CITY COMPARISONS
City vs City Cost of Living Comparisons
Thinking about a move? Each comparison below puts two cities side by side on the numbers that actually decide the question: state income tax, median rent, sales tax, schools, and the real disposable-income gap at $100,000 and $150,000 salaries. No vague "you'll need $X to live equivalently" hand-waving. Just the math, plus a straight verdict on who should pick which city.
Cost data updated May 2026. Want a pairing that is not listed? The Move-To-City tool compares any 2 of 117 US metros.
NYC vs Austin
Austin frees up about $34,700/yr at $100k
San Francisco vs Austin
Austin frees up about $36,700/yr at $100k
Los Angeles vs Phoenix
Phoenix frees up about $26,900/yr at $100k
NYC vs Miami
Miami frees up about $24,100/yr at $100k
Seattle vs Denver
Denver frees up about $3,000/yr at $100k
Chicago vs Nashville
Nashville frees up about $8,900/yr at $100k
Boston vs Raleigh
Raleigh frees up about $23,800/yr at $100k
San Francisco vs Seattle
Seattle frees up about $25,400/yr at $100k
Los Angeles vs Las Vegas
Las Vegas frees up about $29,700/yr at $100k
Washington DC vs Raleigh
Raleigh frees up about $18,200/yr at $100k
San Francisco vs Denver
Denver frees up about $28,300/yr at $100k
NYC vs Tampa
Tampa frees up about $33,400/yr at $100k
Los Angeles vs Austin
Austin frees up about $28,300/yr at $100k
Chicago vs Denver
Roughly a financial wash at $100k
NYC vs Philadelphia
Philadelphia frees up about $31,900/yr at $100k
San Francisco vs Portland
Portland frees up about $25,300/yr at $100k
Los Angeles vs San Diego
Roughly a financial wash at $100k
NYC vs Chicago
Chicago frees up about $26,000/yr at $100k
Boston vs NYC
Boston frees up about $8,600/yr at $100k
Los Angeles vs Seattle
Seattle frees up about $16,900/yr at $100k
Denver vs Salt Lake City
Salt Lake City frees up about $5,400/yr at $100k
Washington DC vs Atlanta
Atlanta frees up about $15,900/yr at $100k
Miami vs Atlanta
Atlanta frees up about $6,000/yr at $100k
Houston vs Austin
Houston frees up about $3,700/yr at $100k
Dallas vs Austin
Dallas frees up about $2,200/yr at $100k
Phoenix vs Denver
Phoenix frees up about $7,000/yr at $100k
Nashville vs Atlanta
Nashville frees up about $4,800/yr at $100k
Seattle vs Austin
Austin frees up about $11,400/yr at $100k
Chicago vs Atlanta
Atlanta frees up about $4,100/yr at $100k
NYC vs Raleigh
Raleigh frees up about $32,400/yr at $100k
NYC vs Charlotte
Charlotte frees up about $32,400/yr at $100k
San Francisco vs Miami
Miami frees up about $26,100/yr at $100k
Chicago vs Tampa
Tampa frees up about $7,400/yr at $100k
Los Angeles vs Dallas
Dallas frees up about $30,500/yr at $100k
Boston vs Austin
Austin frees up about $26,000/yr at $100k
NYC vs Jacksonville
Jacksonville frees up about $38,300/yr at $100k
NYC vs Nashville
Nashville frees up about $34,900/yr at $100k
Washington DC vs Charlotte
Charlotte frees up about $18,200/yr at $100k
Los Angeles vs Denver
Denver frees up about $19,900/yr at $100k
Los Angeles vs Nashville
Nashville frees up about $28,500/yr at $100k
Boston vs Tampa
Tampa frees up about $24,800/yr at $100k
Chicago vs Dallas
Dallas frees up about $10,800/yr at $100k
San Francisco vs Nashville
Nashville frees up about $37,000/yr at $100k
Portland vs Boise
Boise frees up about $7,500/yr at $100k
Seattle vs Boise
Boise frees up about $7,300/yr at $100k
Minneapolis vs Denver
Minneapolis frees up about $2,800/yr at $100k
Philadelphia vs Raleigh
Roughly a financial wash at $100k
Washington DC vs Tampa
Tampa frees up about $19,300/yr at $100k
NYC vs Orlando
Orlando frees up about $34,200/yr at $100k
Boston vs Charlotte
Charlotte frees up about $23,800/yr at $100k
San Jose vs Austin
Austin frees up about $43,700/yr at $100k
Seattle vs Phoenix
Phoenix frees up about $10,000/yr at $100k
Denver vs Boise
Boise frees up about $4,400/yr at $100k
Dallas vs Houston
Houston frees up about $1,500/yr at $100k
Miami vs Tampa
Tampa frees up about $9,300/yr at $100k
How these comparisons work
Every page runs the same model. We take a gross salary, subtract federal income tax, state income tax, and FICA, then subtract housing at the local median rent, everyday non-housing costs scaled to the city's cost-of-living index, and sales tax on discretionary spending. What is left is disposable income, the money you can actually save or spend.
Comparing the same salary in both cities isolates the cost-of-living difference, which is the remote-work case. If a job offer would rebase your pay by city, the Move-To-City tool lets you enter both real salaries. Pair it with the FIRE number calculator to see how a move changes your retirement timeline, and read where Americans are moving in 2026 for the bigger migration picture.