Salary comparison calculator
Compare two offers side by side, adjusted for cost of living.
Anything that helps you remember which offer is which.
Location
Auto-filled from BEA RPP 2023 for California. Editable.
Anything that helps you remember which offer is which.
Location
Auto-filled from BEA RPP 2023 for Texas. Editable.
Offer A real value (COL=100)
$95,819
Offer B real value (COL=100)
$97,938
Nominal: Offer B vs Offer A
-13.6%
Real (COL-adjusted): Offer B vs Offer A
+2.2%
Cost-of-living indices are auto-filled from BEA Regional Price Parities 2023. Override either field for metro-level precision.
How it works
Real value is the salary divided by the cost-of-living index and normalized to a baseline of 100 (US national average). It tells you what the salary is worth in equal-purchasing-power terms.
Real delta is the percent difference between the two real values. A higher nominal salary in a high-COL city can be lower in real terms than a smaller offer in a cheaper region.
Pick a state for each offer to auto-fill its cost-of-living index from BEA Regional Price Parities, the canonical US government measure of state-level price differences. Pick "Custom" if you want to enter a metro-level value or a different source (C2ER, Numbeo, or your employer's relocation tool).
Frequently asked questions
- What does COL = 100 mean?
- It is our baseline, set to the US national average. A COL index of 130 means living in that area costs about 30% more than the national average for the same basket of goods.
- Should I include benefits in salary?
- For an apples-to-apples comparison, yes. Add a reasonable estimate of employer-paid health insurance, 401(k) match, and bonus to the base salary in each offer.
- Is this tax-adjusted?
- No. We compare gross compensation. State income tax differences are partially captured in COL but not fully. For an after-tax view, use the Take-Home Pay calculator on each offer separately.
This calculator is for general educational purposes only. It is not financial, tax, or career advice. Estimates use simplified models that may not reflect every situation. Consult a licensed professional before making compensation, tax, or career decisions.