Quick answer: To compare a salary between two US cities, multiply it by the new city's price level and divide by the old one: equivalent salary = salary × (RPP of new city ÷ RPP of old city), using the Bureau of Economic Analysis Regional Price Parities. With the latest 2024 figures, $100,000 in Dallas-Fort Worth buys about what $112,148 buys in the San Francisco metro area. After 2026 state and federal taxes, the gap is wider: a single filer would need about $126,700 in San Francisco to keep the same after-tax buying power.
Updated November 2026: the old cost-of-living indexes, salary tables, quality-of-life scores and company pay claims could not be verified and were removed. City price levels now use BEA's 2024 Regional Price Parities (released February 2026), and take-home pay uses 2026 tax rules from Digicalcy's paycheck calculators.
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The formula for comparing salaries between cities
A Regional Price Parity (RPP) measures how the price level in a state or metro area compares with the national average, which is set to 100. An RPP of 115.6 means prices, including rents, run about 15.6% above the US average; 94.7 means about 5.3% below. BEA publishes them so you can compare buying power from one area to another in a given year (BEA Regional Price Parities).
Formula: Equivalent salary = Current salary × (RPP of new city ÷ RPP of current city)
The result is the salary that buys the same basket of goods, services and housing in the new city. It is a pre-tax comparison; the tax step comes later in this guide.
2024 price levels for major metro areas
These are BEA's all-items RPPs for 2024, the latest year available. BEA released them on February 19, 2026, and the next release is scheduled for December 10, 2026. The third column shows the salary in each metro that matches $100,000 at the national average price level.
| Metro area | RPP 2024 | Matches $100k US avg |
|---|---|---|
| San Francisco-Oakland | 115.6 | $115,613 |
| Miami-Fort Lauderdale | 114.2 | $114,155 |
| Los Angeles-Long Beach | 113.6 | $113,566 |
| New York-Newark | 112.6 | $112,563 |
| Seattle-Tacoma | 111.1 | $111,133 |
| San Jose | 110.4 | $110,423 |
| Washington, DC | 108.9 | $108,884 |
| Boston | 108.3 | $108,266 |
| Denver | 105.8 | $105,782 |
| Chicago | 103.6 | $103,595 |
| Phoenix | 103.3 | $103,316 |
| Dallas-Fort Worth | 103.1 | $103,090 |
| Atlanta | 100.1 | $100,058 |
| Austin | 98.1 | $98,066 |
| Charlotte | 97.3 | $97,348 |
| Pittsburgh | 94.7 | $94,671 |
Source: U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, RPPs for metropolitan statistical areas, 2024, via FRED (series RPPALL plus the metro code; for example, Dallas-Fort Worth and New York-Newark). Calculations use the unrounded values.
At the state level, BEA's 2024 RPPs ranged from 110.7 in California to 86.9 in Arkansas. Metro names are shortened; each covers the full metropolitan statistical area, suburbs included.
Worked examples with the RPP formula
Illustrative example 1: Dallas to San Francisco. You earn $100,000 in Dallas-Fort Worth and get an offer in the San Francisco metro.
- $100,000 × (115.613 ÷ 103.090) = $112,148
- An offer below about $112,100 buys less than your Dallas salary, before any tax difference.
Illustrative example 2: New York to Charlotte. You earn $100,000 in the New York metro and consider a move to Charlotte.
- $100,000 × (97.348 ÷ 112.563) = $86,483
- A Charlotte offer of about $86,500 matches your New York buying power before tax.
Illustrative example 3: Chicago to Austin. An $80,000 Chicago salary × (98.066 ÷ 103.595) = $75,730 in Austin.
Add taxes: take-home pay on $100,000 by state
Price levels are only half the comparison. State and local income taxes, plus state disability and paid-leave premiums, change what lands in your account. These figures come from Digicalcy's 2026 calculators.
Assumptions: 2026, $100,000 salary, single filer, standard deduction, no dependents, paid biweekly, no 401(k) or other pre-tax deductions. Federal income tax is $13,170 and FICA is $7,650 in every state.
| State | Take-home a year | Biweekly check |
|---|---|---|
| Texas, Florida | $79,180 | $3,045.38 |
| Washington | $77,793 | $2,992.03 |
| Arizona | $77,083 | $2,964.71 |
| North Carolina | $75,699 | $2,911.49 |
| Colorado | $75,048 | $2,886.48 |
| Georgia | $74,939 | $2,882.25 |
| Illinois | $74,375 | $2,860.57 |
| Massachusetts | $74,040 | $2,847.69 |
| New York (outside NYC) | $73,876 | $2,841.39 |
| District of Columbia | $73,585 | $2,830.18 |
| California | $72,969 | $2,806.51 |
| New York City resident | $70,435 | $2,709.04 |
Washington has no wage income tax, but its figure includes the WA Cares long-term care premium and the employee share of paid family and medical leave. Colorado and Massachusetts figures include their paid-leave premiums, and California includes 1.3% SDI on all wages. New York City residents pay city income tax of about $3,441 on top of state tax.
Moving from Texas or Florida to California at the same $100,000 costs $6,211 a year in take-home pay before any price difference. Check your own numbers with the paycheck calculator, which covers all 50 states, DC and New York City.
Combine prices and taxes for the real comparison
The fullest comparison scales your current take-home pay by the RPP ratio, then finds the gross salary that produces that take-home in the new state.
- Current take-homeFrom your paycheck or the calculator
- Scale by RPPTake-home × (new RPP ÷ old RPP)
- Find the grossSalary that yields that take-home in the new state
Illustrative example 1, after tax: Dallas to San Francisco.
- Dallas take-home on $100,000 (Texas): $79,180.
- Target take-home in San Francisco: $79,180 × (115.613 ÷ 103.090) = $88,798.
- Gross salary in California that leaves $88,798 after 2026 federal tax, FICA, California tax and SDI: about $126,656.
The price-only formula said $112,148. Adding California's taxes raises the break-even offer by about $14,500.
Illustrative example 2, after tax: New York City to Charlotte.
- Take-home on $100,000 as a New York City resident: $70,435.
- Target take-home in Charlotte: $70,435 × (97.348 ÷ 112.563) = $60,915.
- Gross salary in North Carolina that leaves $60,915: about $77,722.
Here the tax step works in your favor: because North Carolina has no city income tax and a lower state rate, a Charlotte offer of about $77,700 matches a $100,000 New York City salary, well below the price-only figure of $86,483. The same assumptions as the take-home table apply, and the New York metro RPP covers the whole region, not just the city.
Weighing two offers? The job offer comparison calculator puts salary, bonus, benefits and state taxes side by side.
What the RPP comparison leaves out
- It's an average for the whole metro. Rents in a city center and an outer suburb of the same metro can differ more than two metros do.
- It reflects 2024 prices. Local rents and prices have moved since then, and BEA's next update is due December 10, 2026.
- Your spending isn't the average basket. Someone who already owns a home, or rents a small apartment, is affected differently by a high housing RPP. BEA also publishes separate housing RPPs for this reason.
- Taxes beyond income tax. Property and sales taxes vary by area and are partly reflected in prices, but your tax bill as an owner is not.
- Career value. Pay growth, job options and benefits matter as much as this year's number.
Checking what a job pays in another city
For the pay side of the comparison, the Bureau of Labor Statistics publishes occupational wage estimates for every metro area. The latest are the May 2025 OEWS metropolitan area estimates, with median and percentile wages by occupation. Compare your offer with the local median for your occupation, then run the RPP and tax steps above.
Some employers set pay bands by location, and some pay the same nationwide. Ask how the employer sets pay for remote staff before you relocate, and whether a move changes your band.
If you only need to convert an offer to an hourly rate, use the salary to hourly calculator. For a raise you're negotiating to cover a move, the raise calculator shows the percentage and dollar change.
Frequently asked questions
Which US metro area had the highest prices in 2024?
Among the large metros in the table above, San Francisco-Oakland had the highest RPP at 115.6. At the state level, California (110.7) was highest and Arkansas (86.9) lowest, according to BEA's February 2026 release.
Is $100,000 a good salary in New York City?
It buys about what $88,839 buys at the national average price level ($100,000 ÷ 1.12563), and a single filer living in the city takes home about $70,435 after 2026 federal, state and city taxes.
How do I compare a salary between two cities quickly?
Divide the new city's RPP by the old city's RPP and multiply your salary by the result. Then compare take-home pay in both states, because taxes can move the answer by several thousand dollars.
Should I use RPP or a private cost-of-living index?
RPPs are official, dated and cover every metro area. Private indexes may be more recent or cover individual cities, but check their date and method before relying on them.
For lower salaries, the breakdown of what $1,000 a week comes to after taxes shows the same state-by-state take-home math at $52,000.
RPP comparisons use 2024 BEA data and take-home figures use 2026 tax rules under the stated assumptions. They are estimates for planning and not personal tax or financial advice.