7 | 154.3 | 106.1 | $57,843 | $52,243 |
What drives the differences
- Rent is the big one. Housing price levels range from 54 to 155 across states, while goods vary only from 94 to 112.
- Taxes change the answer. Moving from a no-income-tax state (Texas, Florida, Washington, Tennessee, Nevada…) to one with a high income tax raises the salary you need beyond what prices suggest — and the reverse saves you money.
- The best real paycheck at $75,000 is in South Dakota ($69,528 in U.S.-average dollars); the lowest is in Hawaii ($52,133).
Sources: U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional Price Parities by State, 2024 (table SARPP, released February 19, 2026, bea.gov). Take-home pay: our 2026 federal, FICA and state income-tax engine, single filer, no pre-tax deductions; local income taxes are not included.
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Frequently asked questions
What is the cheapest state to live in?
Arkansas, where prices are 13.1% below the national average (RPP 86.9), followed by Mississippi, Iowa, Oklahoma (BEA 2024).
What is the most expensive state to live in?
California (RPP 110.7, 10.7% above average), then Hawaii, District of Columbia, New Jersey. Housing costs drive most of the gap.
How do I calculate the salary I need in another state?
Multiply your salary by the destination's price parity divided by your current state's. $75,000 in Texas (97.1) → × 110.7 ÷ 97.1 = $85,558 in California. Because California has a state income tax and Texas doesn't, you actually need about $95,712 to keep the same buying power after taxes.
What are Regional Price Parities?
Price levels the Bureau of Economic Analysis publishes for every state and metro area, relative to the national average of 100. They cover goods, rents, utilities and other services, and are the official government measure of geographic cost-of-living differences.
Does this include city differences?
No — these are statewide averages. Prices in big metros like New York City, San Francisco or Boston are well above their state's average, and rural areas are below it.
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Estimates for information only — not tax, legal or financial advice.