Salary Comparison Calculator
Adjust salary offers for cost of living and state income tax across 30+ US metros
Last updated: November 2025 . Index source: ACCRA / C2ER framework, ~100 = US average
Current City
Target City
Comparison Breakdown
| Chicago, IL | New York, NY | |
|---|---|---|
| Cost-of-Living Index | 107 | 187 |
| State | Illinois | New York |
| Gross Salary | $80,000 | $110,000 |
| - Federal Tax | -$8,770 | -$15,370 |
| - State Tax | -$3,960 | -$5,162 |
| - FICA | -$6,120 | -$8,415 |
| Take-Home (Net) | $61,150 | $81,053 |
| Take-Home (in Chicago, IL dollars) | $61,150 | $46,378 |
Reverse-engineered equivalent
To match your current take-home of $61,150 after taxes, you would need an equivalent target salary near $139,813 in New York, NY (COL-adjusted gross), which would net approximately $100,057 after federal, state, and FICA. The actual offered target salary of $110,000 nets $81,053, a shortfall of $19,003 vs. the COL-equivalent.
Comparing Salaries Across Cities
What a Cost-of-Living Index Includes
The standard ACCRA / C2ER index aggregates six budget categories: housing (~28%), groceries (~13%), utilities (~10%), transportation (~10%), healthcare (~5%), and miscellaneous goods/services (~34%). Each is priced for a "professional/managerial household" and weighted. A city with index 150 is 50% more expensive than the US national average for the same standard of living, mostly because of housing.
Why State Income Tax Matters as Much as COL
A $120k offer in Austin (no state tax) often outperforms a $135k offer in NYC. Federal tax is the same on both, but Austin keeps the full additional 6-10% you would have paid in NY state + NYC city tax. The take-home delta can be $8k-$12k/year just from state tax, before factoring in COL. The 9 no-income-tax states are Florida, Texas, Tennessee, Nevada, Washington, Wyoming, South Dakota, Alaska, and New Hampshire.
Remote-Work Tax Wrinkles
If you move from NY to FL and work remotely for a NY employer, you generally pay tax where you live (FL), not where the employer is based. BUT New York applies the "convenience of the employer" rule: if you are remote for personal convenience rather than employer necessity, NY taxes those workdays anyway. Connecticut, Pennsylvania, Delaware, New Jersey, and Nebraska have similar rules. Your home state usually grants a credit, but coverage is not always 100%. Get a CPA before a multi-state move.
Housing Dominates Everything
Housing accounts for 30-50% of the typical post-tax budget and has the widest geographic spread (housing in SF is 3-4x the national average; in Cleveland it is 60% below). Groceries vary by maybe +/- 20%, utilities by similar amounts. If you can rent a small apartment, use roommates, or commute from a cheaper neighborhood within an expensive metro, your actual cost of living can be much lower than the index suggests, the index assumes "typical" housing for a professional household.
One-Time Relocation Costs
An interstate move typically costs $3,000-$8,000 (moving company, deposits, lost wages, travel). Some employers pay relocation, get it in writing in the offer letter. Note that since the 2017 TCJA, employer-paid moving expenses are taxable income to the employee for non-military moves; ask for a "gross-up" to cover the tax. Use a 2-3 year payback window when modeling whether a higher salary in a more expensive city is worth the move.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does "cost of living" actually measure?
Most US indices follow the ACCRA / C2ER framework: housing (~28% weight), groceries (~13%), utilities (~10%), transportation (~10%), healthcare (~5%), miscellaneous (~34%). Housing is the biggest swing, SF and Manhattan housing run 2-3x the national average, which alone explains most of the spread.
How does state income tax change a relocation decision?
A $100k Austin offer can beat a $115k Manhattan offer after NY state (10.9% top) + NYC city (3.876%). Always compare net-of-tax. No-tax states: FL, TX, TN, NV, WA, WY, SD, AK, NH. Highest combined: CA (13.3% top), NYC (state + city up to ~14.8%).
I work remote, which state taxes me?
Generally, your residence state where you physically work. Exceptions: NY, CT, PA, DE, NJ, NE use "convenience of the employer" rules that can tax you in the employer's state. Always check before an interstate remote move.
What is the NY "convenience of the employer" rule?
If your employer is in NY and you work remotely from another state purely for personal convenience, NY treats those days as NY-sourced and taxes them. Your home state usually grants a credit but not always full, you can end up double-taxed on the same income.
Why does housing dominate cost-of-living comparisons?
Housing is the biggest budget line (30-50% of after-tax income) AND has the widest geographic spread. A 1,500 sq ft home in Pittsburgh might be $250k; in SF, $1.5M+. Groceries, utilities, and consumer goods vary much less (+/- 20%), so most of any large index gap is housing.