Two-City Take-Home Comparison Calculator

Salary comparisons between cities are meaningless without tax and housing attached. A 15% raise into a state with an income tax and rents 40% higher is a pay cut, and it is a pay cut that takes a year to notice.

What matters is money left after the two largest, least avoidable costs. Compare on that.

The number to negotiate with

The break-even salary above is the one to bring to a conversation. It converts "the cost of living is higher there" — which is arguable — into a specific figure that either is or is not in the offer.

What this leaves out

• Property tax, which varies enormously between counties and can exceed the income tax difference for homeowners.
• Sales tax on everything you buy, which quietly moves the other-costs line.
• Commute, in both money and hours. An hour a day is 250 hours a year.
• State tax on retirement income, which matters if the move is late-career.

For remote workers

Where you work from can create a tax obligation in that state, and a few states tax income sourced to an employer's location regardless of where you sit. If your employer is in one state and you in another, confirm the treatment before assuming the low-tax column applies.