Tools · Cost-of-Living Adjuster
What is this offer actually worth where I'd live?
Type a salary, pick the market it's quoted in, then pick the market you'd actually move to. We compare cost of living and state + city tax burden side-by-side so you see purchasing-power equivalence and post-tax take-home - not just headline salary.
City move calculator
See what salary keeps the same buying power after a market change, then compare the tax hit and take-home pay in both cities.
Equivalent purchasing power
$199,144
$245,000 in New York needs to be $199,144 in Washington DC to maintain the same standard of living. Washington DC is 19% cheaper overall.
Cost index uses 100 as the U.S. average. New York is indexed at 187; Washington DC is indexed at 152. The tool answers the practical question: what percent more or less cash would make these markets feel financially equivalent?
Relocation read
Washington DC improves both buying power and take-home.
The market is cheaper than New York, and estimated take-home is up by $291. On this math, the move gives you more room without needing a higher headline salary.
Market cost index
New York
187
100 means average. New York is 87% above the U.S. metro average; housing, transportation, food, healthcare, and utilities are folded into the index.
Market cost index
Washington DC
152
100 means average. Washington DC is 52% above the U.S. metro average; housing, transportation, food, healthcare, and utilities are folded into the index.
Tax stack in New York
$245,000 grossbecomes $155,817 take-home (63.6%)
Federal income tax (progressive)
$51,287 (20.9%)
FICA (Social Security + Medicare)
$15,180 (6.2%)
State income tax
$13,926 (5.7%)
City / local income tax
$8,790 (3.6%)
Each bar is scaled to your gross. Hover any segment for bracket detail. 2026 single filer, before deductions beyond the standard.
Take-home
$155,817 (63.6%)
Tax stack in Washington DC
$245,000 grossbecomes $156,108 take-home (63.7%)
Federal income tax (progressive)
$51,287 (20.9%)
FICA (Social Security + Medicare)
$15,180 (6.2%)
State income tax
$22,425 (9.2%)
Each bar is scaled to your gross. Hover any segment for bracket detail. 2026 single filer, before deductions beyond the standard.
Take-home
$156,108 (63.7%)
Take-home - quoted market
$155,817
New York · after federal + state + city tax (single filer, est.)
Take-home - moving market
$156,108
Washington DC · after federal + state + city tax (single filer, est.)
Tax burden delta
-1.8%
Washington DC taxes 1.8% less on this income
Take-home delta
+$291
Your take-home goes up 0.2% in Washington DC
What this tool is good at
- Comparing offers across markets. NYC at $245k vs DC at $235k looks close on paper. After state + city tax and rent, it usually isn't.
- Pressure-testing a "no-tax state" pitch. Houston, Miami, Tampa, Nashville, Seattle all skip state income tax. That alone can be worth ~10% on a BigLaw salary.
- Anchoring a counter-offer. If the firm is hiring you out of NYC and asking you to relocate to LA at the same headline salary, you can show what the market-cost gap looks like in numbers.
What this tool is NOT
- A tax filing. Federal + FICA is treated as a flat 28% effective rate at BigLaw single-filer comp. Your actual rate depends on deductions, retirement contributions, and filing status.
- A rent calculator. Cost indices include housing, food, transportation, healthcare, and utilities. They don't model the specific neighborhood you'd live in.
- A career advisor. A 15% post-tax bump in Tampa doesn't make Tampa the right choice if your practice area is securities and you want to be in NYC long-term.
Methodology
Cost-of-living indices come from BLS CPI Regional data and the Council for Community and Economic Research Cost of Living Index (Q4 2025). State + city marginal tax rates are sourced from each state's Department of Revenue at the highest BigLaw bracket (~$245k single filer). The full data table and citations live on the methodology page.