Free tool
Cost of Living Calculator
Thinking about moving, or weighing a job offer in another city? Compare two US metros side by side and see the salary you'd need to keep the life you already have.
Seattle, WA vs Austin, TX
$118,161equivalent salary
Seattle is 39% more expensive than Austin. You'd need about $33,161 more per year to break even.
Housing snapshot
- Typical 1-bedroom rent
- $2,200/mo (+$700)
- Typical home value
- $830,000 (+$380,000)
Where the money goes
Estimated monthly difference by category, based on typical household budget shares at your income level.
- Housing+83.6%Index 116 → 213 · +$1,368/mo
- Food & groceries+17.7%Index 96 → 113 · +$114/mo
- Transportation+24%Index 100 → 124 · +$190/mo
- Healthcare+18%Index 100 → 118 · +$71/mo
- Utilities−12%Index 100 → 88 · −$42/mo
- Goods & services+9.9%Index 101 → 111 · +$113/mo
Index values use 100 as the US average. Estimates exclude income, property, and sales taxes.
Make the move work on your real numbers
A city index is an average. SpeakCents uses your actual transactions to build budgets, project cash flow, and run retirement and relocation scenarios — and you can log spending just by talking.
Cost of living questions
This calculator is for educational purposes and is not financial advice. Verify local costs and taxes before making a relocation decision.