Cost of living in a area calculator

**imagine** · 04-16-2011, 02:57 PM

Cost of Living Comparison, Salary Calculator - CityRating.com

You put in your current salary and where you living currently the what state you want to compare and it tells you what salary you would need there to keep your current standard of living?

very interesting

**serenity72** · 04-16-2011, 03:20 PM

ty this is neat

**pollypurebred39** · 04-16-2011, 03:28 PM

Very interesting!

**Spirit Deer** · 04-16-2011, 07:39 PM

Interestingly enough, it would cost us more to move to Anchorage than Honolulu. That was surprising.

**pollypurebred39** · 04-16-2011, 07:48 PM

SpiritDeer, I just did that and it would cost us about $5,000 less in Alaska and $2,000 more in Hawaii!!! This is such a neat calculator! We live in a very high cost of living area, housing is beyond belief!

**Nishu** · 04-16-2011, 08:35 PM

There's no way this can be accurate. It says that we'd have to make more in Springfield, IL than we do in Western Washington in order to maintain our standard of living. It also says that Salinas, CA, which is about half an hour from where we're moving to, would have a lower cost of living than where we live now. On the other hand, our housing allowance in WW is 1600, whereas it will be 2800 in California.

**Spirit Deer** · 04-16-2011, 08:41 PM

I think part of the difference is rural vs. metro. At least it is for us. I'm sure we could do better moving to another rural area, but there isn't any option for selecting anything but more populated and therefore more expensive areas.

**HappyMama** · 04-16-2011, 08:48 PM

Originally Posted by Nishu

There's no way this can be accurate. It says that we'd have to make more in Springfield, IL than we do in Western Washington in order to maintain our standard of living. It also says that Salinas, CA, which is about half an hour from where we're moving to, would have a lower cost of living than where we live now. On the other hand, our housing allowance in WW is 1600, whereas it will be 2800 in California.

As a family that would get job offers around the country at times I have used this calculator for years. It can be pretty handy barring a few changes at times. We always check out areas, prices, COL, crime, schools, water quality ( I know I know....LOL health nut ) before taking the plunge. These kind of calculators tend to help the research process. Not always accurate but can give you an idea.

Nishu,

Could be that California has around 1% property real estate tax and Illinois, don't ask....LOL The personal, property and business tax for Illinois with the new increase is the highest in the industrialized world. California prices are dropping so if you can get a good deal, the property taxes will always stay the same as a percentage of your purchase price due Prop 13 unless changed. Other areas of the country keep going sky high even if property values decline, which they are everywhere.

I use to live in California and food can be high but many times if you bulk, and farmers market etc it can be just as cheap or reasonable as other places so that could be the Springfield VS California .
I am clicking my heels and going back someday or at least Michigan or Maine to be near water....sigh....LOL

**dcompton** · 04-16-2011, 09:13 PM

I would have to make substantially more every place else I checked. There's a lot not to love about Louisiana, but the cost of living is definitly a plus.

**Nana2two** · 04-16-2011, 11:09 PM

OK I just did it to from California to Riverside Ca. Says we need to make another $2,000 more a year. That just can't be right. The cheapest house to buy in that area and that is a crime Infested area is $180.000

**Luv2BeFrugal** · 04-17-2011, 04:22 AM

Originally Posted by Spirit Deer

Interestingly enough, it would cost us more to move to Anchorage than Honolulu. That was surprising.

Originally Posted by pollypurebred39

SpiritDeer, I just did that and it would cost us about $5,000 less in Alaska and $2,000 more in Hawaii!!! This is such a neat calculator! We live in a very high cost of living area, housing is beyond belief!

Okay...this calculator (though interesting) seems WAY off and kinda inconsistent??? I've lived in Alaska most of my life (born and raised...lived in the lower 48 twice and incurred the moving expenses both ways, both times).

Moving to Alaska is VERY expensive...moving to Hawaii costs even more (have 2 friends who've done that). Housing here is really expensive (at least I think so??). An older home (1950's-ish), that's ~2000 sq ft, is easily $350K. If you want anything built within the last 20 years...well...you get it.

I tried comparing our "standard of living" here to Oklahoma (where I have family and am familiar with the cost of living). The difference was very off from what we've calculated (taxes, housing, food, etc. all taken into account).

I dunno...maybe they're calculating something differently than we are???

**MissSeetonFan** · 04-17-2011, 04:09 PM

Thanks for the additional calculator. These are links to three that I have used. I think when I use more than one, I get a better idea of the changes that will come about.

Cost of Living Comparison
Cost of Living comparison calculator
PayScale - Cost of Living Calculator